Adipurana

work by Pampa

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

The Adipurana is a significant work by the 10th-century Kannada poet Pampa. It is considered the earliest extant piece of mahakavya (high poetic) Kannada literature and expounds Jain teachings and tenets. Pampa, known as the "first poet" in the Kannada language, established a style that influenced subsequent works. His family converted to Jainism, and Pampa himself was devoted to his guru and royal patron, whom he praised in his writings. The Adipurana is one of two major epics attributed to Pampa, the other being the Pampa-Bharata.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Pampa
Pampa’s great work was the Adipurana (“First [or Original] Scriptures”), in which Jain teaching and tenets are expounded. Another epic of his creation is the Pampa-Bharata (c. 950; Bharata is both the ancient name for India and the name of a famous king), in which Pampa likened his royal master…
Read More
Pampa’s great work was the Adipurana (“First [or Original] Scriptures”), in which Jain teaching and tenets are expounded. Another epic of his creation is the Pampa-Bharata (c. 950; Bharata is both the ancient name for India and the name of a famous king), in which Pampa likened his royal master…
Read More

Jainism
Philosophical and other literature
The Jain lay poet Pampa’s Adipurana (another text dealing with the lives of Rishabha, Bahubali, and Bharata) is the earliest extant piece of mahakavya (“high poetic”) Kannada literature. Jains were similarly influential in the Prakrit languages, Apabhramsha, Old Gujarati, and, later, Sanskrit. A particular forte of Jain writers was narrative,…
Read More
The Jain lay poet Pampa’s Adipurana (another text dealing with the lives of Rishabha, Bahubali, and Bharata) is the earliest extant piece of mahakavya (“high poetic”) Kannada literature. Jains were similarly influential in the Prakrit languages, Apabhramsha, Old Gujarati, and, later, Sanskrit. A particular forte of Jain writers was narrative,…
Read More

South Asian arts
Period of the Tamil Cōḷa Empire (10th–13th century)
…great epics: Vikramārjuna Vijaya and Ādipurāṇa. The former is a rendering of the Mahābhārata, with the hero, Arjuna, identified with the poet’s royal patron, Arikēsarī. This felicitous epic is known for its succinct, powerful characterizations, its rich descriptions of Kannada country and court, its moving sentiments, and its harmonious blend…
Read More
…great epics: Vikramārjuna Vijaya and Ādipurāṇa. The former is a rendering of the Mahābhārata, with the hero, Arjuna, identified with the poet’s royal patron, Arikēsarī. This felicitous epic is known for its succinct, powerful characterizations, its rich descriptions of Kannada country and court, its moving sentiments, and its harmonious blend…
Read More