This is a list of historical and modern Karnataka literature, arranged in chronological order of the historical polity or era from which the works originated. Karnataka literature originates from the Karnataka region of South India, which roughly corresponds to the modern state of Karnataka.
This list includes, but is not limited to, works written in the Sanskrit and Kannada languages. Where information is available, the author or authors of the text are listed, followed by the title of the text and the language or languages in which the text is written. Multiple works by the same author are listed separately.
Western Ganga Dynasty (350–1000)
Pūjyapāda – Sarvārthasiddhi (Sanskrit) Jinasena II – Ādipurāṇa (Sanskrit) Madhava II – Dattaka Sutrain (Sanskrit) Sripurusha – Gajasastra Shivamara II – Gajashtaka (Kannada) Shivamara II – Sethubandha (Prakrit) Hemasena or Vidya Dhananjaya – Raghavpandaviya Vidhibhasimha – Gadyachintamani Vidhibhasimha – Kshatrachudamani Guru Nemichandra – Gommatasara Chavundaraya – Chavundaraya Purana (Kannada) Chavundaraya – Charitrasara (Kannada) Chavundaraya – Trishashti Laksan Puran (Kannada) Nagavarma I – Chandombhudhi Jinasena I – Harivamsha (Sanskrit)
Rashtrakuta Dynasty (753–982)
Trivikrama – Nalachampu (Sanskrit) Halayudha – Kavirahasya Halayudha – Mritasanjivini Somadevasuri – Nitikavyamrita Mahaviracharya – Ganita-Sara-Samgraha Virasenacharya – Jayadhavala-Tika Jinasenacharya – Parsvabhyudaya Mahapurana Jinasenacharya – Dhavala Gunabhadra – Uttarapurana (Sanskrit) Asaga – Vardhamana Purana (Kannada) Amoghavarsha I – Prashottara Ratnamakike (Kannada) Amoghavarsha I – Kavirajamarga (Kannada) Sri Ponna – Bhuvanaika-Ramabhyudaya (Kannada) Sri Ponna – Santipurana (Kannada) Sri Ponna – Jinaksaramale (Kannada) Adikavi Pampa – Adipurana (Kannada) Adikavi Pampa – Vikramarjuna Vijaya (Kannada) Shivakotiacharya – Vaddaradhane (Kannada)
Seuna (Yadava) Dynasty (860–1317)
Kamalabhava – Santhishwarapurana (Kannada) Achanna – Varadhamanapurana (Kannada) Chundarasa of Pandharapura – Dashakumara Charite (Kannada)
Western Chalukya Empire (973–1189)
Ranna – Ajitapurana (Kannada) Ranna – Sahasabhimavijaya (Kannada) Ranna – Gadayuddha (Kannada) Ranna – Rannakanda (Kannada) Chavundaraya II – Lokopakara (Kannada) Chandraraja – Madanatilaka (Kannada) Shridharacharya – Jatakatilaka (Kannada) Kirtivarma – Govaidya (Kannada) Durgasimha – Panchatantra (Kannada) Nagavarma – Kavyavalokana (Kannada) Brahmashiva – Samayaparikshe (Kannada) Vadiraja – Yashodharacharitam (Sanskrit) Vadiraja – Parshvanatha Charitam (Sanskrit) Bilhana – Vikramankadeva Charitha (Sanskrit) Vijananeshvara – Mitakshara (Sanskrit) Someshwara III – Abhilashithartha Chinthamani or Manasollasa (Sanskrit) Someshwara III – Chandraprabhacharite (Sanskrit) Jagadekamalla – Sangithachudamani (Sanskrit) Jagaddala Somanatha – Karnataka Kalyanakaraka (Kannada) Karnaparya – Neminatha Purana (Kannada) Nayasena – Dharmamrita (Kannada) Brahmasiva – Samayaparikshe (Kannada) Shantiraja – Sukumaracharita (Kannada) Vritta Vilasa – Translation of Sanskrit text Dharama Parikshe (Kannada) Nagavarma II – Kavyavalokana (Kannada) Nagavarma II – Bhashabhushana (Kannada) Nagavarma II – Abhidana Vastukosha (Kannada)
