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________________ Kannada and Jainagara Sahitya Prof. M. D. Vasantharaj, Mysore University, Mysore Whenever the subject of contribution of Jainas to Kannada is spoken of, usually the poetry aspect of the contribution is taken note of and the other aspects are ignored, if not unnoticed. The fact is, that by Jaina, contributions Kannada have been ranked to the level of Prakta and Samisksta. Available evidences point out, that just as Prakita and Sa i.sketa languages, Kannada also was used for the cultivation of Jainagama literature and again in time factor it is equally coextensive with that of Sanskrit, if not more. The History of the composition of Satkhandagama and its commentaries reveals that Kannada was used along with Praksta with equal propensity. Unless there should be some strong reason or urge an adoption of Kannada in composing commentaries on revered Siddhanta work shall not have taken place. In this regard we are to take note of some of the factors related to the composition of Satkhandagama. It is well known that the scheme of the composition of Satkhandagama was planned and also was initiated by Puspadantacarya, who had definitely a regional affinity for Karnalaka, and in particular to the region around Banavasi. It is here at Banavasi that Puspadantzicarya initiated the composition of Satkhandagama which has been looked upon with great veneration being considered as the essence of the entire angasruta. 1 In fact it shall not be out of tune if it should be said here that for Digambara Jains Banavasi is an Atisayaksetra being the "Srutapravartana Tirthasthana'-. The first commentary on this Siddhanta grantha Raja was composed by Acarya Kunda who is looked upon as one of saviours of the Jaina Digambara sect. Next to his commentary, is by Syamakunda, commentary of the type of 'Paddhati' where in Kannada had its place in addition to Praksta and Sanuskrta.2 The commentary "Cudamani' mentioned next to that of Syamakunda is by Tumbularu Acarya. This commentary on the first five Khandas of Satkhandagama was of the extent of eignty four thousand granthas was composed in Karnala Bhasa i. e., Kannda alone. In addition to this a Pancika type of commentary on the sixth Khaala is said to have been composed by this same Acarya.3 But the name of the language, in which this was composed, is not mentioned. Any how this statement appears as though it is a continuity of the preceeding one and so even this commentary probably must have been composed in Kannada. Depending on the authenticity of the available traditional accounts it can be said confidently that the commentary 'Cudamaai' happens to be the earliest independent literary composition in Kannada. The date of composition of this work cannot be later than 5th century A.D. as Samantabhadra whose date is decided to be the - 268 -
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________________ of Sidduch prophe sido later part of 5th century A. D., is mentioned to be the next to that of Tumbuturu Acarya. There must have been some kind of strong urge for the adoption of Kannada for composing the commentary on a work of Siddhanta or Agama type, the grasp of which was limited to only a very few, and one such probable urge must have been there because of the need for easy and correct grasping of the Siddhanta by the Munsi who came from Karna taka area and were in good number in the Munisangha. Any how those commentaries composed in Kannada have not come down to us and even then the authenticity of the tradition cannot be doubted because the authenticity of other statements of Srutavatara has been proved beyond any doubt. Since the day of the completion of Satkhandagama an account of the history of its composition and of its commentaries as they were composed was handed down and this incidentally we have the account of the composition of "Cudamani' commentary in Kannada. With the exception of this traditional account we have nothing else as evidence to say whether, such of the commentaries or any other type of literary compositions were composed or not. But any how it shall not be irrational if we should say that works in Kannada used to be composed and they are lost just as many Sanskrit and Prakrit works, composed by such eminent Acaryas Samantabhadra Swami and Padalipta Suri, are lost. In the field of Kavya literature, the available earliest Kavyas are Jaina Kavyas. Just as Kalidasa, Bharavi, Magha, Sri Harsa are