SHADAKSHARADEVA (Makers of Indian Literature)

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From the Back of the Book

Shadaksharadeva, author of the three epics in Kannada: Rajasheshekhara Vilasam, Vrishabhlendra Vijayam and Shabarashankara Vilasam; one epic in Sanskrit the Kavikarnarasayaam and two more works namely the Shivadhikyaratnavali and Bhaktyadhikyaratnavali and also other eighteen minor works in Sanskrit, lived in the middle of the 17th century A.D. He was a Pontiff of the Veerashaivamatha at Dhanuguru and was honoured by the royal personalities of Mysore and he was a Rajaguru also. Encomiums like Sarasajanamanita, Ubhayakavita visharada and Ubhayabhasha kavichakravarti were conferred on him for his well deserved merit. He was known as Champu Navayuga Pravartaka by the learned for he renewed the champu style at his period. A devout follower of Lord Shiva, Shadaksharadeva composed deliciously ornate poetry for popularsign the Veerashaiva tenets. The monograph in four chapters presents all the aspects of Shadaksharadeva in a lucid way.

About the Author

Chandramouli S. Naikar has been the Head of the Department of Sanskrit, Prakrti and yoga Studies, Karanatak College, Dharwad and has several research publications to his credit in Sanskrit and Kannada, most of which are published in National Journals and a few of them in International Journals. He has been closely associated with a number of academic associations besides being associated himself with the field of drama as Writer, Director and Producer of Sanskrit and Kannada Radio T.V. plays. A few of his Sanskrit plays have been published in the Samskrita Pratibha published by the Sahitya Academy. He has attended a few International Conferences too.

This monograph is designed to provide the students of literature and the general reader with a brief introduction to Mahakavi Shadaksharadeva a remarkable figure both in classical Sanskrit and Kannada literature. His influence on later poets not only in Sanskrit and Prakrit but in Kannada as a Champu Navayuga Pravartaka and other Indian languages also has been remarkable and his genius as a bi-lingual poet is comparable to that of Kalidasa - a dramatist and poet.

A short account of Shadaksharadeva's life and works is provided here through a series of a few chosen extracts in English translation illustrating the major aspects of the poet's art. An analysis and criticism of each of Shadaksharadeva's works has been attempted. An estimate of Shadaksharadeva's great contribution to the classical literature has been provided. Original Sanskrit and Kannada verses in transliteration, wherever necessary, have been offered alongwith their English renderings.

A short bibliography and a key to pronunciation have been provided at the end to help further reading. Roman transliteration of the shlokas cited ill this monograph forms the last part of this work, i.e. Appendix.

I remain ever grateful to the esteemed Sahitya Akademi for giving me this opportunity of writing on one of the remarkable classical writers.

My sincere thanks are due to Dr. R.C. Hiremath (Former Vice Chancellor, Karnatak University, Dharwad), Dr. C.R. Yaravintelimath, Professor of English, Dr. M.B. Paraddi, Professor of Sanskrit and Prof. B. C. Javali, Professor of Kannada, Karnatak University, Dharwad for their timely help in this undertaking.