Hoysala Empire (950–1343)
Madhvacharya – Sarvamula Granthas (Sanskrit) Vidyatirtha – Rudraprashnabhashya (Sanskrit) Nagachandra – Ramachandra Charitapurana (Kannada) Nagachandra – Mallinathapurana (Kannada) Harihara – Girija Kalyana (Kannada) Harihara – Basavarajadevara Ragale (Kannada) Raghavanka – Harischandra Kavya (Kannada) Raghavanka – Siddhara Chanitra (Kannada) Raghavanka – Veeresha Charite (Kannada) Raghavanka – Sharabha Charitre (Kannada) Raghavanka – Somanathacharita (Kannada) Raghavanka – Harihara Mahatwa (Kannada) Janna – Yashodhara Charite (Kannada) Janna – Ananthanatha Purana (Kannada) Nemichandra – Leelavati (Kannada) Nemichandra – Neminatha Purana (Kannada) Achanna – Vardhamana Purana Rudrabhatta – Jagannatha Vijaya (Kannada) Mallikarjuna – Sukti (Kannada) Mallikarjuna – Sudharnava (Kannada) Kesiraja – Shabdamanidarpana (Kannada) Hastimalla – Adipurana (Kannada) Andayya – Vardhamana Purana (Kannada) Andayya – Kabbigarakava (Kannada) Choundarasa – Abhinava Dasha Kumara Charitha (Kannada) Choundarasa – Nala Champu (Kannada) Rajaditya – Kshetraganita (Kannada) Rajaditya – Vyavaharaganita (Kannada) Rajaditya – Lilavati (Kannada) Ratta Kavi – Rata-Mata (Kannada) Bandhuvarma – Neminatha Purana (Kannada) Bandhuvarma – Harivamsha (Kannada) Mahabalakavi – Neminatha Purana (Kannada) Padmarasa – Dikshabodhe (Kannada) Hastimalla – Adipurana Trivikrama – Ushaharana (Sanskrit) Narayana Pandita – Madhwavijaya (Sanskrit) Narayana Pandita – Manimanjari (Sanskrit) Narayana Pandita – Parijataharana (Sanskrit) Vidyacharkarvartin II – Rukminikalyana (Sanskrit)
Kalachuri dynasty (1164–1181), Virashaiva Saints and Vachanakaras
Basavanna (known as Basaveshvara wrote the spiritual lyrics vachanas – Kannada) Madivala Machayya (vachanakara – Kannada) Madara Channayya (vachanakara – Kannada) Sakalesha Madarasa (vachanakara – Kannada) Ramanna (vachanakara – Kannada) Sujikayakada Ramitande (vachanakara – Kannada) Medara Ketayya (vachanakara – Kannada) Kayakada Basappa (vachanakara – Kannada) Virupaksha Pandita – (Chennabasavapurana – Kannada) Dharani Pandita – (Bijjalarayacharite – Kannada) Chandrasagara Varni (Bijjalarayapurana – Kannada)
Vijayanagara Empire (1336–1646), Kannada Haridasa Sahitya