the well known and venerated names in Sanskrit literature, Pampa, Ranna, Ponna, Janna, Abhinava Pampa-Nagacandra are the well known venerated names in the Kannada literature and it is needless to say that all the later are the names of Jaina Poets. Usually these poets have chousen Puranic story for the theme of their Kavyas and there in they have invariably incorporated the elements of Jaina metaphysics and ethics. It appears that during the period of the rule of satavahanas and of their fudatories and their successors, in the major part of Karnataka, Praksta and Kannada had a place of estimation being favoured by the rulers and elites as well. But with the commencement of the rule of Kadambas of Brahmanical leneage Sanskrit could gain the favour of the rulers. More over it is at this same period that under the rule of the Guptas revival of Sanskrit took place and its sway extended through out the North India, and also South India could not remain free from its impact and influence. Thus with these favourable conditions Sanskrit gained supremacy and held its dominance upto 10th century A. D. in Karnataka. Thus because of this domination of Sanskrit, Kannada had a severe set back with the result that no Kannada literary work of this period has survived to reach us. Not that literary activity was completely a blank, but that as said earlier no work of this period has survived to reach us. Any how available materials clearly point out that there was cultivation of Kannada literature throughout this period. - 269 -
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________________ Tenth Century happens to be a golden period in the history of Kannada literature not only from the view point of highly elegant Kavyas but also from the view point of the assertainment of Kannada of its due place of honour in its homeland. Innumerable works pertaining to Jaina Agama which are composed from Ilth Century on words are lying in our Bhandars. Some of them are independent-Original works and others are commentaries on Praksta and Sanusksta works. The study of these works is a desideratum; very often they reveal such facts which are very important and are not found in other sources of Prak'ta or Sariskpta. In this regard independent-original works 'Sravakacaras' in good number are worth mentioning. In fact some of them had gained local popularity and influenced very much the lay mans life. These works in addition to the normal duties and vows of a Sravaka expound the importance and essentiality of Jina Paja and etc., which are not found in some of the well known works like Ratnakarandaka Sravakacara. 'Suvicara Carita' is one such work which' appears to have been very popular. There are a good number of original independent works on other branches of Agama literature such as on the theory of Karma, tattva, loka and etc., some of which are worthy of being brought to light. There are innumerable works of the type of commentaries which are lying hidden and uncared for in the Bhandars. Particularly commentaries or tikas on the works of such eminent Acaryas as Kundakunda and others are very useful in many respects. If not the publication of all the works at least a discriptive catalogue pertaining to their works is very essential. Writing of either the origi dependent works or of translation type of works is not 'A Past'. Many works wit.. ulscussions, on modern lines, touching the subject of Agama particularly pertaining to the field of Philosophy have been published. Translations of Ratnakarandaka Sravakacara, Dravya Sangraha, Anyayoga Vyavaechedika, Samaya Sara and many others have been published. This translation is not limited to the Sanskrit or Prakrit works alone. Translations of the works in Hindi and other languages also have been published and one such work worth mentioning here, being very popular, is Pandit Kailasacandra Sastriji's Jaina Dharma'. Likewise it is very much necessary to have the selected Kannada works translated into Hindi and thus maintain good conduct between North and South. References: 1. 'Srutavatara' of Indranandi : Stzs 147. 2. Ibid : Stzn. 162-164 3. Ibid : Stzn. 165-167 270 -
