# List of epics in the Kannada language

This is a list of available epics in the Kannada language (also called purana, in prose or poem), a South Indian language. Based on his research, the Kannada scholar L.S. Sheshagiri Rao claims that starting with the earliest available epic Adipurana by Pampa (939 C.E), Kannada writers have created a rich and active epic tradition. S.S. Bhusanurematha's Bhavyamanava (1983) is the latest in that tradition. Based on medieval Kannada literary sources, the Indologist Anthony Warder claims there were Kannada versions of the Ramayana and Mahabharata prior to 941 C.E., and Kavya (or Mahakavya, epic poems) such as Karnataka Kumarasambhava by Asaga (c. 850). According to the Kannada scholar R. Narasimhacharya, Chandraprabhapurana by Sri Vijaya, (court poet of King Amoghavarsha I) dates to the early 9th century. This list is by no means exhaustive. In addition to the epics listed here, there are numerous epics written 'in part' (called khanda or mahatmaya) starting with the part rendering of the Skanda-purana by Kumarapadmarasa in c. 1180. According to Rao,
   Though it followed the Sanskrit tradition of the Mahakavya and drew its material from Sanskrit works, even in the earliest stages, the Kannada epic was neither derivative nor imitative. It has developed the Valmiki and the Vyasa traditions in its own distinctive ways, and has, in the Jain and Virashaiva epics, presented new pictures of human greatness and destiny. In the pre-modern period, Kannada produced at least two works - Pampa Bharata (c.941) and Kumaravyasa Bharata (c.1425) - which can rank among the epics of the world.

