Extinct Kannada literature

Extinct Kannada literature refers to a body of literature written in the Kannada language and script during the period immediately preceding the extant "Kavirajamarga" dated to 850 CE. Important writings contemporary to "Kavirajamarga" are also considered here. While no works of this period are available now, references to these works are found in the Kavirajamarga and other extant works. Based on these references and the nature of the Kavirajamarga itself, scholars have hypothesized that a rich body of literature in Kannada must have existed from much earlier times.

Extinct writings and forms

The earliest available examples of complete Kannada inscriptions in verse can be found in the Halmidi inscription, allegedly [Harvnb|Gai|1996|p=26 Quote: "Since the Halmidi inscription does not belong to the reign of Kakusthavarman, it is not included in this volume."] [Quote: "The undated Halmidi (Hassan District, Karnataka) inscription, allegedly written during the reign of Kadamba Kakusthavarman, ..." (K. V. Ramesh) Harvnb|Ramesh|1984b|p=55] a Kadamba royal edict commonly dated to 450 CE,Sahitya Akademi (1988), pp. 1717, 1474] Kamath (1980), p. 10] the poetic Tamatekallu inscription which has been identified by some scholars to be from the 5th century.Pai in Bhat, (1993), p. 102] and the Siragunda inscription of 500 CE.Rice E.P. (1921), p. 13] . The Kappe Arabhatta record of the 7th century forms the earliest surviving record of Kannada poetry.Kamath (1980), p. 67] Sahitya Akademi (1988), p. 1717]

The earliest surviving literary work, the "Kavirajamarga" ("Royal Path for Poets") is dated to 850 CE; references are made in it to earlier prose writers such as Durvinita (6th century), Vimalachandra (c. 777), Udaya, Nagarjuna, Jayabhandu and to poets including Kavisvara, Srivijaya, Pandita, Chandra, Ravi Kirti (634) and Lokapala.Rao in Datta (1994), pp. 2278-2283] Narasimhacharya (1934), p. 2] Warder (1988), p. 240] Rice E.P., (1921), pp. 25, 28]

"Kavirajamarga" also discusses earlier composition forms peculiar to Kannada, the "gadyakatha", a mixture of prose and poetry, the "chattana" and the "bedande", poems of several stanzas that were meant to be sung with the optional use of a musical instrument.Garg (1987), vol 4] Narasimhacharya (1934), pp. 13, 17] Nagaraj in Sheldon (2003), p. 333] Regarding earlier poems in Kannada, the author of "Kavirajamarga" states that old Kannada is appropriate in ancient poems but insipid in contemporaneous works.Narasimhacharya (1934), p. 12]

Other writers, whose works are not extant now but titles of which are known from independent referencesSuch as Indranandi's "Srutavatara", Devachandra's "Rajavalikathe" (Narasimhacharya, 1934, pp. 4–5); Bhattakalanka's "Sabdanusasana" of 1604 (Sastri 1955, p. 355), writings of Jayakirthi (Kamath 1980, p. 67)] are Syamakundacharya (650), who authored the "Prabhrita", and Srivaradhadeva (also called Tumubuluracharya, 650 or earlier), who wrote the "Chudamani" ("Crest Jewel"), a 96,000-verse commentary on logic.Sastri (1955), p. 355] Rice B.L. (1897), pp. 496–497] Rice E.P. (1921), p. 27] Mugali (1975), p. 13] The "Karnatheshwara Katha", a eulogy of the Chalukya King Pulakesi II, is ascribed to the 7th or 8th century.Chidananda Murthy in Kamath (1980), p. 67] The "Gajashtaka", a lost "ashtaka" (eight line verse) composition, was authored by King Shivamara II in 800. The composition served as the basis for two popular folk songs, "ovanige" and "onakevadu", which were sung either while pounding corn or to entice wild elephants into a pit ("ovam").Sahitya Akademi (1987), p. 248] Kamath (1980), p. 50]

