Bhanubhakta bhani prasiddha nara ma jasko chha naun pani

Ghar tinko Tanahun ta besi Chundi ho gaun chha Ramgha bhani

These words by Motiram Bhatta introduce us to Aadikavi Bhanubhakta Acharya. Bhanubhakta was born on Ashad 29, 1871 BS in Chundiramgha village, Tanahun located in Gandaki district of Nepal. He was the son of Dhananjaya Acharya and Dharmawati Acharya. His grandfather Srikrishna Acharya brought him up and educated him. As Shrikrishna wanted to spend his last days in Kashi, he went there with young Bhanubhakta.

During his two-year stay there, Bhanubhakta gained knowledge from great scholars. It was their devotion to Lord Rama that inspired Bhanubhakta to translated Ramayana into the Nepali language.

There is another well-known incident about how Bhanubhakta was inspired by a grasscutter, who wanted to build a well for his village with his hard earned money. He told Bhanubhakta he wanted to earn dharma and fame with this good deed.

Inspired to be remembered for his deed, Bhanubhakta began writing poems. He started translating the Ramayana in 1905 BS. However, during this time he was imprisoned in the Kumarichowk jail because of some disorder in his father’s work. And Bhanubhakta completed his Ramayana during his prison term.

His popular poem Badhu Siksha too has its own story. He wrote it after witnessing a dispute between a mother and daughter-in-law at the inn where he had spent a night. Similarly, his other famous poems are Bhaktamala, Ramgeeta, and Prashnottar.

Bhanubhakta Acharya died on Ashwin, 1925 BS. Even though he is no longer among us, he will always be remembered as the one who introduced Ramayana into our lives and began the voyage of the rich Nepali literature.

Let us all remember him on Bhanu Jayanti this year.