Ponna (Kannada: ಪೊನ್ನ) (c. 945) was a noted Kannada poet in the court of Rashtrakuta Dynasty king Krishna III (r.939–968 CE). The emperor honoured Ponna with the title "emperor among poets" (Kavichakravarthi) for his domination of the Kannada literary circles of the time, and the title "imperial poet of two languages" (Ubhayakavi Chakravarti) for his command over Sanskrit as well.[1][2][3] Ponna is often considered one among the "three gems of Kannada literature" (Ratnatraya, lit meaning "three gems"; Adikavi Pampa and Ranna being the other two) for ushering it in full panoply.[2][4][5] According to the scholar R. Narasimhacharya, Ponna is known to have claimed superiority over all the poets of the time.[1] According to scholars Nilakanta Shastri and E.P. Rice, Ponna belonged to VengiVishaya in Kammanadu, Punganur, Andhra Pradesh, but later migrated to Manyakheta (in modern Kalaburagi district, Karnataka), the Rashtrakuta capital, after his conversion to Jainism.[6][4]
His most famous extant works in Kannada are Shantipurana, written in champu style (mixed prose-verse classical composition style inherited from Sanskrit), Bhuvanaika-Ramabhyudaya, a eulogical writing, and Jinaksharamale, a Jain Purana and an acrostic poem written in praise of noted Jain saints and Tirthankars (Jainas) in 39 chapters (kandas). [7][3][8][9]Ramakatha, a writing based on the Hindu epic Ramayana, of which only a few stanzas are available is also assigned to Ponna.[10] Historians Kamath and Shastri are not certain whether his extinct classic, Gatapratiagata, is in Kannada or Sanskrit. However, according to the professor L.S. Sheshagiri Rao of the Sahitya Akademi, the writing is in Kannada and belongs to the genre of "literary exercise".[2][5][11]
Shantipurana is an important Jain purana, and a eulogy of the 16th Jain Tirthankara, Shantinatha Swami. It was written to commemorate the attainment of nirvana ("salvation") of a Jain guru called Jainachandra Deva. The writing comprises twelve sections (ashwasas) of which nine sections focus on Shantinatha's eleven previous births, and the remaining three sections give biographical details of the protagonist. In this writing, Ponna borrowed significantly from previous works of the Sanskrit poet Kalidasa though he does rise to great heights in his narration justifying his claim to scholarship (Vidwat Kavi). Ponna also seems to have used as a source, a narrative poem written by a Kannada poet called Asaga, whose works are now extinct. Ponna's claim that his work is superior to that of Asaga gives us information that the latter must have been considered an important poet of that era.[3][8][12]
Scholars were divided about Ponna's protagonist in Bhuvanaika-Ramabhyudaya. The scholar D.L. Narasimhachar had opined that Ponna had eulogised Shankaraganda, a vassal king under emperor Krishna III. This opinion was based on the fact that Shankaraganda held the honorific Bhuvanaikarama. However, modern Kannada poet Govinda Pai argued in his 1936 article, Ponnana Bhuvanaikaramanu yaru ("Who was Ponna's Bhuvanaikarama"?), that king Shankaraganda being a Jain by faith could not have been the central figure in a secular writing and that emperor Krishna III also held the same title. Later, the scholar D.L. Narasimhachar confirmed the validity of Govinda Pai's findings.[13]
Influence and style
Ponna was one of the most-notable writers of the classical age of Kannada literature, a period usually categorised as starting from the middle of 10th century and lasting for about a hundred and fifty years thereafter. During this era, Ponna and two other poets, Adikavi Pampa and Ranna, produced works of lasting merit, writings that set a standard in poetic form and composition that would influence future poets for centuries.[14] So adept were these poets that their style of champu brought together the best of the earlier masters of Sanskrit literature in various proportions, giving their narration an artificiality: poet Bana's prose, Kalidasa's graceful verses, Bhatta Narayana's dramaticism and Megaduta's lyrical flavour are seen used deftly giving naturalised and assimilated Sanskrit words in the Kannada language priority over native (desi) expressions.[15] Despite adherence to strict classical Sanskritic models (margam), the native composition styles of Kannada language, such as the tripadi (three-line verse), are found distributed in the narratives poems of these poets.[16][17] Just as Ponna eulogised his patron king Krishna III as Bhuvanaikarama, so did the other Jain poets of the classical age. Kannada writings by them used impressive Sanskrit-derived verses interspersed with prose to extol the virtues of their protagonists, who were often compared to heroes from the Hindu epics. While Adikavi Pampa (Pampa Bharata, c. 941) compared his patron, the feudatory Chalukya king Arikesari, to Pandava prince Arjuna, in his version of the
