Somadeva

Somadeva, also known as Somadeva Bhatta, was a Sanskrit writer and compiler active in the Kashmir region in the 11th century. He is best known for the Kathasaritsagara, or Ocean of the Streams of Stories, a vast anthology of legends, fables, and tales drawn from Indian lore.

The Kathasaritsagara is a major retelling and expansion of Gunadhya’s Brihatkatha, which is said to have been composed in a Paisachi Prakrit. Somadeva translated and reorganized the material into Sanskrit, adding many new episodes and a complex framework of nested narratives. Traditionally dated to the latter half of the 11th century, the work is typically structured into about 18 books and comprises hundreds of embedded stories. Its frame narrative and rich tapestry of tales include famous episodes about King Udayana and his queen Vasavadatta, among numerous other legends, romances, and episodes of wonder.

Scholars regard the Kathasaritsagara as a foundational source for Indian storytelling and folklore, offering insight into medieval Indian culture, social norms, court life, and popular belief. It has influenced later Sanskrit literature and vernacular storytelling across the Indian subcontinent, and has been preserved in multiple manuscript recensions. The text has also been translated into English and other languages, prompting extensive scholarly commentary on its sources, structure, and impact.

The authorship is attributed to Somadeva, though precise biographical details are limited; the work’s significance rests in its enduring role as a panoramic repository of myth, legend, and narrative technique from classical India.