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140 / The Rāştrakūțas and Jainism
his poems are rich in poetic embellishments and variety of metrical patterns. Two of his extant purāņa-kāvyas are replete with grace and elegance of language met within classical authors like Bāņa, Bhāravi and Kālidāsa, which establishes the fact that Karņāțaka had its own signal contributions to make in the field of pure literary forms.
5.5.7.3. In his Harivamsapurāņa in Apabhramsa language, poet Dhavala (C. 10th cent.) has the following encomium on Asaga's accomplishment: Asaga is an epic poet who has composed his lovely and attractive Virajinendracarita in which pretty verses have been woven, the merits of which are beyond expression. Ponna (C. E. 965), celebrated Kannada author and poet-laureate of Kșsna-III, claims his superiority over Asaga stating that he is far greater in manifold to Asaga in the field of Kannada poetry. On the contrary, Ponna has deliberately adopted hundreds of stanzas from Asaga's Sāntipurāņam by freely rendering into Kannada. In truth, Ponna is highly indebted to Asaga.
5.5.7.4. Asaga had non-pareil commånd and proficiency in Sanskrit and Kannada. As an accepted ubhayabhāṣānipuņa-kavi, he is credited with cultivation of Dēsi, indigenous, style as against Mārga, classical, Sanskrit style. His works are endowed with the common nine poetic flavours. A galaxy of Kannada litterateurs have expressed their appreciation of Asaga's creative faculty. Ponna (C. E. 965), Durgasimha (1031), Nāgavarma (1042) Nayasēna (1112), Brahmasiva (1175), Acaņņa (1190) and Kēsirāja (1235) have cited the poetic aptitude of Asaga.
5.5.7.5. Inspite of the glowing tributes in galore of Asaga by men of letters, so far none of his work in Kannada language has come to light. Albeit, Jayakirti (C. 935), a skilled prosodist, indicates in his Candõnusasana, an earliest work on prosody in Sanskrit, while illustrating Kannada poems affirms that Asaga has authored a Karņaţa Kumāra
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