List of epics in the Kannada language explained

See main article: article. This is a list of available epics in the Kannada language (also called purana, in prose or poem), a South Indian language. Based on his research, the Kannada scholar L.S. Sheshagiri Rao claims that starting with the earliest available epic Adipurana by Pampa (939 C.E), Kannada writers have created a rich and active epic tradition. S.S. Bhusanurematha's Bhavyamanava (1983) is the latest in that tradition.^[1] Based on medieval Kannada literary sources, the Indologist Anthony Warder claims there were Kannada versions of the Ramayana and Mahabharata prior to 941 C.E., and Kavya (or Mahakavya, epic poems) such as Karnataka Kumarasambhava by Asaga (c. 850).^[2] According to the Kannada scholar R. Narasimhacharya, Chandraprabhapurana by Sri Vijaya, (court poet of King Amoghavarsha I) dates to the early 9th century. This list is by no means exhaustive. In addition to the epics listed here, there are numerous epics written 'in part' (called khanda or mahatmaya) starting with the part rendering of the Skanda-purana by Kumarapadmarasa in c. 1180.^[3] According to Rao,

The list

Famous epics in the Kannada language

bgcolor=#99CCFF	Faith	bgcolor=#99CCFF	Epic	bgcolor=#99CCFF	Author	bgcolor=#99CCFF	Year (A.D.)	bgcolor=#99CCFF	Patron
Jainism	Adipurana^[4] ^[5] ^[6]		939	Rashtrakuta Empire
Secular	Vikramarjuna Vijaya (Pampa Bharatha)		941	Rashtrakuta Empire
Jainism	Shantipurana^[7] ^[8]		950	Rashtrakuta Empire
Jainism	Trisastilaksanamahapurana^[9]		978	Western Ganga Dynasty
Jainism	Ajitapurana^[10]		993	Western Chalukya Empire
Secular	Saahasabhima Vijaya (Gadayuddha)		1000	Western Chalukya Empire
Jainism	Varadhamanapurana^[11] ^[12]		1042	Western Chalukya Empire
Jainism	Mallinathapurana^[13] ^[14]	Nagachandra	1105	Hoysala Empire
Jainism	Ramachandracharitapurana	Nagachandra	1105	Hoysala Empire
	Girijakalyana^[15] ^[16] ^[17]		1160	Hoysala Empire
Jainism	Neminathapurana^[18]	Nemichandra	1170	Hoysala Empire
	Jagannathavijaya^[19]		1180	Hoysala Empire
Jainism	Chandraprabhapurana^[20]	Aggala	1189	Hoysala Empire
Jainism	Varadhamanapurana	Achanna	1195	Yadavas of Devagiri
Jainism	Yashodharacharite^[21]		1209	Hoysala Empire
Secular	Harishchandrakavya^[22]		1220	Hoysala Empire
Shaivism	Siddharamapurana^[23]	Raghavanka	1220	Hoysala Empire
Shaivism	Somanathacharite^[24]	Raghavanka	13th century	Hoysala Empire
Shaivism	Viresvara Charita	Raghavanka	13th century	Hoysala Empire
Jainism	Ananthanathapurana^[25]	Janna	1230	Hoysala Empire
Jainism	Pushpadantapurana^[26]	Gunavarma II	1235	Hoysala Empire
Jainism	Santisvarapurana^[27]	Kamalabhava	1235	Yadavas of Devagiri
Jainism	Neminathapurana^[28]	Mahabalakavi	1254	Hoysala Empire
Jainism	Kumudendu Ramayana^[29]	Kumudendu	1275	Hoysala Empire
Jainism	Purvapurana (Adipurana)^[30] ^[31]	Hastimalla	13th century	Hoysala Empire
Shaivism	Basavapurana^[32] ^[33] ^[34]	Bhima Kavi	1369	Vijayanagara Empire
Jainism	Dharmanathapurana^[35] ^[36]	Madhura	1385	Vijayanagara Empire
Secular	Padmaraja purana^[37] ^[38]	Padmananka	1385	Vijayanagara Empire
Vaishnavism	Gadugina Bharata (Kumaravyasa Bharata)^[39] ^[40]	Kumaravyasa, Timmanna Kavi	1425, 1510	Vijayanagara Empire
Shaivism	Prabhulingaleele^[41]		1425	Vijayanagara Empire
Shaivism	Singirajapurana (Mala-Basavarajacharita)	Singiraja	1500	Vijayanagara Empire
Shaivism	Saundara purana^[42] ^[43]	Bommarasa	15th century	Vijayanagara Empire
Shaivism	Revanasiddhesvara Purana^[44]		Chaturmukha Bommarasa	1500	Vijayanagara Empire
