2) Mahabharata by Karnataka's Vyasa

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When we hear the word Mahabharata, we kannadigas always remember our very own "Kumara Vyasa". Yes! he is credited with compiling the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata in Kannada. His work is popularly known as "Karnata Bharata Kathamanjari" or "Gadagina bharata" (attributed to his place Garage). It is also known as Kumara Vyasa Bharata and Kannada Bharata. Historians speculate that Kumara was a poet of the 14th century. He was born as Narayanappa in koliwada village(now in Dharwad district). He created the first Mahabharata in Kannada language and was entitled "Kumara Vyasa" (son of Vyasa) because of his work. His work is very elegantly embodied in nadugannada(middle Kannada) in the form of 6 lines stanza. Kuvempura describes him as "When Kumara Vyasa sings Kaliyuga will be gateway to dwaparayuga"

Kumara Vyasa Pillar@ Narayana temple

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The story behind how the Mahabharata was written in Kannada is very exciting. Lord Sri Narayana came in the dream of Kumara Vyasa saying he would recite the Mahabharata and asked him to pen it down. But he was put on two conditions. The first is that Kumara Vyas should come to the Narayana temple at Gadag and create the work and the second is not to try to find the place where the sound of chanting comes from. As Kumara Vyasa was devoted began writing with a voice coming from behind the statue of Narayana at the Narayana Temple. He was very close to complete the 10th chapter, which portrays the fight between Bhima and Duryodhana (Gadha yuddha). Many years had passed by then. By the time he completed the Gadha yuddha, he couldn't control his curiosity and went in search of divine voice. When he looked behind the idol of Narayana in search of the source of the divine sound, he was surprised to find that Srimannarayana himself was reciting Mahabharata, and was shocked to see scenes of the entire Mahabharata taking place behind the idol. Narayana stopped reciting as Kumara Vyasa broke the promise. Even Kumara Vyasa did not complete the great poem, feeling that he had betrayed Narayana. He left the Mahabharata incomplete but it is believed that he wrote only what was directed by Lord Narayana. Another poet of the Vijayanagara Empire has completed the poem which was left in half many years later.

This was the story of the author and work behind the Mahabharata of Kannada!