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Kavirajamarga
Encyclopedia
Kavirajamarga (850 C.E.) is the earliest available writing on rhetoric
, poetics
and grammar
in the Kannada language. It was written by the famous Rashtrakuta
King "Nripatunga" Amoghavarsha I and some say that it is based partly on an earlier Sanskrit
writing, Kavyadarsa. Some historians believe it may have been co-authored by a poet of the king's court, the Kannada language theorist, Sri Vijaya.
The name literally means "Royal Path for Poets" and was used as a guide book for poets and scholars (Kavishiksha). From references made in this writing to earlier Kannada poetry and literature it is clear that a considerable body of work in prose and poetry must have existed in the preceding centuries.
during the king's return from his successful northern campaigns in Kanauj. This is known from the Manne records (803), Sirur plates and Sanjan records (871) of Amoghavarsha I. Amoghavarsha I came to the throne in 814 at the age of 14 and took great interest in the Kannada language, culture, country and its people, and his writing Kavirajamarga goes into these details as well. The work describes the entire region between the Godavari
river in the north and Kaveri
river in the south as "Kannada country", which includes large territories in the north where now Marathi is spoken.
of the Western Ganga Dynasty as the best writers of Kannada prose; Srivijaya, Kavisvara, Pandita, Chandra and Lokapala as the best writers of Kannada poetry. But the works and compositions of these early authors are yet to be discovered. Kavirajamarga was formative in the literary growth of Kannada and is a guide book to the Kannada grammar
that existed in that period. It laid the royal road of guiding many aspiring writers.
In his criticism, Amoghavarsha I mentions that old Kannada is appropriate in ancient poems but is insipid in works of the present time like an "association with an old woman". According to him, a mixture of Kannada with Sanskrit is harsh to the ear but a mixture of Kannada and Sama-Samskrita is pleasant to the ear like music, while a mixture of Kannada and Sanskrit in compounds is disagreeable like mixing drops of buttermilk (curdled milk) and boiling milk. He also condemned the usage of expletives such as ante, matte, and Gadam, etc.
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
, poetics
Poetics
Aristotle's Poetics is the earliest-surviving work of dramatic theory and the first extant philosophical treatise to focus on literary theory...
and grammar
Grammar
In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics,...
in the Kannada language. It was written by the famous Rashtrakuta
Rashtrakuta
The Rashtrakuta Empire was a royal dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian Subcontinent between the sixth and the 10th centuries. During this period they ruled as several closely related, but individual clans. Rastrakutas in inscriptions represented as descendants of Satyaki, a Yadava well known...
King "Nripatunga" Amoghavarsha I and some say that it is based partly on an earlier Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
writing, Kavyadarsa. Some historians believe it may have been co-authored by a poet of the king's court, the Kannada language theorist, Sri Vijaya.
The name literally means "Royal Path for Poets" and was used as a guide book for poets and scholars (Kavishiksha). From references made in this writing to earlier Kannada poetry and literature it is clear that a considerable body of work in prose and poetry must have existed in the preceding centuries.
Biography
The pre-coronation name of Amoghavarsha I was Sharva. He was born in Sribhavan in 800 to Rashtrakuta King Govinda IIIGovinda III
Govinda III was a famous Rashtrakuta ruler who succeeded his illustrious father Dhruva Dharavarsha. He was militarily the most successful emperor of the dynasty with successful conquests from Cape Comorin in the south to Kannauj in the north, from Banaras in the east to Broach in the west...
during the king's return from his successful northern campaigns in Kanauj. This is known from the Manne records (803), Sirur plates and Sanjan records (871) of Amoghavarsha I. Amoghavarsha I came to the throne in 814 at the age of 14 and took great interest in the Kannada language, culture, country and its people, and his writing Kavirajamarga goes into these details as well. The work describes the entire region between the Godavari
Godavari River
The Godavari is a river that runs from western to southern India and is considered to be one of the big river basins in India. With a length of 1465 km, it is the second longest river in India , that runs within the country and also the longest river in South India...
river in the north and Kaveri
Kaveri River
The Kaveri , also spelled Cauvery in English, is a large Indian river. The origin of the river is traditionally placed at Talakaveri, Kodagu in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and across the southern Deccan plateau through the...
river in the south as "Kannada country", which includes large territories in the north where now Marathi is spoken.
Early writers and literary styles
Kavirajamarga makes important references not only to earlier Kannada writers and poets but also to early literary styles in vogue in the various written dialects of Kannada language. The aim of his writing was to standardise these written styles. The king mentions two styles of composition, the Bedande and the Chattana, and indicates that these styles were recognised by "earlier writers". Amoghavarsha I mentions several early Kannada writers who preceded him: Vimalachandra (777), Udaya, Nagarjuna, Jayabhandu and 6th century King DurvinitaDurvinita
Durvinita is seen as the most successful ruler of the Western Ganga Dynasty. Son of the previous ruler, Avinita, Durvinita's assession to the throne was disputed by his brother, who had gained the support of the Pallavas and Kadambas. There are Nallala and Kadagattur inscriptions that refer to...
of the Western Ganga Dynasty as the best writers of Kannada prose; Srivijaya, Kavisvara, Pandita, Chandra and Lokapala as the best writers of Kannada poetry. But the works and compositions of these early authors are yet to be discovered. Kavirajamarga was formative in the literary growth of Kannada and is a guide book to the Kannada grammar
Grammar
In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics,...
that existed in that period. It laid the royal road of guiding many aspiring writers.
In his criticism, Amoghavarsha I mentions that old Kannada is appropriate in ancient poems but is insipid in works of the present time like an "association with an old woman". According to him, a mixture of Kannada with Sanskrit is harsh to the ear but a mixture of Kannada and Sama-Samskrita is pleasant to the ear like music, while a mixture of Kannada and Sanskrit in compounds is disagreeable like mixing drops of buttermilk (curdled milk) and boiling milk. He also condemned the usage of expletives such as ante, matte, and Gadam, etc.