Shaivism	Trisashti puratanara charite (Lingapurana)^[45]	Surangakavi	1500	Vijayanagara Empire
Vaishnavism	Torave Ramayana^[46] ^[47]	Kumara Valmiki (Narahari)	1500	Vijayanagara Empire
Jainism	Nemi-Jinesa purana^[48]	Manjarasa III	1508	Vijayanagara Empire
Jainism	Shantinathapurana	Santikirti	1519	Vijayanagara Empire
Vaishnavism	Bhagavatha purana^[49] ^[50]	Chatu Vitthalanatha	1520	Vijayanagara Empire
Secular	Ramanatha Charite (Kumararama Charite)	Nanjunda Kavi	1525	Vijayanagara Empire
Shaivism	Virasaivamritapurana^[51]	Mallanarya of Gubbi	1530	Vijayanagara Empire
Shaivism	Mahadevi Akkanapurana	Chennabasavanka	16th century	Vijayanagara Empire
Jainism	Salva Bharata^[52] ^[53]	Salva	1550	Vijayanagara Empire
Vaishnavism	Ramavijayacharitra	Devappa Kavi	1550	Vijayanagara Empire
Jainism	Chandraprabhapurana^[54]	Doddayya	1550	Vijayanagara Empire
Jainism	Bharatesha Vaibhava^[55] ^[56]		1557	Vijayanagara Empire
Shaivism	Siddhesvarapurana	Virakta Tontadarya	1560	Vijayanagara Empire
Jainism	Chandraprabhapurana	Doddananka	1578	Vijayanagara Empire
Shaivism	Channabasavapurana	Virupaksha Pandita	1584	Vijayanagara Empire
Vaishnavism	Chamarajokti Vilasa(Ramayana)^[57] ^[58]	King Chamaraja Wodeyar V	1617-1637	Mysore Kingdom
Vaishnavism	Advita Ramayana^[59]	Nijagunarya	1650	Mysore Kingdom
Vaishnavism	Bhagavatgita^[60] ^[61] ^[62]		1650
Vaishnavism	Markandeya Ramayana^[63]	Timmarasa	1650	Mysore Kingdom
Secular	Rajashekara Vilasa^[64] ^[65]	Shadaksharadeva	1655	Mysore Kingdom
Shaivism	Basavarajavijaya (Vrishabhendra Vijaya)	Shadaksharadeva	1671	Mysore Kingdom
Shaivism	Shabarashankara Vilasa^[66] ^[67]	Shadaksharadeva	1671	Mysore Kingdom
Vaishnavism	Vishnupurana^[68] ^[69]	Chikkaupadhyaya	1672	Mysore Kingdom
Jainism	Ramachandra Charitre^[70]	Chandrashekara, Padmanabha	1700	Mysore Kingdom
Vaishnavism	Jaiminibharata		1700	Mysore Kingdom
Vaishnavism	Ramabhyudaya-Kathakusumamanjari^[71]	Timmamatya (Timmarya)	1700	Mysore Kingdom
Vaishnavism	Bharata^[72] ^[73]	Lakshmakavi	1728	Mysore Kingdom
Shaivism	Lingapurana	Kalale Nanjaraja	1732	Mysore Kingdom
Vaishnavism	Ramayana^[74] ^[75]	Venkamatya	1770	Mysore Kingdom
Vaishnavism	Kaushika Ramayana^[76]	Bathaleshvara	1770	Mysore Kingdom
Vaishnavism	Shankara Ramayana^[77]	Timmanna	18th century	Mysore Kingdom
Vaishnavism	Adhyatma Ramayana	Shankaranarayana	18th century	Mysore Kingdom
Vaishnavism	Mulabala Ramayana	Haridasa	18th century	Mysore Kingdom
Jainism	Jinaramayana^[78]	Chandrasagaravarni	1810	Princely Mysore
Jainism	Ramakathavatara^[79] ^[80]	Devachandra	~1838	Princely Mysore
Secular	Sangoli Rayana Dange (folk)^[81] ^[82]		1874	Bombay Presidency
Vaishnavism	Adbhuta Ramayana (prose)^[83] ^[84]	Muddanna	1885	Princely Mysore
Vaishnavism	Shri Ramashwamedha(prose)^[85] ^[86]	Muddanna	1896	Princely Mysore
Vaishnavism	Mahabharata (prose)^[87]	Alasingrachar	1912	Princely Mysore
Vaishnavism	Ramayana (prose)^[88]	Alasingrachar	1912	Princely Mysore
Vaishnavism	Mahabharata (prose)	V.K.Galaganatha	1933	Princely Mysore
Vaishnavism	Sri Ramayana Darshanam^[89]		1949	Princely Mysore
Vaishnavism	Vachanabharata (prose)^[90]	A.R.Krishnashastry	1950	Princely Mysore
Vaishnavism	Ramayana (prose)	V. Sitaram Shastri	1960	Mysore state, India
Vaishnavism	Ramavatara (prose)	S. Krishna Sharma	1965	Mysore state, India
Vaishnavism	Sriramapattabhisheka^[91]		1972	Mysore state, India
Secular	Bharatasindhu rashmi^[92] ^[93]		1982	Karnataka state, India
Secular	Bhavyamanava	S.S.Bhusanurematha	1983	Karnataka state, India

