________________
KARNATAKA CULTURE
183
A. D.) who described the culture of Karnāțaka in the following terms:
ಪದನರಿದು ನುಡಿಯಲುಂ ನುಡಿ ದುದನರಿದಾರಯಲು ಮಾರ್ಪರಾ ನಾಡವರ್ಗಳ್ | ಚದುರರ್ ನಿಜದಿಂ ಕುಜ್ಕೋ ದದಿಯುಂ ಕಾವ್ಯ ಪ್ರಯೋಗಪರಿಣತಮತಿಗಳ್ | ಕುಳತವರಲ್ಲದೆ ಮತ್ತ೦ ಪವಿರುಂ ತಂತಮ್ಮ ನುಡಿಯೊಳೆಲ್ಲಂ ಜಾಣರ್ | ಕಿಟುವಕ್ಕಳು ಮಾಮೂಗರು
ಮಲಪಲ್ಯ ಲಿವರ್ ವಿವೇಕಮಂ ಮಾತುಗಳ೦ | "Skilled are the people of that region in making speeches with apt words and also in understanding and pondering over (other's) speeches, Naturally intelligent, they are, even without special study, versed in the usages of poetry. All are skiliul in their speech. Even young children and the dumb learn wisdom and words respectively at a hint."
And lastly, in the words of the Kuppatur inscription (d. 1408 A. D.).
“Among the many beautiful countries it contained, an abode of the Jina dharma, a mine of good discipline, like the dwelling of Padmasana (Brahma), having acquired great fame, the birthplace of learning and wealth, the home of unequalled splendid earnestness, thus distinguished in many ways was the lovely Karnataka country."
