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'''''Saptakanda Ramayana''''' is the 14th-15th century [[Assamese language|Assamese]] version of the ''[[Ramayana]]'' attributed to the famous Assamese poet [[Madhava Kandali]].<ref>"Mahamanikya, mentioned as a Baraha king, ruled somewhere in the eastern part of Assam in the middle of the 14th or 15th century." {{harvcol|Sarma|1976|p=46}}</ref> It is considered to be one of the earliest translations from the [[Sanskrit]] into a modern regional language, preceded only by [[Kambar (poet)|Kambar]]'s translation into [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Gona Budda Reddy|Ranganatha]]'s translation into [[Telugu language|Telugu]], and the first translation to an [[Indo-Aryan language]]. The work is also considered one of the earliest written examples of Assamese.

A particular feature of this work is the non-[[hero]]ic portrayal of [[Rama]], [[Sita]], and other characters, as explicitly stated by Madhav Kandali himself, which rendered the work unsuitable for religious purposes. This feature disturbed a later poet, [[Ananta Kandali]], who was moved enough to comment on it. The first [[Aadikanda|(''Adikanda'')]] and last (''[[Uttara Kāṇḍa|Uttarakanda]]'') [[canto]]s of Madhava Kandali's work were lost, and were later inserted by [[Madhavdeva]] and [[Sankardeva]] respectively in the 16th century. The poem has been translated into [[English language|English]].

==The ''Ramayana''==
The ''Ramayana'' was written upon the request of the Boraha king [[Mahamanikya]]. At that time, his kingdom centered on central Assam<ref>{{harvcol|Sarma|1976|p=46}}</ref>  Kandali writes:
<blockquote>
''kavirāj kandali ye āmākese buliwāyā''<br>
''kariloho sarvajana bodhe.''<br>
''ramayana supa yara, shri mahamanike ye,''<br>
''baraha rajar anurudhe.''<br>
''sat kanda ramayana padabandhe nibandhilo''<br>
''lambha parihari sarodhrite.''<br>
''mahamanikyoro bolo kavyarasa kicho dilon''<br>
''dugdhak mathilo yena ghrite''<br>
''pandit lokar yebe asantosa upajaya''<br>
''hat yore bolon shudha bak''<br>
''pustak bichari yebe taite katha napawaha''<br>
''tebe sabe nindiba amak.''
</blockquote>

The poetic work uses various [[Metre (poetry)|metre]]s for different moods and situations. Some of the metres used are ''pada'' ([[Fourteener (poetry)|fourteen syllables]], four lines of [[Verse (poetry)|verses]]), ''jhumura'' (four lines, with eight syllables each), ''dulari'' (three ''charana'', first and second has six syllables each and the third has eight syllables), and ''chhavi'' (like ''dulari'', but with different syllabilic structure).  The ''pada'' metre became very popular in later Assamese compositions.

Kandali adapted his work according to the taste of the common folk, in order to make it more popular. He portrays Rama and Sita as human characters, with astonishing qualities but with some human weaknesses in certain situations.
The original work was based on a vision that the Boraha king was reported to have experienced, of a naked man riding an upturned bowl full of milk.

==Later additions and influences==
The ''adi kanda'' (Book 1) and the ''uttara kanda'' (Book 7) were lost by the 15th century, so they were later added by [[Madhavdev]] and Srimanta [[Sankardeva]] respectively.  Sankardeva writes of Kandali:
<blockquote>
''purvakavi apramadi madhav kandali adi''<br>
''        pade virachila rama katha''<br>
''hastira dekhiya lada sasa yena phure marga''<br>
''        mora bhaila tenhaya avastha.''
</blockquote>
Some other additions were made by Ananta Kandali (16th century) and others.

This work has cast a strong influence on Sankardeva, and also later Assamese works.  A later ''Karbi Ramayana'' was also influenced by this work.

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book
  | last = Kandali
  | first = Madhava
  | title = সপ্চকাণ্ড ৰামায়ন
  |trans-title=Saptakanda Ramayana
  | publisher = Banalata
  | language = as
}}
* {{cite book
  | last = Goswami
  | first = Indira
  | title = Ramayana from Ganga to Brahmaputra
  | publisher = B.R. Pub. Corp
  | year = 1996
  | isbn = 81-7018-858-X
}}
* {{Citation| last = Sarma| first = Satyendra Nath| year = 1976| title = Assamese Literature| place = Wiesbaden| publisher = Harrassowitz}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{wikisourcelang|as|সপ্তকাণ্ড ৰামায়ণ}}
*[https://www.vedamsbooks.com/no17118.htm Madhava Kandali Ramayana]

{{HinduMythology}}
{{Ramayana}}
[[Category:Hindu texts]]
[[Category:Works based on the Ramayana]]
[[Category:Culture of Assam]]
[[Category:14th-century poems]]