Extinct epics in the Kannada language known from quotes and references by later writers

bgcolor=#99CCFF	Faith	bgcolor=#99CCFF	Epic	bgcolor=#99CCFF	Author	bgcolor=#99CCFF	Year	bgcolor=#99CCFF	Patron
Jainism	Chandraprabhapurana^[94]	Srivijaya	early 9th century	Rashtrakuta Empire
Jainism	Karnata Kumarasambhava^[95] ^[96] ^[97]		853	Rashtrakuta Empire
Jainism	Harivamsha (Neminathapurana)^[98] ^[99]		900	Western Ganga Dynasty
Jainism	Shudraka^[100] ^[101]	Gunavarma I	900	Western Ganga Dynasty
Secular	Bhuvanaika-Ramabhyudaya (Ramakatha)^[102]	Sri Ponna	950	Rashtrakuta Empire
Jainism	Parasurama Charita^[103]	Ranna	980-990	Western Ganga Dynasty
Jainism	Chakreshvara Charita^[104]	Ranna	980-990	Western Ganga Dynasty
Jainism	ShantinathaPurana	Ranna	980-990	Western Ganga Dynasty
Shaivism	Hariharamahatva	Raghavanka	early 13th century	Hoysala Empire
Shaivism	Sharabacharite	Raghavanka	early 13th century	Hoysala Empire

