________________
136/ The Rāştrakūtas and Jainism
soaring ambition, though not extant in full length, have survived in patches. In particular, many verses from these two epics are included in schematic anthologies of Mallikārjuna's Sūktisudhārņava (C. E. 1240 A. D) and Abhinava Vādi-Vidyānanda's Kävyasāra (C. 1533 A.D). Some citations are also found in Sabdamani-darpana, a jewel-mirror-of Kannada grammar, of Kēsiraja (C. E. 1275 A. D).
5.5.4.1. Quite a good number of stanzas, quoted in the later anthologies, clearely betray the remarkable creative ability of Guņavarma. He is the second poet, in temporal terms, to compose two classics/epics, on the set pattern of some Jaina litterateurs who wrote two classics, with the theme of the earth (laukika) and heaven (āgamika) respectively. Srivijaya was the first author to conceive such an idea of making a sharp and transperant distinction of a laukika-kāvya, poem of worldly theme, and āgamika-kāvya, poem with the theme of world above or the world of Jaina religion.
5.5.4.2. Since there are two poets in Kannada literature of the name of Gunavarma, the earlier Guņavarma is referred as Adi-Guņavarma or Guņavarma-I, and the author of Puspadantapurāņa (1215) as Guņavarma-II. Based on the subject and quality of fragments of quoted verses now extant, a broad assessment of the poet's accomplishment is possible. Harivamsa, in campu style, is evidently a Kannada rendering of the Sanskrit epic of the some title, Harivamsa of Jinasena-I of Punnāța samgha, completed in C. E. 784.
5.5.4.3. Digambara Jaina tradition has recognised five kşatriyas, (the second of the four castes/the warrior dynasties): Puru, Nātha, Ugra, Hari and Kuru. In the Harivamsa Kāvya, the story of the last two dynasties, of Hari and Kuru, are fused together, and the theme of Bhārata finds a prominent place. The legend of Krşņa is merged with
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
