Influence of contemporary Sculpture on the Kannada Poet Rudrabhatta

Summary

N. Lakshminarayana Rao explores how the rich sculptural tradition of the Hoysala temples influenced the imagery of the Kannada poet Rudrabhaṭṭa. Hoysala architecture, flourishing in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, is known for its ornate pillars, friezes and panels filled with mythological motifs. Among these the double‑headed eagle (gandabheruṇḍa) stands out as both a royal emblem and a favourite subject of artists. Rao notes that several Hoysala kings bore the epithet gandabheruṇḍa and that images of this bird appear on temple door‑jambs and pillars at Srirangam, Belagami and other sites. The article surveys earlier studies of the motif, tracing it back to Hittite art, Taxila and later Saracenic and European heraldry. Turning to literature, Rao analyses verses from Rudrabhaṭṭa’s Jagannathavijaya where the poet describes an extraordinary battle scene: a serpent devours a deer, an elephant seizes the serpent, a lion kills both and is then lifted by a bird of prey. Rao demonstrates that this vivid sequence parallels a sculptural panel from the temple at Koramangala, suggesting that Rudrabhaṭṭa was inspired by familiar carvings. Further examples show how the poet borrows sculptural compositions—the chain of destruction motif, composite creatures and dynamic animal combats—to enliven his poetry. The article argues that court poets often drew on visual culture, and Rudrabhaṭṭa, who likely frequented temple precincts, translated stone into verse. By comparing multiple inscriptions and art historical references, Rao reconstructs the artistic milieu of the poet and emphasises the interplay between word and image in medieval Karnataka.