‘The Glories of Karnataka’ by Dr S. Srikanta Sastri
The Glories of Karnataka by Dr S. Srikanta Sastri (Published in ‘THE UNITED KARNATAKA’) The Karnataka country is linguistic, geographical and cultural Unit of remote antiquity. Comprising as it does the central and western parts of the Deccan. Karnataka has been the meeting place of various races and cultures which became merged and transfigured to form a distinct culture-pattern. The ancient divisions of this country like Maharashtra, Konkana, Aparanta, Kuntala Vanavasi, Punnadu and Erumainadu possess a historical unity and cultural affinity giving a distinct stamp to what may be called the Karnataka culture. The various racial types of the country the Malamids, the Malids, the Weddids, the Gondids, the Indids have all contributed to the glory of the country. The essence of culture is sublimation and spiritualisation. Therefore the primary contribution of Karnataka to world-culture is particularly in the field of religion and philosophy. Though it is as yet, too premature to evaluate the contribution made by the Karnataka people to the essentially Indian and possibly the oldest culture in the world viz, the culture of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro, the eternal problems of metaphysics were settled in the Karnataka country. The great Shankaracharya, enunciated the doctrine of the One, Madhwacharya, elucidated the problem of the Many, and Ramanujacharya and Basaveshwara settled the question of the Many in the one and the one in the Many. Buddhism was living religion here up to thirteenth century. Jainism has found a congenial atmosphere in this country and inspired the works of literature, art and philosophy. Therefore religious toleration has been the watchword of the people throughout history. The inscriptions even as late as the 14th century give an indisputable evidence that in the same family Jainism, Buddhism, Saivism, Vaishnavism could be practised by the different members without hindrance. The rulers of the country, whatever their personal faith, have always up-held this ideal of Universal toleration, not merely out of policy but because of genuine respect towards the various faiths, as exemplified by Pulikeshi II, Amoghvarsha, Krishna III, Vikramaditya 1, Vishnuvardhana Harihara, Bukka and Krishnadevaraya. In the political sphere, it can be asserted without hesitation that there was a United Karnataka under the Satavahanas, the Kadambas, the Chalukyas of Banavasi, the Rashtrakutas and the Chalukyas of Kalyan whose empires extended up to the boundaries prescribed by Amoghavarsha viz, the Godavari and the Kaveri. The political achievements of Gautamiputra Satakarni, Mayurasharma, Amoghavarsha, Krishnl III, Vikramaditya VI, Devarayall and Krishnadevaraya are equal, if not superior to those of Charlemagne and Napoleon. Another peculiar glory of Karnatak is that the personal aggrandisement of the monarchs never crippled or curtailed the privileges of the people. The indigenous units possessed the greatest measure of autonomy, free from the autocratic control of despots and dictators. Thus only the rulers could expect spontaneous loyalty and devotion from their subjects. An impartial observer like Yuwan-Chwang says www.srikanta-sastri.org
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