This is alist of available epics in theKannada language (also calledpurana, in prose or poem), a South Indian language. Based on his research, the Kannada scholar L.S. Sheshagiri Rao claims that starting with the earliest available epicAdipurana by Pampa (939 C.E), Kannada writers have created a rich and active epic tradition. S.S. Bhusanurematha'sBhavyamanava (1983) is the latest in that tradition.[1] Based on medieval Kannada literary sources, the IndologistAnthony Warder claims there were Kannada versions of theRamayana andMahabharata prior to 941 C.E., andKavya (orMahakavya, epic poems) such asKarnataka Kumarasambhava byAsaga (c. 850).[2] According to the Kannada scholar R. Narasimhacharya,Chandraprabhapurana by Sri Vijaya, (court poet of KingAmoghavarsha I) dates to the early 9th century.[3] This list is by no means exhaustive. In addition to the epics listed here, there are numerous epics written 'in part' (calledkhanda ormahatmaya) starting with the part rendering of theSkanda-purana by Kumarapadmarasa in c. 1180.[4] According to Rao,
Though it followed the Sanskrit tradition of theMahakavya and drew its material from Sanskrit works, even in the earliest stages, the Kannada epic was neither derivative nor imitative. It has developed theValmiki and theVyasa traditions in its own distinctive ways, and has, in theJain andVirashaiva epics, presented new pictures of human greatness and destiny. In the pre-modern period, Kannada produced at least two works -Pampa Bharata (c.941) andKumaravyasa Bharata (c.1425) - which can rank among the epics of the world.[5]
| Faith | Epic | Author | Year (A.D.) | Patron |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jainism | Adipurana[3][6][7] | Adikavi Pampa | 939 | Rashtrakuta Empire |
| Secular | Vikramarjuna Vijaya (Pampa Bharatha)[3][6][7] | Adikavi Pampa | 941 | Rashtrakuta Empire |
| Jainism | Shantipurana[3][6][8] | Sri Ponna | 950 | Rashtrakuta Empire |
| Jainism | Trisastilaksanamahapurana[3][6][9] | Chamundaraya | 978 | Western Ganga Dynasty |
| Jainism | Ajitapurana[3][6][7] | Ranna | 993 | Western Chalukya Empire |
| Secular | Saahasabhima Vijaya (Gadayuddha)[3][6][7] | Ranna | 1000 | Western Chalukya Empire |
| Jainism | Varadhamanapurana[10][11] | Nagavarma II | 1042 | Western Chalukya Empire |
| Jainism | Mallinathapurana[7][12][13] | Nagachandra | 1105 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Ramachandracharitapurana[7][12][13] | Nagachandra | 1105 | Hoysala Empire |
| Shaivism | Girijakalyana[14][15][16] | Harihara | 1160 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Neminathapurana[7][16][17] | Nemichandra | 1170 | Hoysala Empire |
| Vaishnavism | Jagannathavijaya[14][16][18] | Rudrabhatta | 1180 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Chandraprabhapurana[16][19] | Aggala | 1189 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Varadhamanapurana[19][20] | Achanna | 1195 | Yadavas of Devagiri |
| Jainism | Yashodharacharite[7][16][21] | Janna | 1209 | Hoysala Empire |
| Secular | Harishchandrakavya[14][16][22] | Raghavanka | 1220 | Hoysala Empire |
| Shaivism | Siddharamapurana[14][22][23] | Raghavanka | 1220 | Hoysala Empire |
| Shaivism | Somanathacharite[22][24] | Raghavanka | 13th century | Hoysala Empire |
| Shaivism | Viresvara Charita[22][24] | Raghavanka | 13th century | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Ananthanathapurana[7][16][25] | Janna | 1230 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Pushpadantapurana[16][19][26] | Gunavarma II | 1235 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Santisvarapurana[19][20] | Kamalabhava | 1235 | Yadavas of Devagiri |
| Jainism | Neminathapurana[19][27] | Mahabalakavi | 1254 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Kumudendu Ramayana[25][28][29] | Kumudendu | 1275 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Purvapurana (Adipurana)[30][31] | Hastimalla | 13th century | Hoysala Empire |
| Shaivism | Basavapurana[22][29][32] | Bhima Kavi | 1369 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Dharmanathapurana[33][34] | Madhura | 1385 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Secular | Padmaraja purana[35][36] | Padmananka | 1385 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Vaishnavism | Gadugina Bharata (Kumaravyasa Bharata)[14][18][37] | Kumaravyasa, Timmanna Kavi | 1425, 1510 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Prabhulingaleele[14][37][38] | Chamarasa | 1425 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Singirajapurana (Mala-Basavarajacharita)[38][39] | Singiraja | 1500 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Saundara purana[39][40] | Bommarasa | 15th century | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Revanasiddhesvara Purana[39][40][41] | Chaturmukha Bommarasa | 1500 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Trisashti puratanara charite (Lingapurana)[37][42] | Surangakavi | 1500 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Vaishnavism | Torave Ramayana[37][43][44] | Kumara Valmiki (Narahari) | 1500 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Nemi-Jinesa purana[33][45] | Manjarasa III | 1508 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Shantinathapurana[33] | Santikirti | 1519 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Vaishnavism | Bhagavatha purana[44][46][47] | Chatu Vitthalanatha | 1520 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Secular | Ramanatha Charite (Kumararama Charite)[32][37] | Nanjunda Kavi | 1525 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Virasaivamritapurana[37][48] | Mallanarya of Gubbi | 1530 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Mahadevi Akkanapurana[37][48] | Chennabasavanka | 16th century | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Salva Bharata[34][49][50] | Salva | 1550 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Ramavijayacharitra[28] | Devappa Kavi | 1550 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Chandraprabhapurana[33][51] | Doddayya | 1550 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Bharatesha Vaibhava[32][34][52] | Ratnakaravarni | 1557 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Siddhesvarapurana[18][39] | Virakta Tontadarya | 1560 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Chandraprabhapurana[33] | Doddananka | 1578 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Channabasavapurana[32][38][52] | Virupaksha Pandita | 1584 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Vaishnavism | Chamarajokti Vilasa(Ramayana)[53][54] | King Chamaraja Wodeyar V | 1617-1637 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Advita Ramayana[55] | Nijagunarya | 1650 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Bhagavatgita[56][57][58] | Nagarasa ofPandharpur | 1650 | |
| Vaishnavism | Markandeya Ramayana[59][60] | Timmarasa | 1650 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Secular | Rajashekara Vilasa[61][62][63] | Shadaksharadeva | 1655 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Shaivism | Basavarajavijaya (Vrishabhendra Vijaya)[32][61][63] | Shadaksharadeva | 1671 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Shaivism | Shabarashankara Vilasa[61][63][64] | Shadaksharadeva | 1671 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Vishnupurana[61][65][66] | Chikkaupadhyaya | 1672 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Jainism | Ramachandra Charitre[67][68] | Chandrashekara, Padmanabha | 1700 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Jaiminibharata[32][44][61] | Lakshmisha | 1700 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Ramabhyudaya-Kathakusumamanjari[59][68][69] | Timmamatya (Timmarya) | 1700 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Bharata[59][68] | Lakshmakavi | 1728 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Shaivism | Lingapurana[42] | Kalale Nanjaraja | 1732 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Ramayana[70][71] | Venkamatya | 1770 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Kaushika Ramayana[70][72] | Bathaleshvara | 1770 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Shankara Ramayana[73] | Timmanna | 18th century | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Adhyatma Ramayana[73] | Shankaranarayana | 18th century | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Mulabala Ramayana[73] | Haridasa | 18th century | Mysore Kingdom |
| Jainism | Jinaramayana[28][74][75] | Chandrasagaravarni | 1810 | Princely Mysore |
| Jainism | Ramakathavatara[28][74][76] | Devachandra | ~1838 | Princely Mysore |
| Secular | Sangoli Rayana Dange (folk)[77][78] | John Faithfull Fleet | 1874 | Bombay Presidency |
| Vaishnavism | Adbhuta Ramayana (prose)[72][79][80] | Muddanna | 1885 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Shri Ramashwamedha(prose)[81][82] | Muddanna | 1896 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Mahabharata (prose)[83] | Alasingrachar | 1912 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Ramayana (prose)[84] | Alasingrachar | 1912 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Mahabharata (prose)[83] | V.K.Galaganatha | 1933 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Sri Ramayana Darshanam[32][81][85] | Kuvempu | 1949 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Vachanabharata (prose)[86] | A.R.Krishnashastry | 1950 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Ramayana (prose)[84] | V. Sitaram Shastri | 1960 | Mysore state, India |
| Vaishnavism | Ramavatara (prose)[84] | S. Krishna Sharma | 1965 | Mysore state, India |
| Vaishnavism | Sriramapattabhisheka[32][81][87] | Masti Venkatesha Iyengar | 1972 | Mysore state, India |
| Secular | Bharatasindhu rashmi[88][89] | V.K. Gokak | 1982 | Karnataka state, India |
| Secular | Bhavyamanava[88] | S.S.Bhusanurematha | 1983 | Karnataka state, India |
| Faith | Epic | Author | Year | Patron |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jainism | Chandraprabhapurana[90] | Srivijaya | early 9th century | Rashtrakuta Empire |
| Jainism | Karnata Kumarasambhava[91][92][93] | Asaga | 853 | Rashtrakuta Empire |
| Jainism | Harivamsha (Neminathapurana)[91][93][94][95] | Gunavarma I | 900 | Western Ganga Dynasty |
| Jainism | Shudraka[91][93][94][95] | Gunavarma I | 900 | Western Ganga Dynasty |
| Secular | Bhuvanaika-Ramabhyudaya (Ramakatha)[6][8][96] | Sri Ponna | 950 | Rashtrakuta Empire |
| Jainism | Parasurama Charita[6][97] | Ranna | 980-990 | Western Ganga Dynasty |
| Jainism | Chakreshvara Charita[6][98] | Ranna | 980-990 | Western Ganga Dynasty |
| Jainism | ShantinathaPurana | Ranna | 980-990 | Western Ganga Dynasty |
| Shaivism | Hariharamahatva[22][24] | Raghavanka | early 13th century | Hoysala Empire |
| Shaivism | Sharabacharite[22][24] | Raghavanka | early 13th century | Hoysala Empire |
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)