AMOGHAVARSHA NRUPATUNGA
Amoghavarsha Nrupatunga(814 A.D.-878 A.D.) is one
of the most celebrated monarchs in the history of Karnataka. He owes this distinction
not merely to his military endeavors, but to his contributions to the culture of
Karnataka as also his role in formulating the concept of the Kannada land. He belonged
to the illustrious Rashtrakoota dynasty and succeeded to the throne after his father
Govinda-3. The copper inscriptions found in Sanjana and
Nrupatunga had able supporters in his uncle Kakka and
his admiral Bankeya during a major part of his career. The early period of his regime
was strife ridden because of adversaries both of the external variety and of indigenous
origin. The neighboring dynasties of Gangas, Gurjara Pratiharas and Pallavas were
always looking for an opportunity to upset the young monarch. Immadi Vijayaditya
and Shankaragana were his enemies from within. However Nrupatunga established himself
in no uncertain terms after decisive victories against Ganga Shivamara, Vijayaditya
of Vengi and Ganga Rachamalla (830 A D.)
However the differences between the Rashtrakutas and the Gangas continued untill
a wedding between Chandrabalabbe a daughter of Amoghavarsha and Bhutuga-1 a
Amoghavarsha had to contend with his own son
The regime of Amoghavarsha was not spent only in military
activities. He was a great patron of culture and a great visionary. His association
with Sri Vijaya in the making of ‘Kavirajamarga’
is well documented. This treatise on poetics which happens to be the first extant
work in Kannada was earlier attributed to Nrupatunga himself. Even now the work
was composed with the explicit consent of the king. (Nrupatungadevanumata) The enunciation
of the geographical boundaries of the Kannada land, abundant information about the
culture and the history of Kannada literature has made this work unique. Modern
scholarship considers Kavirajamarga to be one of the foundational texts of Kannada.
‘Prashnottara Malike’ a work in Sanskrit is attributed
to Amoghavarsha. Many important scholarly and literary works such as Amogha Vrutti,
A grammar by Sakaktayana, ‘Ganita Sarasangraha’ by Mahaveeracharya, ‘Mahapurana’
by Jinasenacharya, ‘Kalyanakaraka’ by Ugraditya and Tattavartha Shloka Vardhika’
by Vidyanandi were composed under his patronage. He was catholic by nature and encouraged
all religions.