Subbarayudu Vaddadi was born on July 30, 1854 in a poor Aruvela Niyogi Brahmin family in Doddampeta village in the East Godavari district.  His father was Suraparaju and mother was Lakshmamma. His father was a pundit, astrologer and teacher and also used to recite mythology to earn money.

Subbarayudu was married at the age of six to Venkamma.  Soon after, his father (at 40) and mother (at 25) died.  He married three times as his 1st and 2nd wives died. His son died at the age of 18 and his daughter-in-law also died soon after.

He didn't have formal schooling.  He studied at home with the help of relatives.  He joined Innispet High School as an Andhra Pundit and taught there for 10 years. Later, he worked at a few schools for short periods as a Telugu Pundit and in 1888, he joined Government School, which later became Government Training College.  In 1999 he moved to Government Arts College.    

Subbarayudu started to recite poetry at the age of 14.  He translated Bhajagovindam from Sanskrit.  In 1874, he translated labdanasana tantra from Snaskrit and named it nyayadarpanam. This was not published. He wrote nandanandana satakam (1878), sumanognam (1879), venisamharam (1893), vikramorvaseeyam (1889), prabodha chandrodayam (1893), chandakousikam (1900), suktivasu prakasika (1882), bhaktachintamani, meghasndesam (1884), surya satakam (1888), vaijayanti bhamini vilasam (1894), mallika maruta prakaranam (1903), satismriti (1896), abhijnyana sakuntalam (1907), sutasmriti (1907), nrisimhasthavam (1900), viswaroopasthavam (1915), and vasurayachatu prabandham (1925). He was honored with "sukti sudhanidhi" and "kavisekhara" titles.  He died on March 2, 1938.