KARNATAKA KADAMBARI

 

 

  1. ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ (Karnataka Kadambari)
  2. karnATaka kAdambari
  3.  ‘Kannada ‘Kadambari’
  4. Nagavarma-1
  5. 10th Century, (990 A.D.)
  6. Vengi PaLu village, Saiyadi Agrahara
  7. Vaidika Brahmana
  8. Chandra and Bhojaraja(?) were his patrons (Details not known)
  9. Kaviraja Hamsa, Kanda Kandarpa
  10. Poetry: Champu Kavya
  11. Vrutta, Kanda padya and prose
  12. Only one manuscript copy was found by B.Mallappa
  13. 1892
  14. B.Mallappa
  15. Govt. Branch Press, Mysore
  16. Later Editions: 1. Karnataka Kadambari Sangraha, Ed. T.S.Venkannaiah, Kannada Publication Series, 1933, Mysore University, Mysore. 2. Karnataka Kadambari, Ed. N.Anantharangachar, 1973, Usha Sahitya Male, Mysore 3. ‘Karnataka Kadamabri’ (With a rendering in prose) Narayana Shastry, Kannada Sahitya Parishath, Bangalore 4. Karnataka Kadambari Ed. C.P.Krishnakumar, Directorate of Kannada and Culture, Bangalore.
  17. ‘Karnataka Kadambari’ is a Kannada rendition of the Sanskrit prose classic ‘Kadambari’ of Banabhatta. However the Kannada work is in Champu style which is a combination of prose and poetry. This choice was perhaps motivated by the fact that Kannada was not suitable to recreate Sanskrit prose with its preponderance of compounded words. Nagavarma did not really venture a verbatim translation. On the contrary he adapted the modus operandi suggested by his predecessors such as Pampa and Ranna. He did not hesitate to abridge, expand or develop the thematic contents of the original as directed by his poetic genius. Most of his decisions are well taken. Of course he shows a clear evidence of deep erudition in Sanskrit. His work is suffused with Sanskrit words as was common in the court poetry of those days. ‘Kadambari’ is a mirror held to the cultural panorama of those days. It’s a saga of idealistic love that transcends death. Many characters arrive at their heart’s desire only after going through the trauma of separation spread over a few lives. Characters such as Mahashwetha, Kadambari and Chandrapeeda have lingered long in the hearts of the lovers of Kannada literature. This is a prose romance that delineates the love story of Mahashwetha and Pundareeka as well as Chandrapeeda and Kadambari. The story moves between the lofty snow laden peaks of the Himalayas and the royal courts of kings. Nagavarma is capable of doing justice to both these locales. His descriptions of Himalayas are breathtakingly beautiful. Another noteworthy feature of this work is the importance given to women protagonists. Actually men play a second fiddle to their consorts. As a consequence of all these features, Karnataka Kadambari has become one of the enduring classics of Kannada literature.

   

18. References: 1. Ondaneya Nagavarma, Kannada Kavi Kavya Parampare, Ed. V.Seetharamaiah, 1976, I.B.H. Prakashana, Bangalore.

                        2. Nagavarmana Karnataka Kadamabari (Ondu taulanika mattu vimarshatmaka adhyayana) C.P.Krishnakumar, 1976, Mysore.

19. Translations: (English) a. Kadambari Kadambari            K.Krishnmurthy and C.K.Sukumar

                                           b. Kadambari  Mahashvetaa             Krishnmurthy K.

                                          c. Kadambari  Mahashvetaa             Punekar S.M.

                                          d. The prose rendering of ‘Kadambari’ by Madivaleshvara Gangadhara Turamuri in the early decades of the twentieth century is very popular.

 

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