Asaga was a 9th-century[1]Digambara Jain poet who wrote in Sanskrit and Kannada language. He is most known for his extant work in Sanskrit, the Vardhamana Charitra (Life of Vardhamana). This epic poem which runs into eighteen cantos was written in 853 CE. It is the earliest available Sanskrit biography of the last tirthankara of Jainism, Mahavira. In all, he authored at least eight works in Sanskrit.[2] In Kannada, none of his writings, including the Karnataka Kumarasambhava Kavya (an adaptation of Kalidas's epic poem Kumārasambhava) that have been referenced by latter day poets (including Nagavarma II who seems to provide a few quotations from the epic poem in his Kavyavalokana[3]) have survived.[4][5][6][7][8]
Vardhaman Charitra (Sanskrit, c. 853); Karnataka Kumarasambhava Kavya (Kannada, about c.850)
His writings are known to have influenced Kannada poet Sri Ponna, the famous court poet of Rashtrakuta King Krishna III, and other writers who wrote on the lives of Jain Tirthankaras.[9]Kesiraja, (authored Shabdamanidarpana in c. 1260 CE), a Kannada grammarian cites Asaga as an authoritative writer of his time and places him along with other masters of early Kannada poetry.[10]
Asaga's name is considered an apbramsha form of the Sanskrit name Aśoka or Asanga.[7] A contemporary of Rashtrakuta King Amoghavarsha I (800–878 CE), Asaga lived in modern Karnataka and made important contributions to the corpus of Rashtrakuta literature created during their rule in southern and central India between the 8th and 10th centuries.[11] Like Kannada writer Gunavarma, Asaga earned fame despite having received no direct royal patronage.[9]
In his Vardhamacharita, Asaga mentions writing eight classics though the only one other work has survived, the Shanti purana in Sanskrit.[12] Asaga claims to have composed his writings in the city of Virala (Dharala), Coda Visaya ("Cola desa" or Coda lands), in the Kingdom of King Srinatha, who was perhaps a Rashtrakuta vassal. In Kaviprasastipradyani, the epilogue to the Shanti purana, Asaga claims he was born to Jain parents and names his three Jain teachers, including Bhavakirti.[5][7][13][14]
Much of what is known about Asaga has come down from references to his works made by later-day writers and poets. Kannada poet Sri Ponna (c. 950), who used one of his narrative poems as a source, claims to be superior to Asaga.[15] Asaga's writings have been praised by later-day poets and writers, such as Kannada writer Jayakirti (Chchandanuphasana), who mentions Asaga's Karnataka Kumarasambhava Kavya.[16] Several of its verses have been quoted by later authors of Kannada literature such as Durgasimha, Nayasena and Jayakirti (a Kannada language theorist of the early 11th century) who refer to Asaga as the best writer of desi Kannada, which may be considered as "traditional" or "provincial" form of the language.[17] The Indologist A. K. Warder considers this unique because Asaga was also famous for classical Sanskrit. The 11th century Kannada grammarian Nagavarma II claimed Asaga to be an equal to Sri Ponna, and 12th century Kannada writer Brahmashiva refers to Asaga as Rajaka, a honorific that means "one among the greats" of Kannada literature. His writings appear to have been popular among later Kannada writers up to the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 16th century.[15] Though his Kannada writings are deemed lost, his name is counted among noted poets of Kannada literature from that period, along with the likes of Gajaga, Aggala, Manasija, Srivardhadheva and Gunanandi.[18] The 10th century Apabhramsha poet Dhaval praised Asaga's writing Harivamsa-purana.[5]
^Singh, Nagendra Kr; Baruah, Bibhuti (2003). Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Pali Literature. Global Vision Publishing House. p. 96. ISBN978-81-87746-67-6.
October 15, 2023
asaga, village, samoa, samoa, century, digambara, jain, poet, wrote, sanskrit, kannada, language, most, known, extant, work, sanskrit, vardhamana, charitra, life, vardhamana, this, epic, poem, which, runs, into, eighteen, cantos, written, earliest, available, . For the village in Samoa see Asaga Samoa Asaga was a 9th century 1 Digambara Jain poet who wrote in Sanskrit and Kannada language He is most known for his extant work in Sanskrit the Vardhamana Charitra Life of Vardhamana This epic poem which runs into eighteen cantos was written in 853 CE It is the earliest available Sanskrit biography of the last tirthankara of Jainism Mahavira In all he authored at least eight works in Sanskrit 2 In Kannada none of his writings including the Karnataka Kumarasambhava Kavya an adaptation of Kalidas s epic poem Kumarasambhava that have been referenced by latter day poets including Nagavarma II who seems to provide a few quotations from the epic poem in his Kavyavalokana 3 have survived 4 5 6 7 8 AsagaBornc 800 CEOccupationpoetPeriodRashtrakuta literatureGenreJain literatureNotable worksVardhaman Charitra Sanskrit c 853 Karnataka Kumarasambhava Kavya Kannada about c 850 His writings are known to have influenced Kannada poet Sri Ponna the famous court poet of Rashtrakuta King Krishna III and other writers who wrote on the lives of Jain Tirthankaras 9 Kesiraja authored Shabdamanidarpana in c 1260 CE a Kannada grammarian cites Asaga as an authoritative writer of his time and places him along with other masters of early Kannada poetry 10 Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 3 See also 4 ReferencesBiography EditKannada poets and writers in the Rashtrakuta Empire 753 973 CE Amoghavarsha 850Srivijaya 850Asaga 850Shivakotiacharya 900Ravinagabhatta 930Adikavi Pampa 941Jainachandra 950Sri Ponna 950Rudrabhatta 9th 10th c Kavi Rajaraja 9th 10th c Gajanakusha 10th centuryEarlier Kannada poets and writers praised in KavirajamargaDurvinita 6th centuryVimala Pre 850Nagarjuna Pre 850Jayabodhi Pre 850Udaya Pre 850Kavisvara Pre 850Pandita Chandra Pre 850Lokapala Pre 850Asaga s name is considered an apbramsha form of the Sanskrit name Asoka or Asanga 7 A contemporary of Rashtrakuta King Amoghavarsha I 800 878 CE Asaga lived in modern Karnataka and made important contributions to the corpus of Rashtrakuta literature created during their rule in southern and central India between the 8th and 10th centuries 11 Like Kannada writer Gunavarma Asaga earned fame despite having received no direct royal patronage 9 In his Vardhamacharita Asaga mentions writing eight classics though the only one other work has survived the Shanti purana in Sanskrit 12 Asaga claims to have composed his writings in the city of Virala Dharala Coda Visaya Cola desa or Coda lands in the Kingdom of King Srinatha who was perhaps a Rashtrakuta vassal In Kaviprasastipradyani the epilogue to the Shanti purana Asaga claims he was born to Jain parents and names his three Jain teachers including Bhavakirti 5 7 13 14 Much of what is known about Asaga has come down from references to his works made by later day writers and poets Kannada poet Sri Ponna c 950 who used one of his narrative poems as a source claims to be superior to Asaga 15 Asaga s writings have been praised by later day poets and writers such as Kannada writer Jayakirti Chchandanuphasana who mentions Asaga s Karnataka Kumarasambhava Kavya 16 Several of its verses have been quoted by later authors of Kannada literature such as Durgasimha Nayasena and Jayakirti a Kannada language theorist of the early 11th century who refer to Asaga as the best writer of desi Kannada which may be considered as traditional or provincial form of the language 17 The Indologist A K Warder considers this unique because Asaga was also famous for classical Sanskrit The 11th century Kannada grammarian Nagavarma II claimed Asaga to be an equal to Sri Ponna and 12th century Kannada writer Brahmashiva refers to Asaga as Rajaka a honorific that means one among the greats of Kannada literature His writings appear to have been popular among later Kannada writers up to the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 16th century 15 Though his Kannada writings are deemed lost his name is counted among noted poets of Kannada literature from that period along with the likes of Gajaga Aggala Manasija Srivardhadheva and Gunanandi 18 The 10th century Apabhramsha poet Dhaval praised Asaga s writing Harivamsa purana 5 Works EditAsaga Pannalala Jaina 1974 Vardhamanacaritam Hindi anuvada Hindi translation alocanatmaka prastavana Critical Review adi sahita Jain Sanskriti Samraksha Sangha Santipuraṇa 19 See also Edit nbsp Poetry portalRashtrakuta literature Extinct Kannada literatureReferences Edit Singh Nagendra Kr Baruah Bibhuti 2004 Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Pali Literature Global Vision Publishing p 96 ISBN 978 81 87746 67 6 Dundas Paul 2002 The Jains Library of religious beliefs and practices Routledge ISBN 0 415 26606 8 R S Hukkerikar 1955 p 88 Karnataka Darshana Popular Book Depot 1955 Pollock Sheldon I 2006 The language of the gods in the world of men Sanskrit culture and power in premodern India University of California Press p 341 ISBN 0 520 24500 8 a b c Mukherjee Sujit 1999 A Dictionary of Indian Literature Beginnings 1850 Orient Blackswan p 27 ISBN 81 250 1453 5 Singh Narendra 2001 Encyclopaedia of Jainism Anmol Publications PVT LTD p 1516 ISBN 81 261 0691 3 a b c Warder A K 1988 Indian Kavya Literature Motilal Banarsidass pp 240 241 ISBN 81 208 0450 3 Mugali Ram Sri 1975 History of Kannada literature Sahitya Akademi p 14 a b Nayaka Harōgadde Manappa 1990 South Indian studies Geetha Book House p 836 Kulli Jayavant S 1976 Kesiraja s Sabdamanidarpana Volume 25 of Rajata mahōtsavada prakataneh Karnataka University p 17 Nagarajayya Hampa 2000 A history of the Raṣṭrakuṭas of Malkheḍ and Jainism Ankita Pustaka p 139 ISBN 81 87321 37 7 Datta Amaresh 1987 Encyclopaedia of Indian literature vol 1 a devo New Delhi Sahitya Akademi p 619 ISBN 81 260 1803 8 Upadhye Adinath Neminath 1983 Upadhye papers Prasaranga University of Mysore p 292 Garg Ganga Ram 1992 Encyclopaedia of the Hindu world Volume 3 Concept Publishing Company p 670 ISBN 81 7022 376 8 a b Warder A K 1988 p 248 Datta Amaresh 2006 The Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature Volume One A To Devo Volume 1 Sahitya Akademi p 619 ISBN 81 260 1803 8 Garg Ganga Ram 1987 International encyclopaedia of Indian literature Volume 4 Mittal Publications p 10 ISBN 978 81 7099 027 7 Warder A K 1988 Indian Kavya Literature Motilal Banarsidass p 161 ISBN 81 208 0450 3 Singh Nagendra Kr Baruah Bibhuti 2003 Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Pali Literature Global Vision Publishing House p 96 ISBN 978 81 87746 67 6 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Asaga amp oldid 1129499297, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
