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available with Sri Manavalli Rama Krishna Kavi sometime during the year 1938 (?) Sri Manavalli Kavi comments that although this work is only a maiden attempt (Balakavitvamu) of the young poet, Surana, it reveals good taste and poetic spirit. The work was dedicated to one Kondum Akkaya, a chieftan whose antecedents are yet to be unearthed.
The content of Vanamalivilasamu is the love story of Sri Krishna (Vanamali) and the famous Princesses — Rukmini and Mitravinda who were eager to marry him. Since the poem is incomplete, it is to be presumed that the love story of Si Krishna concerning a few more Princesses also might have continued. From the point of view of poetic craftsmanship, the poem can be said to be an early exercise of the poet who was preparing himself for the masterly work, namely 'Udayanodayamu'.
“Udayanodayamu is the story of Vatsaraja, popularly known as Udayana. The story was so popular that Kalidasa in his Meghasandesa (1-31) made a mention that in Avantidesa there used to be aged county story-tellers who specialised the story of Udayana. Poet Bhasa, anearlier playwright who was a fore-runner of Kalidasa had chosen the story of Udayana as the source material for his famous plays, 'Swapna Vasavadatta' and 'Pratujnayaugandharayana'. Gunadhya's Brhatkatha supplied material for many such famous works. Narana Surana is the only poet who rendered the story of Udayana into a champu prabhanda in Telugu (the fifth canto which appears to be the last is incomplete). He followed Somadeva's Kathasaritsagara in which the second lambaka (a substitute for chapter) contains the story of Udayana's birth and has marriage with Vasavadatta. The gist of the story is provided separately by Sri N Venkata Rao in the following pages under the caption "The story of Udayana "
According to the assessment of Manavalli Kavi, Udayanodayamu of Surana ranks among those of the best literary works in Telugu.[1] With all has appreciation for the work, he endeavoured to publish it in the year 1912 itself. His efforts, however, did not materialise. But the credit of bringing this Manuscript to public notice for the first time, undoubtedly goes to him.[2] For the last seventy years, men of letters, interested in Telugu classical poetry have been eagerly looking forward to the publication of the full Text of 'Udayanodayamu'.