See also

• Lists of Manipuri epics

References

• Book: Ashton & Christie, Martha Bush & Bruce. Yakshagana. History of Yakshagana. 1977. 1977. Abhinav Publications. 81-7017-047-8.
• Book: Brockington, J.L.. The Sanskrit Epics. 1998. 1998. Leiden. Brill. 90-0410-260-4.
• Book: Dash & Pattanaik, Debendra K., Dipti R. Paul St-Pierre, Prafulla C. Kar. In Translation Reflections, Refractions, Transformations . 2007. John Benjamins North America. 978-90-272-1679-3. Contexts of translation-Translational and sicial praxis in ancient and medieval India.
• Book: Garg, Ganga Ram. Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World, Volume 1. 1992. 1992. New Delhi. Concept Publications. 81-7022-374-1.
• Book: Kamath, Suryanath U.. A concise history of Karnataka : from pre-historic times to the present. 1980. 2001. Jupiter books. Bangalore. 7796041.
• Book: Krishnamoorthy, K. Amaresh Datta. Encyclopaedia of Indian literature – vol 1. 1987. 1987. Sahitya Akademi. 81-260-1803-8.
• Book: Krishnamoorthy & Mukhopadhyay, K, Satkari. A Critical Inventory of Rāmāyaṇa Studies in the World: Indian languages and English . 1991. 1991. Sahitya Akademi. 81-7201-100-8.
• Book: Mukherjee, Sujit. Dictionary of Indian Literature, One: Beginnings - 1850. 1999. 1999. Orient Blackswan. New Delhi. 81-250 1453 5.
• Book: Murthy, K. Narasimha. George K.M. Modern Indian Literature:An Anthology:Survey of Poems – Vol 1 . 1992. Sahitya Akademi. 81-7201-324-8. Modern Kannada Literature.
• Book: Moily, Veerappa. Shree Ramayana Mahanveshanam A Set Of Two Volumes. 2010. 2010. Roopa Publications, New Delhi.
• Book: Narasimhacharya, R. History of Kannada Literature . 1988. 1988. Asian Educational Services. New Delhi. 81-206-0303-6 .
• Book: Nagaraj, D.R.. Sheldon I. Pollock. Literary Cultures in History: Reconstructions from South Asia . 2003. Berkeley and London . University of California Press . Critical Tensions in the History of Kannada Literary Culture. https://books.google.com/books?id=xowUxYhv0QgC&q=critical+tensions+in+history+kannada+literary+culture&pg=PA323. 0-520-22821-9 . 323 - 383.
• Book: Prashad, K Kehsavan. Male Madeshwara: A Kannada Oral Epic. 2001. 2001. New Delhi. Sahitya Akademi. 81-260-0925-X.
• Book: Parmeshwaranand, Swami. Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Puranas, Volume 3 (I-L). 2001. 2001. Sarup and Sons, New Delhi. 81-7625-226-3.
• Book: Parmeshwaranand, Swami. Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Puranas, Volume 4 (M-R). 2001. 2001. Sarup and Sons, New Delhi. 81-7625-226-3.
• Book: Pollock, Sheldon . Sheldon Pollock . The Language of Gods in the World of Men: Sanskrit, Culture and Power in Pre-modern India . 2006 . Berkeley and London: University of California Press. Pp. 703 . 0-520-24500-8 .
• Book: Paula Richman. Ramayana Stories in Modern South India: An Anthology. 2008. 2008. Indiana University Press, Bloomington . 978-0-253-21953-4.
• Book: Puranik, Siddya. Mohan Lal. Encyclopaedia of Indian literature – vol 5. 1992. 1992. Sahitya Akademi. 81-260-1221-8.
• Book: Rao, Sheshagiri L.S.. Amaresh Datta. Encyclopaedia of Indian literature – vol 2. 1988. 1988. Sahitya Akademi. 81-260-1194-7.
• Book: Rice, E.P.. A History of Kanarese Literature. 1921. 1982. Asian Educational Services. New Delhi. 81-206-0063-0.
• Book: Sinopoli, Carla M.. The Political Economy of Craft Production: Crafting Empire in South India c. 1350-1650. 2003. 2003. Cambridge University Press . New Delhi. 0-521-82613-6 .
• Book: Sastri, K.A. Nilakanta. A history of South India from prehistoric times to the fall of Vijayanagar. 1955. 2002. Indian Branch, Oxford University Press. New Delhi. 0-19-560686-8.
• Book: Singh, Narendra. Encyclopaedia of Jainism . 2001. Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd.. 81-261-0691-3. Classical Kannada Literature and Digambara Jain Iconography.
• Book: Shiva Prakash, H.S.. Ayyappapanicker. Medieval Indian Literature:An Anthology . 1997. Sahitya Akademi. 81-260-0365-0. Kannada.
• Book: Sinha, Ashok K. Glimpse of Scriptures of Religions of Indian Origin: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism . 2013. 2013 . Xlibris Corporation. 978-1-4836-6308-1.
• Book: Śrīhari, Caurirācan̲, Gōpālakrṣṇa, R, Pon, V. Major Genres and Trends in Dravidian Literature: Classical. 2003. 2003 . Dravidian University.
• Book: Various. Datta, Amaresh . Encyclopaedia of Indian literature – vol 1. 1987. 1987. Sahitya Akademi. 81-260-1803-8.
• Book: Warder, A.K.. A. K. Warder. Indian Kavya Literature. 1988. 1988. Motilal Banarsidass. 81-208-0450-3.
• Book: Yaravintelimath, C.R.. Mohan Lal. Encyclopaedia of Indian literature – vol 5. 1992. 1992. Sahitya Akademi. 81-260-1221-8.

