Sarala Dasa: The Adikavi of Odia Literature

Sarala Dasa, whose given name is traditionally recorded as Siddheswar Parida, was a fifteenth-century poet of Odisha revered as the Adikavi, the first poet, of Odia literature. He is honoured for composing great works in the Odia language rather than in Sanskrit, above all his Odia Mahabharata, along with the Vilanka Ramayana and the Chandi Purana, and for giving the devotional and epic heritage of India a voice in the mother tongue of the people of Odisha. Tradition holds that he was a devotee of the goddess Sarala, a form of the Great Goddess associated with Durga and Saraswati, worshipped at Jhankad, and that he took from her the name by which he is known. His turning to the Odia language made the great epics accessible to the common people and shaped the course of Odia literature. His life and devotion belong to the wider world of Vaishnavism and the sacred culture of Odisha gathered around Jagannath of Puri, and he is honoured as the father of Odia poetry.

Key Takeaways

• Sarala Dasa, traditionally named Siddheswar Parida, was a fifteenth-century poet of Odisha.
• He is revered as the Adikavi, the first poet, of Odia literature.
• His principal works are the Odia Mahabharata, the Vilanka Ramayana and the Chandi Purana.
• He composed in the Odia language rather than in Sanskrit, giving the epics a voice in the mother tongue.
• Tradition holds that he was a devotee of the goddess Sarala, worshipped at Jhankad, from whom he took his name.
• The goddess Sarala is honoured as a form of the Great Goddess associated with Durga and Saraswati.

The sections below explain his life as told by tradition, his name, the meaning of the title Adikavi, the goddess Sarala of Jhankad, his Odia Mahabharata, his other works, his choice of the Odia language, his place in the culture of Odisha and his continuing legacy.

Quick Facts

Who Was Sarala Dasa?

Sarala Dasa was a fifteenth-century poet of Odisha revered as the Adikavi, the first poet, of Odia literature, honoured for composing great works in the Odia language and above all for his Odia Mahabharata. His given name is traditionally recorded as Siddheswar Parida.

He is remembered as a poet who gave the devotional and epic heritage of India a voice in the mother tongue of the people of Odisha, drawing upon the great Sanskrit traditions yet making them his own in Odia. Tradition holds that he was a devotee of the goddess Sarala, worshipped at Jhankad, and that he took from her the name Sarala Dasa, meaning a servant of Sarala. His works shaped the course of Odia literature and made the epics accessible to the common people. His standing as the father of Odia poetry and a devotee of the Goddess is firmly and proudly held in the cultural memory of Odisha.

What Does His Name Signify?

The poet is known as Sarala Dasa, a name that signifies a servant or devotee of the goddess Sarala, and his given name is traditionally recorded as Siddheswar Parida, so that recognising both helps a reader place him in the devotional and literary history of Odisha. The name Sarala Dasa reflects his devotion to the Goddess.

Tradition holds that he took the name Sarala Dasa in honour of the goddess Sarala, whose devotee he was, for the word Dasa means a servant, marking the poet as one who served the Goddess and ascribed his gifts to her grace. His given name, Siddheswar Parida, is recorded in the traditions of Odisha. Recognising the meaning of his name helps a reader appreciate that his poetry was understood, by himself and by tradition, as a fruit of devotion to the Goddess. The name thus marks him as both a great poet and a devotee of Sarala, honoured as the first poet of the Odia tongue.

What Does the Title Adikavi Mean?

The title Adikavi means the first poet, and it is given to Sarala Dasa in honour of his place at the fountainhead of Odia literature, as the poet whose great works in the Odia language opened the way for all that followed. The title marks his foundational role in the literary heritage of Odisha.

In the literary traditions of India, the honorific Adikavi is reserved for a poet revered as the first great voice of a language or a tradition, and in Odisha it is borne by Sarala Dasa, whose Odia Mahabharata and other works are honoured as the foundation of Odia poetry. The title reflects the recognition that he gave the Odia language a great literature and shaped the course of its development. Recognising the meaning of the title helps a reader appreciate his foundational place. The title Adikavi thus marks Sarala Dasa as the first poet and the father of the literary tradition of Odisha.

Who Is the Goddess Sarala of Jhankad?

The goddess Sarala is a form of the Great Goddess honoured in Odisha, associated with Durga and with Saraswati, the goddess of learning, and worshipped at Jhankad, and tradition holds that Sarala Dasa was her devotee and took his name from her. The Goddess is central to the devotional memory of the poet.

Sarala is revered as a form of the Divine Mother who unites the power of Durga with the wisdom of Saraswati, fitting for a goddess honoured as the inspirer of a great poet. Her temple at Jhankad is a place of devotion in Odisha, and the poet is remembered as her servant, who ascribed his gift of poetry to her grace. Because the link between the poet and the Goddess comes down through tradition, it is received as the cherished memory of Odisha. Understanding who the goddess Sarala is helps a reader appreciate the devotion that, in the tradition of Odisha, lay at the source of the poetry of Sarala Dasa.

