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NAGARAJAIAH : PAMPA-APOGEE OF KANNADA LITERATURE
165
Pampa had some advantages and a solid infrastructure; the literary stage was all set for the arrival of a greater author. Srivijaya, Gunanandi, Gunavarma-I, had deviated from the scholastic tradition of writing only the glosses or commentaries on primordial Prakritāgama texts and had evolved a new trend of taking theme from classics and writing long poems in campū style. In addition to this conducive atmosphere, Pampa had an added advantage of the family background where two religions, of Brahmanism and Jainism, had fused into one main stream.
Pampa, while rendering mahā-Bhārata into Kannada, has ably attempted to give a re-orientation to the theme by culturally localising the immortal saga, wherever appropriate. He experimented with the theme, the language, the form and metre, with a sense of native consciousness. Pampa has occasionally given vent to his heart felt emotions; at one stage he expresses vociferously-what is it that others can give us or others can achieve for us? Worship, fame, profane profitthat is all; albeit, all this and much more can easily be achieved by complete dedication to Jinendra; this is perhaps the quintessence of the author's message.
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