Srivijaya, a court poet of Amoghavarsha I, wrote the "Chandraprabha Purana" in the 9th century.Narasimhacharya (1934), pp. 17–18] During the same period, the Digambara Jain poet Asaga (or Asoka) authored, among other writings, "Karnata Kumarasambhava Kavya" and "Varadamana Charitra". His works have been praised by later poets, although none of his works are available today.Warder (1988), pp. 240–241] "Gunagankiyam", the earliest known prosody in Kannada, was referenced in a Tamil work dated to 10th century or earlier ("Yapparungalakkarigai" by Amritasagara). Gunanandi, an expert in logic, Kannada grammar and prose flourished in the 9th century.Narasimhacharya 1934, p. 29] Rice E.P. (1921), p. 28] Around 900, Gunavarma I wrote "Sudraka" and "Harivamsa" (also known as "Neminatha Purana"). In "Sudraka" he compared his patron, Ganga king Ereganga Neetimarga II, to a noted king called Sudraka.Narasimhacharya (1934), p. 18]

Notes

References

*Harvard reference | last = Gai | first = G. S. | authorlink = G. S. Gai|title = Studies in Indian History, Epigraphy, and Culture | year = 1992 | publisher = Karnataka, India: Shrihari Prakashana. Pp. 346 | url = http://books.google.com/books?lr=&ei=UjQDSLmPF5jWyATKo9x3&num=100&id=nOMbAAAAIAAJ&dq=&pgis=1
*Harvard reference| last = Gai | first = G. S. | authorlink = G. S. Gai | title = Inscriptions of the Early Kadambas | year = 1996 | publisher = Indian Council of Historical Research
*cite book |last= Kamath|first= Suryanath U.|title= A concise history of Karnataka : from pre-historic times to the present|origyear=1980|year= 2001|publisher= Jupiter books|location= Bangalore|oclc= 7796041|id= LCCN|809|0|5179
*cite book |last=Nagaraj |first=D.R.|editor=Sheldon I. Pollock|title=Literary Cultures in History: Reconstructions from South Asia |origyear=2003|year=2003|publisher=Berkeley and London: University of California Press. Pp. 1066|chapter= [http://books.google.com/books?id=xowUxYhv0QgC&pg=PA323&dq=critical+tensions+in+history+kannada+literary+culture&ei=kHH9R53VNaHayAS1tNHHAg&sig=Nr2RB8sfhAI_ca1NFhEg1nT29BM Critical Tensions in the History of Kannada Literary Culture] , pp. 323–383|isbn=0520228219
*cite book |last= Narasimhacharya|first= R|title= History of Kannada Literature|origyear=1934|year=1988|publisher= Government Press. Reprinted by Asian Educational Services, New Delhi|location= Mysore|isbn= ISBN 81-206-0303-6
*
*
*cite book |last= Rice|first= B.L.|authorlink=Benjamin L. Rice|title= Mysore Gazatteer Compiled for Government-vol 1|origyear=1897|year=2001|publisher= Asian Educational Services|location= New Delhi, Madras|isbn= 81-206-0977-8
*cite book |last= Rice|first= E.P.|title= A History of Kanarese Literature|origyear=1921|year=1982|publisher= Asian Educational Services|location= New Delhi|isbn= 8120600630
*cite book |last = Salomon | first = Richard | year = 1998 | title = Indian Epigraphy: A Guide to the Study of Inscriptions in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Other Indo-Aryan Languages | publisher = Oxford University Press. Pp. 378 | location = Oxford and New York | isbn = 0195099842 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=XYrG07qQDxkC&pg=PA106&dq=indian+epigraphy+halmidi&sig=3GleGj1g7gMFsJsx5JMSZ-gfLaU
*cite book |last= Sastri|first= K.A. Nilakanta|title= A history of South India from prehistoric times to the fall of Vijayanagar|origyear=1955|year=2002|publisher= Indian Branch, Oxford University Press|location= New Delhi|isbn= 0-19-560686-8
*
*cite book |last= Various|title= Encyclopaedia of Indian literature – vol 1|origyear=1987|year=1987|publisher= Sahitya Akademi|isbn=8126018038
*cite book |last= Various|title= Encyclopaedia of Indian literature – vol 2|origyear=1988|year=1988|publisher= Sahitya Akademi|isbn=8126011947
*cite book |last= Various|title= Encyclopaedia of Indian literature – vol 5|origyear=1992|year=1992|publisher= Sahitya Akademi|isbn=8126012218
*