Comment on the nature of literature under the Pallavas?
Answers
The major focus of the literature under pallava was that people should understand the histories of the temple and the ancient culture in a sanskrit language which can be translated to some other languages for the better understanding among the people.
Answer:
The literature during the period of the Pallavas was both religious and secular
but largely religious in nature. Both Sanskrit and Tamil literature flourished
during this time. The court of the Pallava rulers granted royal patronage to
Sanskrit literature. The Tamil literature received an impetus with the growth of
Bhakti movement. Several Nayannar or Nayanmar (devotees of Shiva) poet
saints as well as Alvar (devotees of Vishnu) poet saints wrote literary works of
great importance which we will look at now.
The Pallava rulers largely patronized Sanskrit learning and culture. Sanskrit
was their court language. However, their early inscriptional records are in Prakrit
which by the latter half of the 14th century was replaced by Sanskrit.
Mahendravarman I himself is remembered for his literary contributions. He was
the author ofMattavilasa Prahasanam: a satirical play written in Sanskrit, and
Bhagavadajjuka.
He had written other works also but unfortunately those are lost and gone.
Dandin adorned the court of the Pallava king Narsimhavarman II. He wrote
Dashakumaracharita and Avantisundarikatha in Sanskrit. Not only the court of
the Pallavas had prominent poets and authors but it also attracted poets from
other royal courts. Bharavi, a Sanskrit poet who wrote Kiratarjuniyam visited
the Pallava court during the time of Simhavishnu. Kanchipuram was an important
centre of Sanskrit learning. Mayur Sarman, the founder of the Kadamba dynasty
studied the Vedas at Kanchipuram.
We know that during the Pallavas there was growth of a sectarian movement i.e.
the Bhakti movement. The Alvar and the Nayanmar saints composed many
devotional songs and hymns to express devotion and love towards their deity.