Nagavarma I
Encyclopedia
Nagavarma I was a noted Jain writer and poet in the Kannada language
in the late 10th century. His two important works, both of which are available are, Karnataka Kadambari, a champu
(mixed prose-verse metre) based romance novel and an adaptation of Bana
's Sanskrit Kadambari, and Chandombudhi (also spelt Chhandombudhi, lit, "Ocean of prosody" or "Ocean of metres"), the earliest available work on prosody (study of poetic metres) in the language which Nagavarma I claims would command the respect even of poet Kalidasa
. According to the scholars K.A. Nilakanta Shastri and R. Narasimhacharya, Nagavarma I belonged to a migrant Brahmin
family originally from Vengi
(in modern Andhra Pradesh
). According to the modern Kannada poet and scholar Govinda Pai, Nagavarma I lived from 950 AD to 1015 AD. So popular was Nagavarma I's poetic skills that King Bhoja
of Malwa (central India) presented him with horses, in appreciation of his poetic skills.
. During this period (9th through 12th century), classics in Kannada language were usually inspired by the great Sanskrit language epics of India, or were didactic in nature and were derived from Jain lore and legend. Writing on themes that were Loukika (secular and historical) and Agamika (religious and legendary) was popular.
His Karnataka Kadambari is not considered a direct translation of the Sanskrit original. Written in a smooth flowing language, it has an originality of its own. Chandombudhi, the earliest work on the science of prosody (Chandonusasana) is important from the point of establishing a relationship between native (desi) folk metrical forms of Kannada and the dominant Sanskritic literary culture that had descended on medieval Karnataka
. It was written at a time when the Sanskrit textual production had won mainstream (margam) appeal and its scholars were held in high esteem. The text also conveys that popularity of a Kannada writing was based on the types of native compositions used. The text overall tries to reconcile local literary traditions with the mainstream Sanskrit cosmopolitan.
Nagavarma I devoted an entire section of the Chandombudhi to native Kannada metres and called it Kannadavisayajati. He mentions the native shatpadi (six-line verse) metre, more than two centuries before it was hugely popularised by the Hoysala poet Raghavanka
in the 1225 CE. He also dwells at length on metres that were common to Sanskrit and Kannada and calls the section samavrtta, metres (vrtta) inherited from Sanskrit and very much in vogue among the classical poets of Kannada language. According to Nagavarma I, some native metrical forms such as the ragale and dandaka that were later to become popular in Kannada have similarities with Prakrit
language metres.
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
in the late 10th century. His two important works, both of which are available are, Karnataka Kadambari, a champu
Champu
Champu or Champu-Kavya is a genre in Sanskrit literature. It consists of a mixture of prose and poetry passages , with verses interspersed among prose sections...
(mixed prose-verse metre) based romance novel and an adaptation of Bana
Banabhatta
Bāṇabhaṭṭa , also known as Bāṇa, was a Sanskrit scholar and poet of India. He was the Asthana Kavi in the court of King Harshavardhana, who reigned in the years c. 606–647 CE in north India...
's Sanskrit Kadambari, and Chandombudhi (also spelt Chhandombudhi, lit, "Ocean of prosody" or "Ocean of metres"), the earliest available work on prosody (study of poetic metres) in the language which Nagavarma I claims would command the respect even of poet Kalidasa
Kalidasa
Kālidāsa was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language...
. According to the scholars K.A. Nilakanta Shastri and R. Narasimhacharya, Nagavarma I belonged to a migrant Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
family originally from Vengi
Vengi
The Vengi kingdom extended from the Godavari River in the north to Mount Mahendragiri in the southeast and to just south of the banks of River Krishna in the south of India. This area was part of Kalinga until that kingdom was conquered by Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire in the mid 3rd century...
(in modern Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
). According to the modern Kannada poet and scholar Govinda Pai, Nagavarma I lived from 950 AD to 1015 AD. So popular was Nagavarma I's poetic skills that King Bhoja
Bhoja
Bhoja was a philosopher king and polymath of medieval India, who ruled the kingdom of Malwa in central India from about 1000 to 1050 CE. Also known as Raja Bhoja Of Dhar, he belonged to the Paramara dynasty...
of Malwa (central India) presented him with horses, in appreciation of his poetic skills.
Writings
Nagavarma I was patronised by King Rakkasa Ganga (also called Rachamalla V, 986–999 CE) of the Western Ganga Dynasty. According to the scholar Sheldon Pollock, he is the first among as many as five Nagavarmas who have written noted works in the Kannada language over the succeeding few centuries. Nagavarma I became popular during the classical age of Kannada literatureKannada literature
Kannada literature is the corpus of written forms of the Kannada language, a member of the Dravidian family spoken mainly in the Indian state of Karnataka and written in the Kannada script....
. During this period (9th through 12th century), classics in Kannada language were usually inspired by the great Sanskrit language epics of India, or were didactic in nature and were derived from Jain lore and legend. Writing on themes that were Loukika (secular and historical) and Agamika (religious and legendary) was popular.
His Karnataka Kadambari is not considered a direct translation of the Sanskrit original. Written in a smooth flowing language, it has an originality of its own. Chandombudhi, the earliest work on the science of prosody (Chandonusasana) is important from the point of establishing a relationship between native (desi) folk metrical forms of Kannada and the dominant Sanskritic literary culture that had descended on medieval Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. It was written at a time when the Sanskrit textual production had won mainstream (margam) appeal and its scholars were held in high esteem. The text also conveys that popularity of a Kannada writing was based on the types of native compositions used. The text overall tries to reconcile local literary traditions with the mainstream Sanskrit cosmopolitan.
Nagavarma I devoted an entire section of the Chandombudhi to native Kannada metres and called it Kannadavisayajati. He mentions the native shatpadi (six-line verse) metre, more than two centuries before it was hugely popularised by the Hoysala poet Raghavanka
Raghavanka
Raghavanka was a noted Kannada writer and a poet in the Hoysala court which flourished in the late 12th to early 13th century. Raghavanka is credited for popularising the use of the native shatpadi metre in Kannada literature...
in the 1225 CE. He also dwells at length on metres that were common to Sanskrit and Kannada and calls the section samavrtta, metres (vrtta) inherited from Sanskrit and very much in vogue among the classical poets of Kannada language. According to Nagavarma I, some native metrical forms such as the ragale and dandaka that were later to become popular in Kannada have similarities with Prakrit
Prakrit
Prakrit is the name for a group of Middle Indic, Indo-Aryan languages, derived from Old Indic dialects. The word itself has a flexible definition, being defined sometimes as, "original, natural, artless, normal, ordinary, usual", or "vernacular", in contrast to the literary and religious...
language metres.