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Sayana, the famous commentator of the Vedas, flourished under the rule of
Explanation
Sayana, the renowned Sanskrit scholar and Vedic commentator, flourished under the patronage of the Vijayanagar kings during the 14th century. He served as a minister under several successive rulers of the Sangama dynasty, most notably Harihara II [1]. Sayana is best known for his monumental work, the 'Vedartha Prakasha', which provides comprehensive commentaries on the Vedas and remains a standard reference for Vedic studies today [1]. He was the brother of the famous sage Vidyaranya (Madhavacharya), who played a pivotal role in the spiritual and political foundation of the Vijayanagar Empire [1]. While the Bahmani and Golkonda kingdoms were contemporary Deccan powers, they were often in conflict with Vijayanagar and did not patronize Sayana's Vedic scholarship [2]. His literary contributions represent the peak of Sanskrit scholarship during the early Vijayanagar period [1].
Sources
- [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 12: Bahmani and Vijayanagar Kingdoms > 12.5 Literature > p. 185
- [2] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sayana