| Birth Date: | 13th century CE |
| Death Date: | 13th or 14th century CE |
| Father: | Mallikarjuna |
| Occupation: | Kannada grammarian, poet and writer |
| Works: | Shabdamanidarpana |
Kēśirāja, also spelled Keshiraja (Kannada: ಕೇಶಿರಾಜ), was a 13th-century Kannada grammarian, poet and writer. He is particularly known for authoring Shabdamanidarpana, an authoritative work on Kannada grammar. According to Dravidian scholar Sheldon Pollock, because of this work he is considered the "greatest theorist of Kannada grammar". He was also a scholar in Sanskrit as well and a court poet (Aasthaana kavi) in the Hoysala Court.
Kesiraja was born in a literary family, comprising several well-known Kannada writers. His father, Mallikarjuna (C. 1245 CE), was a Kannada poet. His maternal uncle was the epic writer Janna. Kesiraja's maternal grandfather was another noted poet, Śankara (Sumanōbana), who was a priest of the Yadava capital and poet laureate to Hoysala King Narasimha I. In some of his works, Kesiraja has referred to himself as Kesava.[1]
See main article: Shabdamanidarpana. Shabdamanidarpana (Kannada: ಶಬ್ದಮಣಿದರ್ಪಣ), ("Jewel-mirror of Grammar") was authored by Kesiraja in 1260 CE. This work remains a comprehensive, authoritative work on Kannada grammar.[2] The rules mentioned therein were penned in kanda metre and followed a vrutti style (illustrative commentary by the author himself). Though Kesiraja followed the model of Sanskrit grammar of the Katantra school, and that of earlier writings on Kannada grammar, his work has an originality of its own.[3]
The text of Shabdamanidarpana begins with poetry ehalting earlier generations of writer who are cited by Kesiraja as authoritative examples:
An attempt at vocabulary building is provided in several parts of the work. There is a list of verbal roots and words containing ḷ and ḹ sounds. There is also a chapter called "PrayŌgasāra" where Kesiraja has quoted a number of rare words along with their meanings.[4]
Kesiraja had a passion for grammar, which is evident from his writings through his work Shabdamanidarpana.
Apart from his extant grammar Shabdamanidarpana, Kesiraja authored several other writings in Kannada, though they are deemed lost: