Ratnakara

Ratnakara is a Sanskrit name meaning “sea of jewels” or “ocean of gems.” It is used as a male given name in Indian literary and religious contexts and is best known in two linked senses within Hindu devotional literature.

In literature, Ratnakara refers to the medieval poet commonly known as Kavi Ratnakara, attributed with composing the text Ramakathā Ratnakara (also rendered Rama-kathā Ratnakara). The work is a prominent bhakti scripture that retells the life of Rama and the philosophy of devotion. Its narrative framework centers on a miserly merchant named Ratnakara who, oppressed by poverty, receives a discourse on Rama from the sage Narada and is gradually transformed into a devotee who relinquishes wealth in the path of righteousness.

Ramakathā Ratnakara has had a substantial influence on the Rama tradition and on bhakti literature more broadly. It exists in multiple recensions and has been translated and adapted into several Indian languages, including Marathi, Kannada, and Tamil, among others. The text is valued for its didactic stories, emphasis on listening to sacred tales (satsanga), and its portrayal of devotion as a salvific force.

Other uses of the name Ratnakara include as a personal name in various Indian languages and as a literary toponym or identifier in references to the Ramayana tradition. Overall, Ratnakara is associated with a lineage of devotion, literary authorship, and the transmission of Rama-centered narratives.