Kumara Vyasa (1430 AD) (Gadugina Bharata or Karnataka Bharata KathaManjari a Kannada adaptation of Mahabharata and Airavata. His title was Rupaka Samrajya Chakravarti (Emperor of the World of Metaphors).) Narahri or Kumara Valmiki (1500 AD) (Torave Ramayana in Kannada & Smriti Kaustubha in Sanskrit) Vittalanatha (Bhagavatha) – Kannada Ratnakarvarni (16th century) (Bharatesha Vaibhava, Triloka Sataka, Someswara Sataka) – Kannada Nanjunda – Kumara Rama Charita (16th century) – Kannada BhimaKavi – Basavapurana(1369 AD) – Kannada Padmanaka – Kannada Kereya Padmarasa – Padmaraja Purana (1385 AD) – Kannada Lakkana Dandesa Shivatatwa Chintamani (1428 AD) – Kannada Gubbi Mallanacharya – Veerasaivamrita (1513 AD) – Kannada Singiraja – Kannada Chamarasa (Prabhulinga Leele) – Kannada Akalanka (16th century), Jain scholar – Kannada Bhattakalaka (16th century) – Kannada grammarian Mangaraja (1360 AD) (Khagendra-Mani-Darpana, work on poisons and antidotes) – Kannada Sayana (Vedartha Prakasha, Yajnatantra Sudhanidhi, Prayaschitra Sudhanidhi and Purushartha Sudhanidhi) – Sanskrit Madhava Vidyaranya (Parasara – Madhaviya, Sarva-darshana-samgraha) – Sanskrit Devanna Bhatta (Smriti Chandrika) – Sanskrit Gangadevi (Poet, Madhura Vijayam) – Sanskrit Tirumalamba Devi (Poet, Varadambika Parinayam) – Sanskrit Krishnadevaraya (Madalasa Charita, Satyavadu Parinaya& Rasamanjari – Sanskrit Ramaraja (Bakhair – Battle of Talikota – Persian??) Timmanna Kavi, patronised by king Krishnadevaraya, Kannada Kereya Padmarasa, Padmaraja Purana – Kannada Linganna, Keladinripavijayam – Kannada Unknown author, Krishnadevarayana Dinachari is a recent discovery in Kannada. Chatu Vithalanatha, Kannada Madhura, Kannada Salva Mallanarya, Veerasaivamrita – Kannada Lakkana Dandesa, Shivatatwa Chintamani – Kannada Shivagna Prasadi Mahadevayya and Halageyadeva, Shunya Sampadane – Kannada Kallumathada Prabhuva – Kannada Jakkanna – Kannada Maggeya Mayideva – Kannada Tontada Siddalingayati – Kannada
Haridasa Purandaradasa (1484–1564 AD) (Father of Carnatic music. Composed 475,000 songs in Kannada. His titles wereDasaShreshta Purandaropanishat, Sangitapitamaha) Kanakadasa (1509–1607 AD) (Padas and Keertans RamadhyanaCharite, Haribhakthisara, Kalacharithre, Mohana Tarangini, Nalacharitre – Kannada) Narahari Thirtha Padmanabha Thirtha Akshobhya Thirtha Jayatirtha – Nyaya sudha, Tattva prakashika, Prameya deepika, Nyaya deepika Important works Sripadaraya of Mulbagal (1500 AD) Vyasatirtha (1447 – 1539 AD) – Guru of Purandaradasa, Kanakadasa and Krishnadevaraya wrote Nyayamritam, Tarkatandava, Tatparya Chandrika Important Works Sri Vadirajaswami
Later Haridasa
Guru Raghavendra Swami (1600–1671 AD) the great Sage of Manthralaya.Important works Vijaya Dasa (1687–1755 AD) Mohana Dasa Gopala Dasa (1721–1762 AD) Helavanakatte Giriyamma Jagannatha Dasa (1728–1809 AD) (Harikathamrithasara, Uga Bhogas, Keerthanas and Tathva Suvalis– Kannada)
Kannada literature from Mysore Kingdom, Keladi Nayaka kingdom
