Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Palkuriki Somanatha
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Panditharadya Charitham is an important work in medieval Telugu literature associated with devotional and philosophical traditions. Competitive exams in India, especially those focusing on state level history, language and literature, often test knowledge of regional literary works and their authors. Knowing that Palkuriki Somanatha wrote Panditharadya Charitham helps link this poet to the Veerashaiva and Shaiva devotional movement in the Telugu region.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
This question tests awareness of regional language literature. Palkuriki Somanatha was a prominent Telugu and Kannada poet of the Veerashaiva tradition, known for composing biographies and devotional literature, including works on Basavanna and other saints. Panditharadya Charitham is attributed to him. Tikkana and Yerrana are also important Telugu poets, but they are more closely associated with translations and continuations of the Mahabharata. Ganapathideva was a Kakatiya ruler rather than a literary author. Recognising each figure s main contribution allows us to choose correctly.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that the question is clearly about Telugu literature and a specific work titled Panditharadya Charitham.
Step 2: Recall that Palkuriki Somanatha is famous for his Shaiva devotional texts and biographies, including works about Veerashaiva saints.
Step 3: Connect Panditharadya Charitham with this tradition and with Palkuriki Somanatha s authorship.
Step 4: Consider the other options: Tikkana and Yerrana were important translators and poets linked to the Telugu Mahabharata, while Ganapathideva was a king and patron, not a known author of this text.
Step 5: Conclude that Palkuriki Somanatha is the correct author.
Verification / Alternative check:
A useful verification strategy is to group Telugu literary figures by their main works. When revising, learners often associate Tikkana and Yerrana with the Mahabharata in Telugu and Palkuriki Somanatha with Veerashaiva biographies and devotional works. Question banks and textbooks that cover regional literature typically state that Panditharadya Charitham was written by Palkuriki Somanatha. Since Ganapathideva is primarily remembered as a monarch, he is unlikely to be the writer of such a text, which further confirms our choice.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Tikkana was a major Telugu poet but is known for his contribution to translating the Mahabharata, not for writing Panditharadya Charitham.
Ganapathideva was a Kakatiya ruler and patron of arts, not the author of this literary work.
Yerrana is also associated with the Telugu Mahabharata and other works, not with Panditharadya Charitham.
Common Pitfalls:
A common error is to confuse major Telugu poets simply because they are studied together. Learners might randomly choose Tikkana or Yerrana because their names are familiar. Another pitfall is ignoring the historical role of kings like Ganapathideva and incorrectly assuming they were authors of certain texts. To avoid confusion, it is helpful to prepare small mental maps linking each regional author with one or two key works and movements, such as linking Palkuriki Somanatha with Veerashaiva devotional literature.
Final Answer:
Thus, in Telugu literature, the work Panditharadya Charitham was written by Palkuriki Somanatha.
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