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CONTRIBUTIONS TO LITERATURE, ETC.
IOI
The above list is by no means exhaustive, but only representative. It is based on the accounts given by Mr. E. P. Rice whose History of Kanarese Literature is a valuable guide in English for those who cannot read the precious volumes, Karnataka Kavi Caritré, by Mr. R. Narasimhāchār. In addition to what has been stated above, we must draw attention to one or two more examples. One is that of Kanti, the earliest known Jaina poetess in Kannada. It is related that at the court of Baļļāla Raja (Hoysaļa) of Dorasamudra the King, in order to test her proficiency, asked Nāgacandra to repeat half a stanza, which Kanti would immediately complete; "somewhat”, as Rice points out, “after a fashion recently current in England of completing 'Limericks'".112 Another example is that of the earliest known Kannada novel, entitled Lilāvatī, by Nemicandra. " It is written in the usual champu in a pleasing style, but," as Rice observes, " disfigured by erotic passages. "113 The story is that of a Kadamba prince who saw in a dream a beautiful princess (the heroine), and she likewise dreamt of him. They were unacquainted, but after mutual search and various adventures were ultimately wedded. It is based on the Sanskrit romance Väsavadatta by Subandhu (c. 610-), but the scene is transferred from Ujjaini to Banavāsê. Both Kanti and Nemicandra belonged to the 12th century. In respect of the Kannada grammars by Jaina writers, the following remarks by Burnell and Rice are worth recording: Of the Sabdamanidarpaņa, Burnell wrote, “The great and real merit of the Śabdamanidarpana is that it bases its rules on independent research and the usage of writers of repute. In this way it is far ahead of the Tamil and Telugu treatises, which are much occupied with vain scholastic disputation ".114 In the opinion of Mr. Lewis Rice, "This encomium is equally applicable to other Kanarese grammars, which had not been made public in
119 Rico (E. P.), op. cit., p. 36. 113 Ibid., p. 48. 114 Burnell, Andhra School of Grammarians, pp. 8, 55,
