About: Bhattakalanka Deva

Bhaṭṭākalaṅka Deva (also Bhaṭṭākalaṅka) was the third and the last of the notable Kannada grammarians from the medieval period. In 1604 CE, he authored a comprehensive text on old-Kannada grammar called Karnāṭaka Śabdānuśāsana ("A Consequent Teaching on the Language of Karnāṭaka") in 592 Sanskrit aphorisms (Sanskrit: sūtras, a literary form written for concision) with glossary (Sanskrit: vṛtti) and commentary (Skt.: vyākhyā). The work contains useful references to prior poets and writers of Kannada literature and is considered a valuable asset to the student of old-Kannada language. A native of South Canara and a student of the Haduvalli monastery, the Jain grammarian was learned in over six languages including Kannada, Sanskrit, Prakrit and Magadhi.