Sastri, Nilakanta K. A. (1958) [first published 1955], A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar (Second ed.), New Delhi: Oxford University Press, ISBN0-19-560686-8 – via archive.org
Rice, E. P. (1982) [first published 1921], Kannada Literature, New Delhi: Asian Educational Services, ISBN81-206-0063-0
Narasimhacharya, R (1988), History of Kannada Literature, New Delhi: Asian Educational Services, ISBN81-206-0303-6
Garg, Ganga Ram (1992), Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World: A-Aj, Volume 1, New Delhi: Concept Publishing, ISBN81-7022-374-1
Kamath, Suryanath U. (2001) [1980], A concise history of Karnataka : from pre-historic times to the present, Bangalore: Jupiter books, LCCN 80905179, OCLC 7796041
Nagaraj, D. R. (2003), "Critical Tensions in the History of Kannada Literary Culture", in Sheldon I. Pollock (ed.), Literary Cultures in History: Reconstructions from South Asia, University of California Press, pp. 323–382, ISBN0-520-22821-9
Various (1987), Encyclopaedia of Indian literature - vol 1, Sahitya Akademi, ISBN81-260-1803-8
Datta, Amaresh (1988), Encyclopaedia of Indian literature - vol 2, Sahitya Akademi, ISBN81-260-1194-7
Various (1992), Encyclopaedia of Indian literature - vol 5, Sahitya Akademi, ISBN81-260-1221-8
Warder, A.K. (1988), Indian Kavya Literature, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN81-208-0450-3
Mukherjee, Sujit (1999), A Dictionary of Indian Literature: Beginnings - 1850, Orient Blackswan, ISBN81-250-1453-5
Bhat, M. Thirumaleshwara (1993), Govinda Pai, Sahitya Akademi, ISBN81-7201-540-2
Das, Sisir Kumar (2005), A History of Indian Literature, 500-1399: From Courtly to the Popular, Sahitya Akademi, ISBN9788126021710
January 21, 2023
ponna, poet, ponna, kannada, noted, kannada, poet, court, rashtrakuta, dynasty, king, krishna, emperor, honoured, ponna, with, title, emperor, among, poets, kavichakravarthi, domination, kannada, literary, circles, time, title, imperial, poet, languages, ubhay. Ponna Kannada ಪ ನ ನ c 945 was a noted Kannada poet in the court of Rashtrakuta Dynasty king Krishna III r 939 968 CE The emperor honoured Ponna with the title emperor among poets Kavichakravarthi for his domination of the Kannada literary circles of the time and the title imperial poet of two languages Ubhayakavi Chakravarti for his command over Sanskrit as well 1 2 3 Ponna is often considered one among the three gems of Kannada literature Ratnatraya lit meaning three gems Adikavi Pampa and Ranna being the other two for ushering it in full panoply 2 4 5 According to the scholar R Narasimhacharya Ponna is known to have claimed superiority over all the poets of the time 1 According to scholars Nilakanta Shastri and E P Rice Ponna belonged to Vengi Vishaya in Kammanadu Punganur Andhra Pradesh but later migrated to Manyakheta in modern Kalaburagi district Karnataka the Rashtrakuta capital after his conversion to Jainism 6 4 PonnaBorn10th centuryDied10th or 11th century CENationalityIndianOccupationPoetNotable workJinaksharamale Bhuvanaika Ramabhyudaya ShantipuranaTitleKavichakravarthi Ubhayakavi Chakravarti Contents 1 Writings 2 Influence and style 3 Notes 4 ReferencesWritings EditHis most famous extant works in Kannada are Shantipurana written in champu style mixed prose verse classical composition style inherited from Sanskrit Bhuvanaika Ramabhyudaya a eulogical writing and Jinaksharamale a Jain Purana and an acrostic poem written in praise of noted Jain saints and Tirthankars Jainas in 39 chapters kandas 7 3 8 9 Ramakatha a writing based on the Hindu epic Ramayana of which only a few stanzas are available is also assigned to Ponna 10 Historians Kamath and Shastri are not certain whether his extinct classic Gatapratiagata is in Kannada or Sanskrit However according to the professor L S Sheshagiri Rao of the Sahitya Akademi the writing is in Kannada and belongs to the genre of literary exercise 2 5 11 Shantipurana is an important Jain purana and a eulogy of the 16th Jain Tirthankara Shantinatha Swami It was written to commemorate the attainment of nirvana salvation of a Jain guru called Jainachandra Deva The writing comprises twelve sections ashwasas of which nine sections focus on Shantinatha s eleven previous births and the remaining three sections give biographical details of the protagonist In this writing Ponna borrowed significantly from previous works of the Sanskrit poet Kalidasa though he does rise to great heights in his narration justifying his claim to scholarship Vidwat Kavi Ponna also seems to have used as a source a narrative poem written by a Kannada poet called