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Jaina Campū Literature
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not for limited and particular purpose. But simply because the authors wanted to have the same subject described in a random and haphazard way, alternately and indifferently. In spite of not being held in very high esteem by literary critics, this form of literature is very extensive and of variegated nature, it has universal appeal to public sentiments. The Campüs have been composed on very worldly subjects like local legends, local deities, common festivals, well-known personalities, and the like. The oldest known extant Campū is Nalacampū or Damayanțicampū (AD 915) of Trivikrama Bhatta. In Jaina tradition, Yaśastilakacampū (AD 959) of Digambara Somaprabhasūri is a good specimen of this genre. Jivandharacampū of Hariscandra (10th cent. AD) is another Jaina Campū of repute, depicting the life of the Jaina saint Jivandhara in 11 Lambhakas. It is based on the Uttara- Purāņa (AD 850) of Guņabhadra. Probably, he is identical with Digambara Jain Hariscandra, the author of Dharmaśarmıābhyudaya. He is good imitator of great poets Māgha and Vākpati.
Scholars differ about the origin of the word Campū, some tracing its origin in Sanskrit while some Kannada etymologists aver that it is derived from the Kannada word 'Chen' meaning beautiful (Centum). The interesting fact that authors of the earliest Campūkāvyas in Sanskrit.. Nalacampū and Yaśastilakacampū- hailed from Karnataka, have encouraged some Kannada scholars to conclude that the Campū Kāvya was first born in Kannada and subsequently adopted by Sanskrit poets. Gunavarma I, the Kannada poet flourished at the court of king Ereyappā (864-913 AD) on whom Ganga king has conferred the title of Mahendrāntaka, wrote the Campū Kāvyar Harivansa and Śūdraka, is probably the first Kannada poet to compose the Campū Kävya. Both these works are not available today but extracts from these both in verse and prose, have been included in latter works. The mention of a number of works of earlier authors as composed in both Gadya and Padya, in the earliest Kannada work available today i.e. Kavirāja Mārga on poetics (AD 850) is a proof that the Campū was first written in Kannada and was subsequently adopted by Sanskrit poets.
The Campū is supposed to contain Astādaśa Varņanas (18 descriptions). Invariably, these are descriptions of oceans, mountains, cities, marriage of the prince, the birth of a son to him, sunrise, seasons, forests, aquatic sports, drink, desperations, union, consultation, gamble,
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