Basappanayaka (Shivatatwa Ratnakara – History Keladi Kings) Linganna (Keladi Napra Vijaya– History of Keladi Kings) Chikkupadhyaya, Minister and teacher of His Highness Sri Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar (1670 AD) – more than 30 works in Kannada Tirumalaraya (1680 CE) (Chikkadevaraja Vijayam, Chikkadevaraja Vamshaavali – History of Mysore Kings) Govinda Vaidya (1648 CE) (Narasaraja Vijaya – History of Mysore Kings) Bhattakalanka Deva (1604 AD) (Karnataka Shabdaushasana on grammar) Sakdakshara Deva (1657 AD) (Rajshekhara Vilasa – romantic champu) Noorondayya (1740 AD) (Soundara Kavya) Nijaguna Yogi (1650 AD) (Viveka Chintamani – Shaiva work) Nanja Raja (1760 AD) (Shiva Bhakti Mahatmya and Hari Vamsa – Puranic works) Brahma Kavi (Samaya Pariksha) Sarvajna (1650 AD) (tripadis or vachanas pithy three lined poems in Kannada)
Kannada literature from old Bangalore (18th century – 20th century)
18th-century Kannada Guru Nanjesh (Jayastuti) Ekambara Dikshit (Veerabhdra Vijaya) Jayaram Pande (Radha Madhava Vilasa) Mudduveeraswamy (1700 AD) (Vachanakara) Sarpabhooshana Shivayogi (1795–1839 AD) (Vachanakara) Mahant Desika (Vachanakara) Jeerage Basavalingacharya (Vachanakara)
19th-century Kannada (topics: grammar, linguistics, Jain and Virashaiva philosophy, geology, agriculture, politics) Siddhanti Velanada Subramanya Shastri Siddhanti Shivakumara Shastri Srinivasa Nagasharma Dakshinamurthy Shastri Padmaraja Bhramasuri Ramanathapuram Raguraya S. N. Narasimhaiah Doddabele Narayana Shastri – commentary on Jaimini Bharatha, Sundarakhanda, translations of Kalidasa works
20th-century Kannada Bidare Ashwatha Narayana shastri (Dhammapada) B. Puttiah (printing technology) Panyam Sudarashastri (a translation of Bhasa Dharma) S.K. Nasasimhaiya (biography of Magadi Kempe Gowda) Toppulu Raghavacharya (translation of commentary on Gita) Mahant desika (Yakshagana composition) Balasaraswati (first detective novel) Mahadevaswamy (nicknamed Abhinava Allama) Pt. Shivakumar Swamy Siddalingaswamy of Beli Matha Nanjundaswamy of Guruvanna Matha Pt. B. Shivamurty Shastri
20th-century Sanskrit Keerthanakaras Singeri NarasimhaShastri M. Lakshminarasimha Shastri Varada Desikachar Jaggu Vakulabhushana Rariapalli Anantha Krishna Sharma Motaganahalli Subramanya Shastri
20th-century harikathe dasaru Gururajulu Naidu Sant Keshava Das Bhadragiri Achuth Das Malur Sonnappa Muiratnam Mudaliar
Modern Kannada poets, scholars and writers
Sahitya Academy Awardees 1955 Kuvempu (K. V. Puttappa) Sri Ramayana Darsanam (epic) 1956 R. S. Mugali Kannada Sahitya Charitre (history of literature) 1958 D. R. Bendre Aralu-Maralu (poetry) 1959 K. Shivaram Karanth Yakshagana Bayalata (a treatise on folk-drama) 1960 'Vinayaka' (V. K. Gokak) Dyava-Prithvi (poetry) 1961 A. R. Krishnashastry Bengali Kadambarikara Bankim Chandra (a critical study) 1962 Devudu Narasimha Sastri Mahakshatriya (novel) 1964 B. Puttaswamayya Kranti-Kalyana (novel) 1965 S. V. Ranganna Ranga Binnapa (philosophical reflections) 1966 P. T. Narasimhachar Hamsa Damayanti Mattu Itara Rupakagalu (musical plays) 1967 D. V. Gundappa Shrimad Bhagavadgita Tatparya Athava Jivanandharmayoga (philosophical expositions) 1968 'Srinivasa' (Masti Venkatesha Iyengar) Sannakathegalu (12–13) (short stories)