________________
210
Studies in Jainology. Prakrit
as viewed above, such literature could be in Tamil (Sendamil) alonc.
And lastly coming to Kannada, we find that this has been for the Jaina scholars, monks and lay disciple, the most favourable of the South Indian language in which they have left a very rich literary heritage in addition to their contributing significantly to the general cultural wealth of the land which they have described as the home of Jainism in one of their inscriptions. 16
Jaina Literature in Kannada :
Jaina literature in Kannada, being vast and varicd, is a topic for an independent monograph. Hence taking just a bird's rescarching cyc-view of it or presenting a descriptive and critical sketch of outstanding works and authors, high-lighting some of the findings of the recent rescarches, could alone be within the range of my attempt here."
The carliest available Jaina literature in Kannada can be said to be in inscriptional form belonging to C.7th centur A.D. and even a little carlier. In the cpigraphic wealth of Karnataka the Jaina share is of considerable volume and value. 18 and it extends even up to the end of the 181h century. Many of the Kannada Jaina inscriptions are metrically composed and have high poctic quality. Some of them also provide us with varied data of religious, social and political importance. It can be remembered with pride that the appearance of the Sravanabelgola inscriptions in the Epigraphia Carnatica Volumes gave the Jaina studies a historic and scientific turn and inspired towards the birth of the estcemed volume of the Jaina Silalekha Sangraha in the M.D.J. serieamus a. considerable c earliest available Jaina literary work in Kannada strongly reacted arga, a treatise on poctics, of Nepatunga, the usual the Jaina mou nown as Amoghavarsa (815-877 A.D.) who language, cultivated it for,
asena. This work on poetics naturally amount of literature in its va Jain Education International
For Private & PPays Bonu
* pretty good number of carlicr
www.jainelibrary.org
