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6: PART V
GUIDELINES TO MAHAVIR-DARSHAN
Among the minor kavyas composed by Jainas, Yashodhara Kavya, Chudamani and Nilakeshi are important. Moreover, the Jainas continued to enrich the vocabulary of Tamil by introducing large numbers of Sanskrit derivatives and bringing them into conformity with Tamil Phonetics.
The Jainas rendered valuable and extensive services to Kannada literature also. In the words of the Rev. F., Kittel, they wrote “not only from sectarian motive but also from a love for science, and reproduced several scientific works in Kanarese.”
In the 10th century A. D., the Golden Age of Kannada literature, the greatest Jaina poets were writing. Thus Ponna, a Jaina Saint upon whom the Rashtrakuta King Kannara conferred the title Kavichakra arti, composed Shantipurana and Bhuvanaika Ramabhyudaya during the period. Next we come to the great poet Pampa, regarded as the father of Kannada literature. Pampa was followed by Ranna, Court poet of the Karnataka Emperor Thaiiapa and his son Satyashraya who succeeded him. He composed many works, of which only two have survived, Gadayuddha and Ajita Tirthankara Purana.
Another great Jaina writer of Kannada prose and poetry in that century was Chamundaraya, who, besides being an able administrator and warrior, was a patron of Ranna, among others. It was he who had the colossal image of Gomateshvara carved at Sravana Belgola.
Among the later-Jaina authors we may mention Nayachandra, the author of Mallinatha Purana and Rama Chandra Charita Purana : Brahmashiva, the author of Samayapariksha and Nayasena, the author of Dharmamrta.
The Jaina influence on Telugu deserves careful investigation. Practically no research has been done on the subject and we look to competent scholars for enlightenment in this unexplored region.
Very little research, moreover, has been done on the Jaina contributions to science. But from even the little that has been done it is apparent that they achieved memorable success in this field also. Referring to the Jaina classification of animals, Dr. Brajendranath Seal remarks :
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