Adikavi Pampa, called by the honorific Ādikavi (“First Poet”) was a Kannada-language Jain poet who lived during the 10th century A.D. in Karnataka. He was a court poet of Vemulavada Chalukya king Arikesari II, was a feudatory of the Rashtrakuta dynasty king Krishna III.
Pampa’s Early Life
Pampa was born (902 A.D. to 950 A.D.) in Annigeri, spent his early childhood on the banks of the nearby Varada river and his mother Abbanabbe was the grand daughter of Joyisa Singha of Annigeri in the modern Dharwad district of Karnataka state.
Pampa’s ancestors were from the Vengi Mandal, the region between the Krishna and Godavari rivers. It is a town called Vemulawada in Karim Nagar district of present day Telangana state.
Among the seven villages in it, Vengipalu is a famous agrahara. Later the clan migrated to Dharwar and North canara regions. He belonged to a family of Srivatsa gotra of Alida Jamadagni Pancharsheya Pravara.
Poetic Life
He is best known for his epics Vikramārjuna Vijaya or Pampa Bharata, and Ādi purāna, both written in the champu style. Kannadigas respect Pampa as the pioneer of an era of literature and call his era “Pampayuga”.
He is best known for his epics Vikramārjuna Vijaya or Pampa Bharata, and Ādi purāna, both written in the champu style. Kannadigas respect Pampa as the pioneer of an era of literature and call his era “Pampayuga”.
Pampa’s Works
The Ādi purāna, written in the champu style, a mixed form of prose and verse, is a Kannada version of the Sanskrit work by Jinasena and details in sixteen cantos the life of the first Tirthankara of Jainism, Rishabha. The work focuses in his own unique style the pilgrimage of a soul to perfection and attainment of moksha. In the work, Pampa describes the struggle for power and control over the entire world of two brothers Bharata and Bahubali, sons of Rishabha. While Bahubali wins, he renounces the worldly pursuits in favour of his brother. Many Jain puranas of Middle Ages found a role model in this work. In this work with 16 chapters and 1630 verses the poet glorifies the Jain philosophy. The work has become popular among all sections of people.These two works have remained unparalleled works of classic Kannada composition.
A little later he completed Vikramarjuna Vijaya popularly known as Pampa Bharata. Adikavi Pampa is credited with bringing the Mahabharata to Kannada. It is the earliest and most famous among the `Bharatha’ epics in Kannada. It consists of 14 chapters and 1609 verses. Pampa draws a parallel between the hero of hispoem Arjuna and his benefactor and friend Arikesari. He calls hiswork `Lokapoojya’, worthy of worldly worship. It has remained so. Along with describing the poetry of Mahabharata, Pampa has given a complete picture of the civilization, tradition, culture and life of the common people of his time. He has beautifully depicted the games, educational system, luxurious life of the people and the beauty of nature.
This picture postcard of Adikavi Pampa has been released by the Mangalore Postal Division, Department of Post, Government of India, on the occasion of “Kannada Rajyotsava – 2022” under the “Jina Ratna Bhushanaru” series. The picture postcard has been sponsored by Hombuja Jain Math. The entire project has been led by Mahavir Kundur, Hubli.