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जैनविद्या एवं प्राकृत : अन्तरशास्त्रीय अध्ययन
who by writing works in chaste and dignified language have raised the literary excellence of Kannada to a high standard............ Almo the works useful for the study of the Kannada language, such as those on poetics, prosody, grammar and laxicons etc. have been written by the Jainas”.
Jaina poets have written in Kannada not only independent works on Prathamānuyoga but also commentaries on ancient authoritative Prakrit and Sanskrit Jainagama works. A few Kannada poets have written independent works on anu prekśä and also commentaries to Prakrit and Sanskrit anu prekșa works.
Anu preksā
The Sanskrit term anu prekşā, when it is used in Kannada becomes anu prekşe.. Dr. A. N. Upadhye in his introduction to 'Kirtikeyānu preks' has discussed beautifully the etymology and meaning of the word anu prekšā. This term has come from the root 'iks' with the prepositions 'anu' and 'pra', meaning, to ponder, to reflect, to think repeatedly. The anu prekshās are in general, topics of meditation or for reflection, twelve in number, and embrace a wide range of subjects particularly covering all principles and cardinal teachings of Jainism 3 “They are in the nature of reflections on the fundamental facts of life, and remind the devotee of the teachings of the master on the subject of rebirth, Karma and its distruction, equanimity and self control, the glory of the law and the final goal. They are no doubt designed to develop the contemplative faculty of Yogin and may be called the starting Point of dhyāna. But they have also a great moral significance in as much as they are meant to develop purity of thoughts and sincerity in the practice of religion."4
In Kannada Literature
Jaina Poets in their Kannada Kavyas as a rule write on anupreksi either in short or in long, depending on the context. If the Kavya is a small one then the poet atleast mentions the word anu preksa.
2. R. Narasimhācārya, Karnataka Kavicarite' introduction, Vol.
III, 1929. 3. A. N. Upadhye, 'Kārtikeyānuprekşā’, Introduction, pp. 6-7. 4. K. K. Handiqui, Yasastilaka and Indian culture' p. 293.
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