ADIPURANAM
1. Name of the Text:
ಆದಿಪುರಾಣಂ
2. English Transliteration: aadipuraaNam
3. Meaning in English: The story of Adinatha (Vrushabhanatha)
the first Jaina teerthankara
4. Author:
5. Period: 902 A.D. (born) 941-42 A.D. (Adipurana was
written)
6. Place: His ancestors belonged to niDugonDe agrahara,
gunDikara in the
7. Religion-Caste: Jaina. His ancestors were converted
from Hinduism (Brahmanism.)
8. Patronage: Immadi Arikesari, (Vemulavada Chalukya
dynasty) (935-55)
9. Titles: Adi Kavi, One among Ratnatraya,
10. Genre :
a. Poetry Champu Epic
11. Prosodic Form: kanda padyas, vruttas, many indigenous
Kannada meters
12. Manuscripts
: Palm leaf, Paper
13. Year of first Publication: 1900 A.D.
14. Editor : S.G.Narasimhacar
15. Publisher, Place
: Government Oriental Library,
16. Later Editions
:
1.
2. aadipuraaNa sangraha (Abridged Version) By L.Gundappa
,
3. Pampana aadipuraaNa, Ed. by L.Basavaraju, Geetha
Book House,
4.Pampakavi virachitam AadipuraaNam, (2nd
Revised Edition S.G.N.’s edition, by T.V.Venkatachala Sastry, Directorate of Kannada
and Culture, Bangaore, 1995
5. Pampana saraLa aadipuraaNa (Simple Narrative) By
L.Basavaraju, Abhiruchi Prakashana,
17. A Brief Introduction to the work: ‘Adipuranam’
is the first available literary work in Kannada. This encylopaediac epic delineating
the life of Vrushabhanatha, (Purudeva) the first Jaina teerthankara ranks among
the most celebrated works of the language. This is based on ‘Purvapurana’ and ‘Mahapurana’
written respectively by Jinasenacharya and Gunabhadracharya in Sanskrit. It does
not deviate from the original texts. However it succeeds eminently by becoming poetry
of enduring merit with universal significance transcending the boundaries of space
and time.
Adipurana depicts
the lives of Vrushabhanatha and his children Bharatha and Bahubali. The past lives
of Adinatha (Bhavavali)
are described in detail to trace the journey of a human soul towards perfection.
The five auspicious events of his life (Pancha Kalyana) are narrated elaborately.
The story continues even after the renunciation of Adinatha and the confrontation
between Bharatha and Bahubali takes the centre stage. Adipurana comes to a fitting
finale after the resolution of this strife between siblings caused by the noble
nature of Bahubali.
Adipurana is
important because it asks some fundamental questions about human life, human society
and human relations. The answers are brought home not by didactic devices but by
escorting the reader in a journey of self realisation. The questions and their resolutions
are of contemporary relevance because they address some enduring issues faced by
human beings.
Adipurana contains
sixteen chapters (aashvaasa) and runs to 1630 poems composed in various meters.
Many passages in prose supplement these poems. The poetic style is a combination
of the classical and the native (Marga
and Desi) as also Sanskrit and Kannada. He uses meters adopted from Sanskrit
as also many meters that are native to Kannada language.
Passages in
Adipuarana such as Sriamathi-Vajrajangha, Lalithanga –Svayamprabha, Neelaanjaneya
Naatya, Bharata-Bahubali Samvaada and the sacrifice of Bahubali are among the best
literary creations in Kannada. Adipurana which was slightly marginalised relative
to Pampa Bharata in the early decades of the twentieth
century has now gained its rightful place as a work of enduring merit.
18. Important Commentaries and Criticism:
a. Commentaries: 1. ‘aadipuraNa deepike’ by T.S.Shama Rao and Pa.Nagarajaiah,
Chandragupta Grantha Male, Shravanabelagola, 1991.
2. ‘
b. Books: 1. Nadoja
Pampa: Muliya Timmappaiah
2.
3.
4.
5. Mahakavi
Pampa V.Seetaramaiah
c. Articles: 1. List of articles provided in the 1995 edition
by T.V. Venkatachala Sastry.
19. Translations from Adipuranam
1. Adipurana
Adarsha Pranaya Narasimhamurthy K.
2. Adipurana
Bharata-Bahubali
Ramachandra Sharma B.C.
3. Adipurana
Indra’s Dance K.Krishnmurthy and .K.Sukumar.
4. Adipurana
Srimathi-Vajrajangha C.K.Sukumar.
5. Adpurana
Neelanjane T.R.S. Sharma (From Ancient Kannada
Literature,Ed. By T.R.S.Sharma,