A song authored by Raya Ramananda on Gajapati Prataparudra Deba has been quoted in the Gitaprakasa.
Another musicologist Haladhara Misra refers to Krusnadasa's Gitaprakasa in his treatise called Sangitakalpalatika, composed between 1623 and 1647 AD.
Since Mahapatra himself eulogises Gajapati Mukundadeba, it is inferred that he was a contemporary of the king and most probably served as a court musician.
The Akbarnama also makes mention of a "Mahapattar who adorned the court of Akbar, the great Mogul and who was unrivalled in the arts of Indian poetry and music".
Like most Odia authors, Mahapatra begins his treatise with a customary invocation to Jagannatha, the venerable deity of Odisha.
[2] The ragas mentioned in the Gitaprakasa are Sri, Natta, Karnāta, Rebagupta, Basanta, Suddhabhairaba, Bangāla, Soma, Āmrapanchama, Kāmoda, Megha, Drābidagauda, Barādi, Gujjari, Todi, Mālabasri, Saindhabi, Debakiri, Rāmakiri, Prathamamanjari, Nattā, Belābali, Gaudi, Gauda, Karnnātabangāla, Desi, Dhannāsi, Kolāhala, Ballāli, Desākhya, Sābari, Khambhābati, Harsapuri, Mallāri, Hunchhikā, Madhyamādi, Mallāra, Desapāla, Mālaba, Hindola, Bhairaba, Nāgadhwani, Gondakiri, Lalitā, Chhāyātodi, Pratāpabelābali, Guptabasanta, Paurabi, Nattamallārika, Māravi, Ballabi, Gauri, Kalyāni, Karnātika, Āsābari and Mukhābari.