The Sanskrit epic 'Ravanavadha' (also called 'Bhattikavya'), which illustrates the rules of grammar through the story of Rama, was written by:

"Ravanavadha" ("The Slaying of Ravana"), popularly known as "Bhattikavya", is a Sanskrit epic poem written by the poet Bhatti, around the 6th-7th century CE.

About the Bhattikavya:

• It retells the story of the Ramayana, from the birth of Rama to his return to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana.
• Its special feature is that it was written to illustrate and teach the rules of Sanskrit grammar (especially Panini's Ashtadhyayi) and of poetics, through the verses of the story.
• It has 22 cantos, divided into four parts, each part illustrating different aspects of grammar and literary style.
• It is therefore both a poem ("kavya") and a textbook of grammar ("shastra"), a type of work called "shastra-kavya".
• It was widely used to teach Sanskrit grammar in traditional education.
• It was translated into Javanese, and influenced the Old Javanese Ramayana (Kakawin Ramayana).

About Bhatti:

• According to the poem itself, he lived in the court of a king named Shridharasena in western India.
• Little else is known about his life.

Other Sanskrit works based on the Ramayana:

• "Raghuvamsha" by Kalidasa: the history of the kings of the Raghu dynasty, including Rama.
• "Janakiharana" by Kumaradasa: about the abduction of Sita; Kumaradasa is traditionally said to have been a king of Sri Lanka.
• "Uttararamacharita" by Bhavabhuti: a play about the later life of Rama.
• "Mahaviracharita" by Bhavabhuti: a play about the early life of Rama.
• "Prasannaraghava" by Jayadeva (a dramatist, different from the author of the Gita Govinda).
• "Setubandha" (Ravanavaho): a Prakrit epic attributed to the Vakataka king Pravarasena II.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Bharavi was another Sanskrit epic poet.
• ✗Kumaradasa wrote Janakiharana.
• ✗Bhavabhuti wrote Uttararamacharita.