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170 / The Rästrakūtas and Jainism
Gunadhara, the ācārya-trayas, laid a substantial Jaina canonical foundation in Prakrit language.
6.2.5. Kondakundaācārya (C. 1st - 2nd cent. C. E.), Vattakēra (C. 2nd cent. C. E.) of Mūlācāra, Sivārya alias Sivakoti (Pk. Sivajja C. 2nd cent.) of Arădhanā, Yativrşabha (C. E. 478) of Tilõyapaņņatti, Sarvanandi (C. E. 458) of Likavibhāga, Virasēna, Nemicandra siddhānta Cakravartti are some of the momentous Saurasēni authors who lived and wrote in Karņātaka. Their works are so crucial that can not be overlooked, either in quality or in quantity. Dhavalā - Jayadhavalā commentary, in the co-authorship of the teacher and taught, of Virasēna and Jinasēna-II, containing 72,000 verses is a stupendous work worthy of notice.
6.2.6. Thus, the Jaina monks and scholars that imigrated into Karņātaka, at the beginning composed their works in their own language, viz., the Jaina Sauraseni, brought the native language to the literary level by cultivating it and finally merged their literary genius, together with themselves, into the general culture of the land of their adoption which they loved as their own, which fact is lucidly reflected in the famous Kuppatūr inscription" [Kadabadi, B. K. : 185).
6.2.7. Prakrit literature and dialects played an important role in the development of Kannada language and literature. A historical lingusitic analysis establishes the depth and dimension of this influence. As a result of close contact of Kannada with Prakrit for over a millennia, certain phonetic, morphological and semantic changes have taken place in Kannada language.
6.2.8. Early Kannada authors were persuaded by the Prakrit men of letters. Belles-lettres of Apabhramsa, Ardhamāgadhi, Saurasēni had swayed Kannada poetry. Campū form and style, so desirable and chosen by many major poets in Kannada, owes its origin evidently to Prakrit
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