Talagunda is a village in the Shikaripura taluk of Shimoga district in the state of Karnataka, India. Many inscriptions found here have provided insights into the rise of the Kadamba dynasty.

History

Talagunda was earlier known as Sthanagundur and it was an agrahara (a place of religious learning). This is the earliest known agrahara found in Karnataka. An inscription found at Talagunda indicates that 32 Brahmins were relocated from a place called Ahichchatra to Sthanagundur by Mukanna (or Trinetra), thereby creating an agrahara. Mukanna was an ancestor of Mayurasharma, the founder of the Kadamba dynasty. Education was imparted at Talagunda for eight centuries and the subjects that were taught included vedas, vedanta, grammar and philosophy. The Kannada language was taught at primary level and clothing and food was provided to the students and teachers.

Inscriptions

A temple dedicated to Pranaveshwara (Hindu God Shiva) is located in Talagunda. Next to it is located a stone slab containing inscriptions. In front of it is a pillar containing inscriptions in Sanskrit. The pillar inscriptions were written in the mid 5th century CE during the reign of Santivarma (the great-grandson of Mayurasharma). The author of this inscription was Kubja, the court-poet of Santivarma. He engraved the inscriptions himself to prevent any other engraver from committing mistakes. Kubja, describes these inscriptions as a kavya thus:

The inscriptions indicate that Mayurasharma, native of Talagunda, was accomplished in vaidika and went to the Pallava capital, Kanchipuram to study scriptures, accompanied by his guru and grandfather Veerasharama. There, having been humiliated by a Pallava guard (horseman), in a rage Mayurasharma gave up his Brahminic studies and took to the sword to avenge his insult. The inscription vividly describes the event thus:
 The inscriptions thus describe Kadambas as Brahmins turned conquerors and praise Brahmins as "Gods on earth, and speakers of Sama, Rig and Yajur Vedas". The Kadamba lineage is described as descending from a three-sage line in the Hariti pravara and belonging to the Manavya gothra.

Notes

1. B. L. Rice, p482
2. Sheldon Pollock, p116
3. D. C. Sircar, p86
4. Kamath (2001), pp. 30–31
5. Ramesh (1984), p6
6. Federico Squarcini, p98

References