Jain Journal 2003 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 22

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JAIN JOURNAL : VOL-XXXVIII, NO. 2 OCT. 2003
on the poet. Pleased by his singular achievement and matchless contribution to literature, king Arikesari sent words, seated him by his side on the throne, granted maid servants, villages, ornaments of pañca-ratna for daily use, excellent dresses, cattle etc-all in plenty. Crowning all this, the king alloted to the poet, Dharmavura, the best of agrahāras, in Bacche-sāsira division, which was glittering like the teasury of the king.
Men of letters and the elite in Andhra extended their regard to Pampa and the fact that his works inspired Telugu authors, is a befitting tribute to a literary luminary for all ages to come. An epigraph of C.E. 946, preserved in the Museum of Karimnagara, has incorporated five verses of Pampa's Vikramārjunavijaya, and its authorship is attributed to Pampa. Etymology of the nomen Pampa has posed problem to scholars. But the natural surroundings of Pampa's ancestor's original place throws light on the issue. Villages with the names of ‘Pampāvaram' Bhimāvaram, Bhimēśvara, and personal names like Bhimapayya and Pampayya were common in the region of Vengimaņdala, the local river Pampā is considered sacred in Venginādu. This reasonably explains the origin of the names of Pampa and his father Bhimapayya. Another important factor to be noted in the context is that Pampa, elder son, was born before his father Bhimapayya changed his faith to Jainism. Bhimapayya named his second son, who was born after his conversion to Jainism, as Jinavallabha, a typical Jaina personal name.
Thus, it is noteworthy that even though the janmabhūmi, birth place, of Pampa is in Karņāțaka, his entire karmabhūmi, field of activity, is in Andhra. It only suggests that a great poet has no jurisdiction and the learned is respected everywhere. Reference: 1. Sheldon Pollock: The Cosmopolitan Vernacular, -in-, The Journal
of Asian Studies 57, No.1, Feb 1988, pp. 6-37. 2. M. M. Kalaburgi, Mārga, vol. 1 Bangalore, 1995. 3. T.V. Venkatachala Sastry, : Shāstriya, Vol. 1, Bangalore, 1999. 4. Chidananda Murthy, M: Hosatu-Hosatu, Hampi, 1999.