## The list

Famous epics in the Kannada language :
| Faith | Epic | Author | Year (A.D.) | Patron |
| Jainism | Adipurana | Adikavi Pampa | 939 | Rashtrakuta Empire |
| Secular | Vikramarjuna Vijaya (Pampa Bharatha) | Adikavi Pampa | 941 | Rashtrakuta Empire |
| Jainism | Shantipurana | Sri Ponna | 950 | Rashtrakuta Empire |
| Jainism | Trisastilaksanamahapurana | Chamundaraya | 978 | Western Ganga Dynasty |
| Jainism | Ajitapurana | Ranna | 993 | Western Chalukya Empire |
| Secular | Saahasabhima Vijaya (Gadayuddha) | Ranna | 1000 | Western Chalukya Empire |
| Jainism | Varadhamanapurana | Nagavarma II | 1042 | Western Chalukya Empire |
| Jainism | Mallinathapurana | Nagachandra | 1105 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Ramachandracharitapurana | Nagachandra | 1105 | Hoysala Empire |
| Shaivism | Girijakalyana | Harihara | 1160 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Neminathapurana | Nemichandra | 1170 | Hoysala Empire |
| Vaishnavism | Jagannathavijaya | Rudrabhatta | 1180 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Chandraprabhapurana | Aggala | 1189 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Varadhamanapurana | Achanna | 1195 | Yadavas of Devagiri |
| Jainism | Yashodharacharite | Janna | 1209 | Hoysala Empire |
| Secular | Harishchandrakavya | Raghavanka | 1220 | Hoysala Empire |
| Shaivism | Siddharamapurana | Raghavanka | 1220 | Hoysala Empire |
| Shaivism | Somanathacharite | Raghavanka | 13th century | Hoysala Empire |
| Shaivism | Viresvara Charita | Raghavanka | 13th century | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Ananthanathapurana | Janna | 1230 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Pushpadantapurana | Gunavarma II | 1235 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Santisvarapurana | Kamalabhava | 1235 | Yadavas of Devagiri |
| Jainism | Neminathapurana | Mahabalakavi | 1254 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Kumudendu Ramayana | Kumudendu | 1275 | Hoysala Empire |
| Jainism | Purvapurana (Adipurana) | Hastimalla | 13th century | Hoysala Empire |
| Shaivism | Basavapurana | Bhima Kavi | 1369 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Dharmanathapurana | Madhura | 1385 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Secular | Padmaraja purana | Padmananka | 1385 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Vaishnavism | Gadugina Bharata (Kumaravyasa Bharata) | Kumaravyasa, Timmanna Kavi | 1425, 1510 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Prabhulingaleele | Chamarasa | 1425 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Singirajapurana (Mala-Basavarajacharita) | Singiraja | 1500 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Saundara purana | Bommarasa | 15th century | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Revanasiddhesvara Purana | Chaturmukha Bommarasa | 1500 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Trisashti puratanara charite (Lingapurana) | Surangakavi | 1500 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Vaishnavism | Torave Ramayana | Kumara Valmiki (Narahari) | 1500 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Nemi-Jinesa purana | Manjarasa III | 1508 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Shantinathapurana | Santikirti | 1519 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Vaishnavism | Bhagavatha purana | Chatu Vitthalanatha | 1520 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Secular | Ramanatha Charite (Kumararama Charite) | Nanjunda Kavi | 1525 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Virasaivamritapurana | Mallanarya of Gubbi | 1530 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Mahadevi Akkanapurana | Chennabasavanka | 16th century | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Salva Bharata | Salva | 1550 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Ramavijayacharitra | Devappa Kavi | 1550 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Chandraprabhapurana | Doddayya | 1550 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Bharatesha Vaibhava | Ratnakaravarni | 1557 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Siddhesvarapurana | Virakta Tontadarya | 1560 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Jainism | Chandraprabhapurana | Doddananka | 1578 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Shaivism | Channabasavapurana | Virupaksha Pandita | 1584 | Vijayanagara Empire |
| Vaishnavism | Chamarajokti Vilasa(Ramayana) | King Chamaraja Wodeyar V | 1617-1637 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Advita Ramayana | Nijagunarya | 1650 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Bhagavatgita | Nagarasa of Pandharpur | 1650 | |
| Vaishnavism | Markandeya Ramayana | Timmarasa | 1650 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Secular | Rajashekara Vilasa | Shadaksharadeva | 1655 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Shaivism | Basavarajavijaya (Vrishabhendra Vijaya) | Shadaksharadeva | 1671 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Shaivism | Shabarashankara Vilasa | Shadaksharadeva | 1671 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Vishnupurana | Chikkaupadhyaya | 1672 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Jainism | Ramachandra Charitre | Chandrashekara, Padmanabha | 1700 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Jaiminibharata | Lakshmisha | 1700 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Ramabhyudaya-Kathakusumamanjari | Timmamatya (Timmarya) | 1700 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Bharata | Lakshmakavi | 1728 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Shaivism | Lingapurana | Kalale Nanjaraja | 1732 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Ramayana | Venkamatya | 1770 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Kaushika Ramayana | Bathaleshvara | 1770 | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Shankara Ramayana | Timmanna | 18th century | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Adhyatma Ramayana | Shankaranarayana | 18th century | Mysore Kingdom |
| Vaishnavism | Mulabala Ramayana | Haridasa | 18th century | Mysore Kingdom |
| Jainism | Jinaramayana | Chandrasagaravarni | 1810 | Princely Mysore |
| Jainism | Ramakathavatara | Devachandra | ~1838 | Princely Mysore |
| Secular | Sangoli Rayana Dange (folk) | John Faithfull Fleet | 1874 | Bombay Presidency |
| Vaishnavism | Adbhuta Ramayana (prose) | Muddanna | 1885 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Shri Ramashwamedha(prose) | Muddanna | 1896 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Mahabharata (prose) | Alasingrachar | 1912 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Ramayana (prose) | Alasingrachar | 1912 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Mahabharata (prose) | V.K.Galaganatha | 1933 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Sri Ramayana Darshanam | Kuvempu | 1949 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Vachanabharata (prose) | A.R.Krishnashastry | 1950 | Princely Mysore |
| Vaishnavism | Ramayana (prose) | V. Sitaram Shastri | 1960 | Mysore state, India |
| Vaishnavism | Ramavatara (prose) | S. Krishna Sharma | 1965 | Mysore state, India |
| Vaishnavism | Sriramapattabhisheka | Masti Venkatesha Iyengar | 1972 | Mysore state, India |
| Secular | Bharatasindhu rashmi | V.K. Gokak | 1982 | Karnataka state, India |
| Secular | Bhavyamanava | S.S.Bhusanurematha | 1983 | Karnataka state, India |
Extinct epics in the Kannada language known from quotes and references by later writers :
| Faith | Epic | Author | Year | Patron |
| Jainism | Chandraprabhapurana | Srivijaya | early 9th century | Rashtrakuta Empire |
| Jainism | Karnata Kumarasambhava | Asaga | 853 | Rashtrakuta Empire |
| Jainism | Harivamsha (Neminathapurana) | Gunavarma I | 900 | Western Ganga Dynasty |
| Jainism | Shudraka | Gunavarma I | 900 | Western Ganga Dynasty |
| Secular | Bhuvanaika-Ramabhyudaya (Ramakatha) | Sri Ponna | 950 | Rashtrakuta Empire |
| Jainism | Parasurama Charita | Ranna | 980-990 | Western Ganga Dynasty |
| Jainism | Chakreshvara Charita | Ranna | 980-990 | Western Ganga Dynasty |
| Jainism | ShantinathaPurana | Ranna | 980-990 | Western Ganga Dynasty |
| Shaivism | Hariharamahatva | Raghavanka | early 13th century | Hoysala Empire |
| Shaivism | Sharabacharite | Raghavanka | early 13th century | Hoysala Empire |