What Is the Odia Mahabharata?

The Odia Mahabharata is the best-known work of Sarala Dasa, a rendering of the great epic of the Mahabharata in the Odia language, and it is honoured as a foundational classic of Odia literature. Through it the epic was given a voice in the mother tongue of the people of Odisha.

In composing his Mahabharata in Odia, Sarala Dasa drew upon the great tradition of the Sanskrit epic yet made it his own, shaping the narrative in the language and the spirit of his land and adding his own touches to the telling. The work made the epic accessible to the common people, who could now hear the great story in their own tongue. It is cherished as a monument of Odia literature and a testament to the poet’s gifts. Because the work belongs to the classical heritage of Odisha, careful accounts describe it in general terms. Understanding the Odia Mahabharata helps a reader appreciate the achievement that earned Sarala Dasa the title of the first poet of Odia.

What Are His Other Principal Works?

Besides the Odia Mahabharata, Sarala Dasa is honoured as the author of the Vilanka Ramayana and the Chandi Purana, works that further enriched the devotional and epic literature of the Odia language. Together these form the principal body of his poetry.

The Vilanka Ramayana offers a telling within the tradition of the Rama story, and the Chandi Purana is a devotional work honouring the Goddess, in keeping with the poet’s devotion to Sarala. These works, like his Mahabharata, carry the great themes of the epic and devotional heritage of India into the Odia tongue, and they are cherished as classics of Odia literature. Because these works belong to the classical heritage of Odisha and are studied within it, careful accounts describe them in general terms. Understanding his other principal works helps a reader appreciate the breadth of the achievement of Sarala Dasa and the richness he brought to the literature of his language.

Why Did He Write in Odia Rather Than Sanskrit?

Sarala Dasa wrote his great works in the Odia language rather than in Sanskrit, the classical language of learning, and this choice is central to his significance, for it gave the epic and devotional heritage a voice in the mother tongue of the people of Odisha. His turning to Odia shaped the course of the region’s literature.

In an age when the great works of learning were composed in Sanskrit, accessible chiefly to the learned, Sarala Dasa chose to write in the living speech of his land, so that the great stories and teachings might reach the common people in their own tongue. This choice made his works beloved and widely known and laid the foundation for the flowering of Odia literature. His use of Odia is honoured as an act that enriched and dignified the language. Understanding why he wrote in Odia helps a reader appreciate the cultural significance of Sarala Dasa as the poet who gave the Odia tongue its first great literature.

How Did He Shape Odia Literature?

Sarala Dasa shaped Odia literature by giving it its first great works, establishing the Odia language as a vehicle for the epic and devotional heritage and opening the way for the poets who followed. As the Adikavi, he stands at the fountainhead of the literary tradition of Odisha.

Through his Mahabharata and his other works, he showed that the Odia language could carry the great themes and stories of Indian tradition with power and beauty, and he set a pattern that later Odia poets would follow and develop. His works became classics studied and cherished across the generations, and his use of the mother tongue dignified the language and enriched its literature. His influence runs through the whole subsequent history of Odia poetry. Understanding how he shaped Odia literature helps a reader appreciate why Sarala Dasa is honoured as the father of the literary tradition of his land and a foundational figure in its cultural heritage.

What Is His Place in the Culture of Odisha?

Sarala Dasa holds a central place in the culture of Odisha as the Adikavi whose works gave the Odia language its first great literature and carried the devotional and epic heritage into the mother tongue of the people. His memory is bound to the literary and spiritual identity of Odisha.

The culture of Odisha is cherished for its temples, its devotion to Jagannath of Puri and its rich tradition of literature and the arts, and Sarala Dasa stands within this heritage as the founding poet of the Odia tongue. His works are honoured as classics, his devotion to the goddess Sarala is remembered, and his name is held with pride as the father of Odia poetry. His place binds the literary and the devotional dimensions of the culture of the region. Understanding his place in the culture of Odisha helps a reader appreciate how Sarala Dasa shaped and continues to adorn the cultural identity of his land.

When and Where Did He Live?

Sarala Dasa is traditionally placed in the fifteenth century, and he is associated with Odisha, above all with the region around Jhankad, where the goddess Sarala is worshipped, though because parts of his life come down through tradition it is wise to describe his era in general terms. His memory is bound to Odisha and the goddess Sarala.

His life unfolded in the region of Odisha during a period cherished as a great age of its literature and devotion, when the Odia language came into its own as a vehicle of great poetry. Tradition places his life in the fifteenth century and binds it to Jhankad and the worship of the Goddess. Careful writers describe his era in general terms, in keeping with the respectful caution that the sources invite. His home region and his devotion to Sarala are honoured as the setting of his great achievement. Understanding when and where he lived helps a reader place Sarala Dasa within the literary and devotional life of fifteenth-century Odisha.

How Is He Linked With the Devotion to Jagannath?