Asaga whose works are now extinct Ponna s claim that his work is superior to that of Asaga gives us information that the latter must have been considered an important poet of that era 3 8 12 Scholars were divided about Ponna s protagonist in Bhuvanaika Ramabhyudaya The scholar D L Narasimhachar had opined that Ponna had eulogised Shankaraganda a vassal king under emperor Krishna III This opinion was based on the fact that Shankaraganda held the honorific Bhuvanaikarama However modern Kannada poet Govinda Pai argued in his 1936 article Ponnana Bhuvanaikaramanu yaru Who was Ponna s Bhuvanaikarama that king Shankaraganda being a Jain by faith could not have been the central figure in a secular writing and that emperor Krishna III also held the same title Later the scholar D L Narasimhachar confirmed the validity of Govinda Pai s findings 13 Influence and style EditPonna was one of the most notable writers of the classical age of Kannada literature a period usually categorised as starting from the middle of 10th century and lasting for about a hundred and fifty years thereafter During this era Ponna and two other poets Adikavi Pampa and Ranna produced works of lasting merit writings that set a standard in poetic form and composition that would influence future poets for centuries 14 So adept were these poets that their style of champu brought together the best of the earlier masters of Sanskrit literature in various proportions giving their narration an artificiality poet Bana s prose Kalidasa s graceful verses Bhatta Narayana s dramaticism and Megaduta s lyrical flavour are seen used deftly giving naturalised and assimilated Sanskrit words in the Kannada language priority over native desi expressions 15 Despite adherence to strict classical Sanskritic models margam the native composition styles of Kannada language such as the tripadi three line verse are found distributed in the narratives poems of these poets 16 17 Just as Ponna eulogised his patron king Krishna III as Bhuvanaikarama so did the other Jain poets of the classical age Kannada writings by them used impressive Sanskrit derived verses interspersed with prose to extol the virtues of their protagonists who were often compared to heroes from the Hindu epics While Adikavi Pampa Pampa Bharata c 941 compared his patron the feudatory Chalukya king Arikesari to Pandava prince Arjuna in his version of theMahabharata Ranna c 983 found it suitable to compare his patron Chalukya King Satyashraya to Pandava prince Bhima 17 Notes Edit a b Narasimhacharya 1988 p 18 a b c Sastri 1958 p 383 a b c Rice 1921 p 31harvp error no target CITEREFRice1921 help a b Rice 1921 p 30harvp error no target CITEREFRice1921 help a b Kamath 2001 p 90 Sastri 1958 p 395 Das 2005 p 143 a b Sahitya Akademi 1987 p 620 Mukherjee 1999 p 291 Garg 1992 p 67 Rao in Datta 1988 p 1240 Warder 1988 p 248 Bhat 1933 p 105harvp error no target CITEREFBhat1933 help Sahitya Akademi 1987 p 754 Datta 1988 p 1699 Sahitya Akademi 1992 p 4392 a b Nagaraj 2003 p 344References EditSastri Nilakanta K A 1958 first published 1955 A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar Second ed New Delhi Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 560686 8 via archive org Rice E P 1982 first published 1921 Kannada Literature New Delhi Asian Educational Services ISBN 81 206 0063 0 Narasimhacharya R 1988 History of Kannada Literature New Delhi Asian Educational Services ISBN 81 206 0303 6 Garg Ganga Ram 1992 Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World A Aj Volume 1 New Delhi Concept Publishing ISBN 81 7022 374 1 Kamath Suryanath U 2001 1980 A concise history of Karnataka from pre historic times to the present Bangalore Jupiter books LCCN 80905179 OCLC 7796041 Nagaraj D R 2003 Critical Tensions in the History of Kannada Literary Culture in Sheldon I Pollock ed Literary Cultures in History Reconstructions from South Asia University of California Press pp 323 382 ISBN 0 520 22821 9 Various 1987 Encyclopaedia of Indian literature vol 1 Sahitya Akademi ISBN 81 260 1803 8 Datta Amaresh 1988 Encyclopaedia of Indian literature vol 2 Sahitya Akademi ISBN 81 260 1194 7 Various 1992 Encyclopaedia of Indian literature vol 5 Sahitya Akademi ISBN 81 260 1221 8 Warder A K 1988 Indian Kavya Literature Motilal Banarsidass ISBN 81 208 0450 3 Mukherjee Sujit 1999 A Dictionary of Indian Literature Beginnings 1850 Orient Blackswan ISBN 81 250 1453 5 Bhat M Thirumaleshwara 1993 Govinda Pai Sahitya Akademi ISBN 81 7201 540 2 Das Sisir Kumar 2005 A History of Indian Literature 500 1399 From Courtly to the Popular Sahitya Akademi ISBN 9788126021710 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ponna poet amp oldid 1134083186, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