Notes and References

1. Rao in Datta (1988), pp1180-1183, chapter-Epic(Kannada)
2. Warder (1988), p240, pp247-248
3. Parameshwaranand (2001), vol 4 (M-R), pp1059-1074, p1061
4. Narasimhacharya (1988), p18
5. Sastri (1955), p356
6. Rao in Datta (1988), p1180, chapter-Epic(Kannada)
7. Sastri (1955), p356
8. Mukherjee (1999), p291
9. Parameshwaranand (2001), p674, vol3 (I-L)
10. Sastri (1955), p356
11. Pollock (2006), p. 340, p. 349
12. Nagaraj (2003), p. 327
13. Sastri (1955), pp357 - 358
14. Narasimhacharya (1988), p19
15. Rao in Datta (1988), p1181, chapter-Epic(Kannada)
16. Sastri (1955), pp361 - 362
17. Narasimhacharya, (1988), p20
18. Sastri (1955), p358
19. Sastri (1955), p364
20. Rice, E.P. (1921), p43
21. Sastri (1955), pp358–359
22. Sastri (1955), p362
23. Rice E.P. (1921), pp60-61
24. Shiva Prakash (1997), p. 207
25. Sastri (1955), p359
26. Mukherjee (1999), p301
27. Kamath (1980), pp143-144
28. Joseph P.M. (1997), Jainism in South India, p260,
29. Moily (2010), p4, introduction
30. Singh (2001), p. 975
31. Rocher Ludo, History of Indian Literature-The Puranas, vol 2, p76, Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, 1986
32. Sastri (1955), p362
33. Narasimhacharya (1988), p21
34. Rao in Datta (1988), p1182, chapter-Epic(Kannada)
35. Rice E.P.(1921), p.46
36. Sastri (1955), p360
37. Narasimhacharya (1988), p.21
38. Kotraiah in Sinaoli (2003), p131
39. Sastri (1955), p364
40. Narasimhacharya (1988), p22
41. Sastri (1955), p363
42. Narasimacharya (1988), p22
43. Puranik in Mohan Lal (1992), p4003
44. Rice E.P. (1921), p69
45. Parameshwaranand (2001), Volume 4 (M-R), p1063
46. Richman (2008), p17
47. Sastri (1955), p365
48. Sharma, Sita Ram (1992), p17, Encyclopaedia of teaching languages in India, New Delhi : Anmol Publications
49. Rice (1921), p79
50. Parmeshwaranand (2001), Volume 4 (M-R), p1064
51. Puranic, Siddya in Mohan Lal (1992), p4004
52. Shiva Prakash in Ayyappapanicker (1997), p212
53. Rice E.P. (1921), p47
54. Joseph P.M. (1997), Jainism in South India, p287,
55. Sastri (1955), p360
56. Narasimhacharya (1988), p23
57. Parameshwaranand (2001), Volume 4 (M-R), p1060
58. Kamath (1980), p227
59. Krishnamoorthy & Mukhopadhyay (1991), p96
60. Puranik in Mohan Lal (1992), p4004
61. Mukherjee (1999), p.165
62. Narasimhacharya (1988), p. 24
63. I M Muthanna (1977), p216, Karnataka, history, administration & culture, Bangalore, Lotus Printers
64. Narasimhacharya (1988), p24
65. Rice E.P. (1921), p84
66. Yaravintelimath in Mohan Lal (1992), p3934
67. Sahitya Akademi (1987), p.620
68. Parameshwaranand (2001), Volume 4 (M-R), p1061
69. Rice E.P. (1921), p91
70. Rice E.P. (1921), p93
71. Krishnamoorthy & Mukhopadhyay (1991), p97
72. Rice E.P. (1921), p92
73. Narasimhacharya (1988), p25
74. Brockington (1998), p501
75. Krishnamoorthy & Mukhopadhyay (1991), p98
76. Ashton and Christie (1977), p27
77. Śrīhari, Caurirācan̲, Gōpālakrṣṇa (2003), p245, chapter-Ramayanas in Kannada literature
78. Krishnamoorthy & Mukhopadhyay (1991), p92
79. Narasimhacharya (1988), p26
80. Sinha (2013), p186
81. Murthy in K.M. George (1992), pp168
82. Prashad (2001), page xiii, chapter-Kannada folk epics, a profile
83. Murthy in K.M. George (1992), pp170
84. Krishnamoorthy & Mukhopadhyay (1991), p94
85. Moily (2010), p5, introduction
86. Murthy in K.M. George (1992), p170
87. Krishnamoorthy in Amaresh Datta (1987), p37
88. Krishnamoorthy in Amaresh Datta (1987), p39
89. Murthy in K.M. George (1992), p174
90. Krishnamoorthy in Amaresh Datta (1987), p38
91. Murthy in K.M. George (1992), p178
92. Rao in Datta (1988), p1183, chapter-Epic(Kannada)
93. K.M. George (1992), p672
94. Narasimhacharya (1988), pp.17-18
95. Dash & Pattanaik in Paul St-Pierre & Prafulla C. Kar, (2007), p.167
96. Warder A.K. (1988), p.241
97. Sahitya Akademi (1987), pp618-619
98. Warder A.K. (1988), p240
99. Rice E.P. (1921), p30
100. Warder A.K. (1988), p240
101. Rice E.P. (1921), p30
102. Garg (1992), p67
103. Kamath (1980), p114
104. Kamath (1980), p45