Sarala Dasa belongs to the sacred culture of Odisha gathered around Jagannath of Puri, the beloved form of the divine honoured as the lord of the land, and his devotional poetry shares in the wider religious life that centres on this worship. The devotion to Jagannath is the great devotional current of the region to which the poet belongs.

The worship of Jagannath at Puri is the heart of the religious culture of Odisha, drawing together the devotion of the whole land, and the literature of the region, including the works of Sarala Dasa and the later Odia poets, is woven into this devotional world. While the poet is especially remembered as a devotee of the goddess Sarala, his place in the culture of Odisha binds him to the great devotion to Jagannath that shapes the region. Understanding this link helps a reader see Sarala Dasa within the broad sacred culture of Odisha, in which the worship of the Goddess and of Jagannath together nourish the literary and devotional heritage of the land.

What Values Does His Legacy Teach?

The legacy of Sarala Dasa teaches the value of giving the great heritage of tradition a voice in the mother tongue, the dignity of the common people’s language and the union of devotion with literary art. These values are cherished as the heart of his contribution to the culture of Odisha.

As the poet who chose to write in Odia so that the epics and the devotional heritage might reach the people, Sarala Dasa is remembered as a figure who dignified the mother tongue and made the great tradition accessible to all. His ascribing of his gift to the grace of the goddess Sarala joins the literary to the devotional, honouring poetry as a fruit of devotion. His legacy is cherished as a model of the service of language and culture. Understanding the values his legacy teaches helps a reader appreciate why Sarala Dasa is honoured not only as a great poet but as a benefactor of the language and the people of Odisha.

Why Does Sarala Dasa Still Matter Today?

Sarala Dasa still matters today because his works remain foundational classics of Odia literature and because, as the Adikavi, he gave the Odia language its first great literature and shaped its whole tradition. His memory endures as the father of Odia poetry and a cherished figure of the culture of Odisha.

For the people of Odisha he is the founding poet whose Mahabharata and other works are honoured as treasures of the language and whose devotion to the goddess Sarala is remembered with reverence. His choice to write in the mother tongue dignified the Odia language and made the great heritage accessible to all, a service cherished across the generations. His works continue to be studied, read and honoured. His enduring importance lies in his foundational place in the literary and devotional heritage of Odisha and in the example he offers of a poet who gave the great tradition a voice in the language of the people.

Sarala Dasa Today

Sarala Dasa today is revered as the Adikavi, the first poet of Odia literature, whose Odia Mahabharata, Vilanka Ramayana and Chandi Purana are honoured as foundational classics, and whose memory is bound to the goddess Sarala of Jhankad. His legacy endures as the fountainhead of the literary tradition of Odisha.

Through his great works in the Odia language, his devotion to the Goddess and his gift of the epic and devotional heritage to the people in their mother tongue, he became an enduring figure of the cultural and spiritual heritage of Odisha. His given name, traditionally recorded as Siddheswar Parida, and his era in the fifteenth century are held within the traditions of the region and described in general terms. His legacy endures as a reminder of the power of the mother tongue and of the union of devotion and poetry, cherished by all who honour Sarala Dasa as the father of Odia literature.

Sources & Further Reading

• Sahitya Akademi, general references on Odia literature.
• Ministry of Culture, Government of India (indiaculture.gov.in).

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Sarala Dasa?

Sarala Dasa, traditionally named Siddheswar Parida, was a fifteenth-century poet of Odisha revered as the Adikavi, the first poet, of Odia literature. He is honoured above all for his Odia Mahabharata and other works in the Odia language, and tradition holds that he was a devotee of the goddess Sarala, from whom he took his name.

What does the title Adikavi mean?

The title Adikavi means the first poet, and it is given to Sarala Dasa in honour of his place at the fountainhead of Odia literature. It marks him as the poet whose great works in the Odia language opened the way for all that followed and shaped the course of the region’s literary tradition.

What are the principal works of Sarala Dasa?

The principal works of Sarala Dasa are the Odia Mahabharata, the Vilanka Ramayana and the Chandi Purana, all composed in the Odia language. The Odia Mahabharata is his best-known work, a rendering of the great epic that made it accessible to the people of Odisha in their mother tongue.

Who is the goddess Sarala?

The goddess Sarala is a form of the Great Goddess honoured in Odisha, associated with Durga and with Saraswati, the goddess of learning, and worshipped at Jhankad. Tradition holds that Sarala Dasa was her devotee and took his name from her, ascribing his gift of poetry to her grace.

Why did Sarala Dasa write in Odia rather than Sanskrit?

Sarala Dasa wrote in the Odia language rather than in Sanskrit so that the epic and devotional heritage might reach the common people in their own tongue. This choice made his works beloved and widely known, dignified the Odia language and laid the foundation for the flowering of Odia literature.

When did Sarala Dasa live?

Sarala Dasa is traditionally placed in the fifteenth century, in the region of Odisha associated with Jhankad and the worship of the goddess Sarala. Because parts of his life come down through tradition, his era is best described in general terms rather than by exact dates.