BÃÂá¹Âabhaá¹Âá¹Âa () was a 7th-century Sanskrit prose writer and poet from India. He was the court poet of Emperor Harsha, during his reign at Kanyakubja. BÃÂna's principal works include a biography of Harsha, the Harshacharita and the novel Kadambari. BÃÂá¹Âa died before finishing the novel and it was completed by his son Bhà «á¹£aá¹Âabhaá¹Âá¹Âa. Both these works are noted texts of Sanskrit literature. The other works attributed to him are the Caá¹Âá¸ÂikÃÂà Âataka and a drama, the PÃÂrvatëpariá¹Âaya. Banabhatta gets an applause as "Banochhistam Jagatsarvam" meaning Bana has described everything in this world and nothing is left.
A detailed account regarding his ancestry and early life can be reconstructed from the introductory verses attached to the Kadambari and the first two ucchÃÂvasas of the Hará¹£acarita, while the circumstances behind the composition of the Hará¹£acarita are described in the third ucchÃÂvasa of the text. Harsacarita is considered as the first Indian work which may be regarded as a historical biography. It gives a vivid picture of life in the Indian countryside.
BÃÂna was born to ChitrabhÃÂnu and RÃÂjadevi in the village of Pritikuta in a Kanyakubja Brahmin family. His mother died early leaving him in the loving care of his father. His father married again and had two more sons. After the death of his father when he was 14, BÃÂá¹Âa led a colourful and wandering life with his half-brothers for a period but later came back to his native village. Here, on a summer day, on receiving a letter from Krishna, a cousin of Emperor Harsha, he met the emperor while he was camping near the town of Manitara. After receiving BÃÂna with mock signs of anger, the emperor showed him much favor.