Pampa (902–955), also referred to by the honorific Ādikavi (Poet of Rishabhanatha purana), was a Kannada-language Jain poet whose works reflected his philosophical beliefs.
The works of Jain writers Pampa celebrated as one of the “three gems” (Ratnatraya) of classical "Kannada literature" alongside Sri Ponna (poet) and Ranna (Kannada poet).[Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta (1955). A History of South India. Oxford University Press. p. 320.] heralded the 10th century era of medieval Kannada literature.
Early life
Pampa was born around 902 in the Vengi region (present-day Andhra Pradesh) into a
Jain family.
[Rice, E. P. (1921). A History of Kannada Literature. Oxford University Press. pp. 45–47.] Though sometimes mistakenly described simply as a "Brahmin," his family followed a
Jain Brahmans tradition, which was also present in Jainism. also called Jain Pandits
[Narasimhacharya, R. (1988). History of Kannada Literature. Asian Educational Services. pp. 17–20.]—which had its own priestly and scholarly roles devoted to Jain worship and philosophy.
[Desai, P.B. (1957). Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs. Sholapur: Jaina Samshodhana Sangha.] Also he wrote
Adipurana (Adinath Purana) about the first Tirthankara of
Jainism.
[Rice, E. P. (1921). A History of Kannada Literature. Oxford University Press. pp. 45–47.] their actual place of origin and native is debated. According to the trilingual inscription (in
Sanskrit,
Kannada and
Telugu language) installed by Pampa's younger brother Jinavallabha at Bommalamma Gutta in Kurikiyala village, Gangadharam mandal (in modern-day
Telangana), his father was Abhimanadevaraya (also known as Bhimappayya) and mother was Abbanabbe. It also indicated that his grandfather was Abhimanachandra who belonged to the Jain
Brahmin (Jain Pandits) and hailed from Vangiparru in
Kammanadu in present-day Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.
[Kevala Bodhi: Buddhist and Jaina History of the Deccan, Vol. 2, Bharatiya Kala Prakashan, 2004; p. 292][Epigraphia Andhrica, Vol. 2, p. 27; Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, 1969][Samskrti sandhana, Rāshṭrīya Mānava Saṃskr̥ti Śodha Saṃsthāna, 2000; Vol. 13, p. 152]
In the eastern Deccan ruled by Chalukyas of Vengi and Vemulavada was considered as Kannada speaking territory under the rule of Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas, renowned Kannada poets like Pampa and Ponna hailed from Vengi. Kannada dynasties like Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas had dominated the whole of Deccan and the influence of the Kannada language was felt from the Kaveri and Godavari and even beyond. Hence there were many Kannada families residing in modern Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and Pampa was one of them. According to the modern Jain scholar Hampa Nagarajaiah ("Hampana"), Pampa was born in Annigeri, spent his early childhood on the banks of the nearby Varada and his mother Abbanabbe was the granddaughter of Joyisa Singha of Annigeri in the modern Dharwad district of Karnataka state. Frequent descriptions of the beauty of the Banavasi region (in the modern Uttara Kannada district) and even the sprinkling ( abhisheka) of water from the Varada river on Arjuna's head during his coronation in Pampa's epic Vikramarjuna Vijaya testifies to the poet's attachment to the Banavasi region.[Hampana in K. E. Radhakrishna, p.21 (2010), KANNADA : PAMPADYAYANA, Chapter: "Pampa: Apogee of Kannada literature", ] Through the lines aarankusamittodam nenevudenna manam banvaasi deshamam and puttidirdode maridumbiyaagi men kogileyaagi nandanavanadol banavaasi deshadol he has expressed his deep attachment towards Banavasi.
Poetic life
A well-travelled man, he settled down as the court poet of King Arikesari II. Flattered by his knowledge and poetic abilities, Arikesari (who possessed the title Gunarnava) conferred on him the title
Kavita Gunarnava. At the age of 39 he wrote his first masterpiece,
Ādi purāṇa, in 941, and a little later he completed Vikramarjuna Vijaya popularly known as Pampa Bharata. These two works have remained unparalleled works of classic Kannada composition.
Adipurana
The
Ādi purāṇa, written in the
champu style, a mixed form of prose and verse, is a Kannada version of the Sanskrit work by
Jinasena and details in sixteen cantos the life of the first
Tirthankara of
Jainism,
Rishabhanath. The work focuses in his own unique style the pilgrimage of a soul to perfection and attainment of moksha. In the work, Pampa describes the struggle for power and control over the entire world of two brothers
Bharata and
Bahubali, sons of Rishabha. While Bahubali wins, he renounces the worldly pursuits in favor of his brother. Many Jain
puranas of Middle Ages found a role model in this work.
Further reading
Notes
Sources
External links