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________________ lekhasAra kannaDa aura jainAgama sAhitya pro0 ema DI0 vasantarAja maisUra vizvavidyAlaya, maisUra jaba bhI kabhI jainoMke kannar3a bhASAke vikAsa meM yogadAnakI carcA hotI hai, taba prAya: ise kAvya yA kavitA kSetrameM pradhAnataH sImita mAna liyA jAtA hai / lekina satya yaha hai ki kannar3a bhASAke lie jainoMkA yogadAna saMskRta aura prAkRta bhASAke samakakSa hI mAnA gayA hai / saMskRta aura prAkRtake samAna kannar3a bhASAko bhI jainAgama sAhitya ke vikAsake lie prayukta kiyA gayA hai / SaTkhaMDAgama aura usakI TIkAoMke lie kannar3ake upayogase yaha bhalIbhA~ti dhvanita hotA hai ki kannar3a meM koI-na-koI vizeSatA hai jisase isakA upayoga Agama sAhitya nirmANa ke lie kiyA gyaa| aMgazrutake sArabhUta SaTkhaMDAgamake racayitA puSpadantAcArya kannar3avAsI hI the / yahA~ke vanavAsI sthAnako hama zruta pravartanakA atizaya kSetra mAna sakate haiM / isapara kundakunda zyAmakunda, tubuluru AcAryane isapara TIkAe~ likhI haiM / tumburu AcAryane SaTkhaMDAgamake pA~ca khaNDoM para 84000 gAthA pramANa cUDAmaNi nAmaka kannar3a TIkA likhI hai / isake chaThe khaNDapara inhoMne paMcikA koTikI TIkA bhI sambhavataH kannar3ameM likhI / yaha samantabhadrakI pUrvavartI TIkA hai jo sambhavataH pA~cavIM sadImeM likhI gayI thii| isake atirikta bhI anya Agama TIkAe~ kannar3ameM likhI gaIM, isa viSaya meM anusaMdhAnakI AvazyakatA hai / sAhityake kSetrameM bhI paMpa, ranna, ponna, janna, abhinava paMpa - nAgacandrane kannar3a bhASAmeM aneka kAvya likhe haiM / ina kaviyoMne paurANika kathAoMke mAdhyamase jainanItizAstra aura adhyAtmavidyAkA bhI varNana kiyA hai / aisA pratIta hotA hai ki sAtavAhana aura unake uttarAdhikAriyoMke yugameM karnATaka meM saMskRta aura kannar3a donoM bhASAoM meM sAhitya likhA gayA / para kadamboMke yuga meM saMskRta lekhanako pradhAnatA raho / gupta sAmrAjya ke prAdhAnyase saMskRtakI yaha sthiti dazavIM zatAbdI ke pUrva taka karnATakameM banI rahI / isI kAraNa isa yugakA koI mahattvapUrNa kannar3a sAhitya hameM upalabdha nahIM hotA / dasavIM zatAbdI kannar3a sAhityake nirmANakA svarNayuga kahI jA sakatI hai / isa samayake racita aneka nAgama kannar3a grantha bhaMDAroMmeM prApta hote haiM, jinameM kucha maulika haiM aura kucha TIkA grantha haiM / isa dizA meM zrAvakAcAroM para likhita grantha mahattvapUrNa haiM / 'suvicAracarita' isI koTikA eka uttama grantha hai / isI prakAra karma, tattva, loka Adi aneka saiddhAntika viSayoMpara bhI kannar3a grantha likhe gaye / kundakundake granthoMpara kannar3a meM likhe aneka TIkA grantha bhI bhaNDAroMmeM pAye jAte haiM / yadi inakA prakAzana sambhava na ho, to bhI varNanAtmaka grantha sUcIkA prakAzana atyanta Avazyaka hai / kannar3a meM jainAgama aura sAhitya lekhanakI prakriyA Aja bhI cAlU hai / ratnakaraNDa zrAvakAcAra, dravyasaMgraha, anuyogavyavacchedikA, samayasAra tathA anya saMskRta - prAkRta granthoMke kannar3a anuvAda kiye gaye haiM / isa koTikI hindI bhASAkI pustakeM bhI kannar3a meM anUdita huI haiM, jinameM kailAsacandra zAstrIkI jainadharma nAmaka pustaka pramukha hai / uttara aura dakSiNa ke madhya sAMskRtika setubandhakI dRr3hatA ke lie yaha Avazyaka hai| ki kannar3a ke granthoMkA bhI hindI bhASAmeM anuvAda kiyA jAe / - 271 -
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________________ kSatracUDAmaNisUktayaH vAdIbhasiMhasUrikI saMskRta gadyapadyameM samAna gati thii| ve sudhAvarNI apratima sudhI the| gadyasaMsArameM unakA gadya cintAmaNi prakhyAta hai / yahA~ unake kAvyagrantha kSatracUr3AmaNike amRta nispandabindu pariveSThita haiM viSayAsaktacittAnAM guNaH ko vA na nazyati / na vaiduSyaM na mAnuSyaM nAbhijAtyaM na satyavAk / / parasparavirodhena trivargoM yadi sevyate / anargalamataH saukhyamapavargo'pyanukramAt // putramitrakalatrAdau satyAmapi ca saMpadi / AtmIyApAyazaGkA hi zaGkaH prANabhRtAM hRdi / vipadaH parihArAya zokaH kiM kalpate nRNAm / pAvake nahi pAtaH syAdAtapaklezazAntaye / / jIvitAttu parAdhInAjjIvAnAM bharaNaM varam / mRgendrasya mRgendratvaM vitIrNaM kena kAnane / ko'haM kIdRgguNaH kRtyaH kiMprApyaH kinimittakaH / ityUhaH pratyahaM no cedasthAne hi matirbhavet / / dhArmikANAM zaraNyaM hi dhArmikA eva nApare / ahernakulavatteSAM prakRtyAnye hi vidviSaH / / gurudruho na hi kvApi vizvAsyo vizvaghAtinaH / avibhyatAM gurudrohAdanyadrohAtkuto bhayam / / yauvanaM sattvamaizvaryamekaikaM ca vikAravat / samavAyo na kiM kuryAdavikAro'stu tairapi / dAridrAdaparaM nAsti jantUnAmapyaruntudam / atyaktaM maraNaM prANaiH prANinAM hi daridratA / guNAdhikyaM ca jIvAnAmAdhereva hi kAraNam / nIcatvaM nAma kiM nu syAdasti cedguNarAgitA // upakAro'pi nIcAnAmapakArAya kalpate / pannagena payaH pItaM viSasyaiva hi vardhanam / / dharmo nAma kRpAmUlaH sA tu jIvAnuka mpanam / azaraNyazaraNyatvamato dhArmikalakSaNam // daivatenApi pUjyante dhArmikAH kiM punaH paraiH / ato dharmaratAH santuH zarmaNe spRhayAlavaH / / - 272 -