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Jaina Campū Literature
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In addition to the Yaśastilakacampū of Somadevasūri (AD 959), Jivandharacampū of Hariscandra (10th cent. AD), Purudeva Campū of Arhaddāsa (12th cent. AD), Campūmandana etc. are other Jaina Campū works in Sanskrit. Their counterparts in Kannada made its debut much earlier. The opinion that Gunavarma I, the Kannada poet, flourished at the court of King Ereyappā, wrote two Campû works Harivansa and Śūdraka, is firmly rooted. Extracts from these, available in subsequent anthologies and in works of grammars and poetics as illustrations, are testimony of the existence of these two works, though not available today. The first available Jaina Campū in Kannada is by Pampā, the most outstanding and the father of Campū kāvya in this language. His Adipurāņa (AD 942) depicts the story of Ādinātha or Purudeva, the first of the 24th Tīrtharkaras. Šāntināthapurāņa of Ponnā (936-969 AD) on the life of 16th Tirthankara and Ajita Purāņa of Rannā (10th-11th cent.), the greatest after Pampā, depicting the life of 2nd Tirthankara Ajitanātha, Mallinātha Purāņa by Nāgacandra or Abhinava Pampā (1100-1126 AD), depicting the life of 19th Tīrtharkara, Dharmāmsta of Nayasena (1112 AD). Neminātha Purāņa (c.1140 AD) of Karņaparyāya, depicting the story of 22nd Tīrthañkara. Dharmaparīksā (c. 1160 AD) of Vrttavilāsa, a Kanarese version of Sanskrit work Dharmapaļīksā of Amitagati and Neminātha Purāņa of Nemicandra (middle of the 12th cent.) flourished during the Vīra Ballāla of Hoysal dynasty, Yasodharacarita (AD 1209) and Anantanātha Purāņa (AD 1230) of Jannā, on the life of 14th Tīrthañkara Anantanātha and Punyāśrava (AD 1331) of Nagaraja, were Jaina Campū works ending with title Purāņa. The following is the details of the Jaina Campū works:
Yaśastilakacampū (AD 959) by a Digambara Somadevasūri or Somaprabhasūri, grand pupil of Yaśodeva of Gauda Sangha in 8 Aččhvāsas (sections) in Sanskrit, is one of the two comparatively ancient Campus. It is based on the famous Jaina legend of Yasodhara, the king of Avanti. There are a few more works depicting the story of Yaíodhara viz. Yaśodharacarita by Kanakasena Vadiraja and Yaśodharacaritra by Māņikyasuri. It depicts the pathetic story of the prince Yaśodhara in a realistic manner based on a domestic tragedy, around which is woven a story of moral and religious edification. The central theme of this story is the cunning devices of his queen, his death, repeated re-birth and final conversion into Jaina faith, leading to Salvation. The tale begins with
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