Sources of Karnataka History, Volume I
Overview
S. Srikanta Sastri’s Sources of Karnataka History, Volume I, published by the University of Mysore in 1940, established systematic methodological foundations for Karnataka historical studies by providing comprehensive cataloguing and analysis of primary epigraphical sources spanning approximately fifteen centuries. The work emerged from intersection of multiple scholarly traditions: the British colonial epigraphical surveys exemplified by B. Lewis Rice’s monumental Epigraphia Carnatica (1894-1905); emerging Indian historiography seeking to reconstruct regional pasts through indigenous sources rather than colonial narratives; and institutional development of regional-language universities creating infrastructure for specialized historical research. As the inaugural major publication by a scholar who would dominate Karnataka and South Indian historical studies for four decades, the volume demonstrated how systematic organization and critical analysis of inscriptional evidence could illuminate political succession, administrative structures, religious patronage, economic organization, and social formations across medieval Karnataka’s diverse dynastic periods.
The 286-page compilation addresses source materials documenting Karnataka from the Western Ganga dynasty (approximately 350-999 CE)—among Karnataka’s earliest documented ruling lineages—through medieval dynasties including Kadambas, multiple Chalukya polities, Rashtrakutas, and Hoysalas, extending to Vijayanagara empire records and later Mysore Wodeyar materials. The volume organizes inscriptions thematically and chronologically, providing for each source: precise location data enabling verification; dating information based on paleographical analysis and internal chronological references; language identification (predominantly Kannada, but including Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and other languages reflecting Karnataka’s multilingual character); and historical contextualization explaining each source’s significance for reconstructing specific aspects of Karnataka’s past. This organizational framework transformed scattered epigraphical data—previously accessible primarily through specialized archaeological journals and reports—into systematically arranged research tool enabling historians to locate relevant sources for particular periods, dynasties, or thematic investigations.
The work appeared at a significant juncture. The University of Mysore, established in 1916 during the final decades of Mysore princely state autonomy, represented investment in modern higher education while maintaining focus on regional cultural heritage. By 1940, when Vice-Chancellor N.S. Subbaraya assumed office, the University was positioned to support ambitious scholarly projects. Subbaraya immediately recognized the value of Sastri’s compiled materials and ensured publication, reflecting institutional commitment to regional historical scholarship. The volume thus exemplified how early twentieth-century Indian universities created spaces for research programs that both adopted modern scholarly methodologies and centered regional rather than pan-Indian or colonial historiographical priorities.
About the Author
Sondekoppa Srikanta Sastri (5 November 1904 – 10 May 1974) emerged as among the most influential Indian historians and Indologists of the mid-twentieth century, distinguished by polyglot linguistic mastery, interdisciplinary methodological sophistication, and prolific scholarly output across four decades. Born into a Mulukanadu Brahmin family with distinguished scholarly lineage—his maternal ancestor Umamahesvara Sastri, a renowned Vijayanagara court poet, had earned the title “Abhinava Kalidasa” for his work Bhagavata Champu—Sastri combined traditional Sanskrit learning with modern university education, creating intellectual foundation for his subsequent contributions to historical, epigraphical, and Indological studies.
His academic career demonstrated both teaching excellence and research productivity. Beginning in 1926, he taught history at Maharaja College, Mysore, for over three decades, profoundly influencing multiple generations of students who would themselves become distinguished scholars, writers, and public intellectuals. His students included novelist U.R. Ananthamurthy, scholar M. Chidananda Murthy, archaeologist S.R. Rao, writer R.K. Narayan, cartoonist R.K. Laxman, and numerous others who shaped twentieth-century Karnataka’s intellectual and cultural landscape. In 1940, Sastri was appointed Head of the Department of History and Indology at the University of Mysore, a position he held until 1960. As founding professor of the Department of Indology, he developed curriculum integrating historical, literary, philosophical, and linguistic approaches to studying Indian civilization, establishing interdisciplinary frameworks that characterized his own scholarship.
Sastri’s linguistic capabilities—fluency in over fourteen languages including Sanskrit, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, English, German, and others—enabled direct engagement with primary sources across South Asian linguistic traditions and with European scholarly literature. This polyglot competence distinguished his work from scholars limited to single linguistic traditions, allowing comparative analysis and synthesis impossible for monolingual researchers. His scholarly production encompassed approximately twelve books, over two hundred articles, multiple monographs, and extensive book reviews published over four decades in English, Kannada, Telugu, and Sanskrit, addressing topics spanning ancient and medieval Indian history, epigraphy, philosophy, cultural studies, and literary analysis.
Among his major works, Bharatiya Samskriti (Indian Culture), published in Kannada, provided comprehensive synthesis of Indian cultural, traditional, and historical developments spanning three millennia, becoming influential text for Kannada-reading audiences seeking scholarly yet accessible accounts of Indian civilization. His historical works challenged prevailing colonial and orientalist narratives; notably, he emerged as among the earliest Indian scholars systematically critiquing the Aryan Invasion Theory, marshaling linguistic, archaeological, and textual evidence against models that posited violent Aryan migrations displacing indigenous populations. This critical stance toward colonial-era historical frameworks exemplified broader decolonizing impulses in mid-twentieth-century Indian scholarship.
Academic recognition accompanied his scholarly achievements. In 1949, he became only the second person to receive a Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) degree from the University of Mysore, signifying the institution’s acknowledgment of his contributions to historical scholarship. He was appointed University Grants Commission Emeritus Professor from 1960-1963, enabling continued research after his formal retirement from teaching. In 1958, he presided over the Kannada Literary Conference (Sahitya Sammelana) at Bellary, Karnataka, and in 1970 received the Kannada Sahitya Academy Award for his contributions to Kannada literature and scholarship. These honors reflected recognition not merely of individual publications but of sustained intellectual leadership shaping Karnataka’s historical and cultural self-understanding during the crucial decades of India’s transition from colonial rule through early independence.
The Work: Structure and Methodology
Sources of Karnataka History, Volume I employs systematic organizational framework addressing multiple categories of primary sources, arranged both chronologically and thematically to maximize utility for historical research. Though precise chapter structure may vary between different editions and scans, the volume’s methodological approach and content organization can be reconstructed from contemporary descriptions and scholarly references.
Epigraphical Materials: The volume’s core comprises detailed cataloguing of stone inscriptions—the most abundant and durable primary sources for Karnataka’s medieval history. These inscriptions, found on temple walls, hero-stones (virgal), commemorative pillars, and other lithic surfaces, document diverse aspects of medieval Karnataka society. Royal inscriptions record dynastic genealogies, military campaigns, administrative appointments, and political relations between polities. Temple inscriptions document religious endowments (dharmashasanas), specifying land grants, village donations, and provisions for temple maintenance, worship, and festivals. These records illuminate not merely religious history but agrarian economy, as endowments typically specified productive lands whose yields supported religious institutions. Merchant guild inscriptions document commercial organization, trade routes, and urban economic activity. Hero-stones commemorate individuals who died in battle, cattle raids, or defending villages, providing evidence of martial culture, social values, and local conflicts often absent from royal records.
Copper-Plate Grants: The volume catalogs sasanas (charters) inscribed on copper plates, typically documenting royal land grants to Brahmins (brahmadeya), temples (devadhana), or other recipients. These grants provide crucial evidence for understanding medieval Karnataka’s agrarian structure, administrative geography, taxation systems, and social organization. The detailed boundary descriptions often included in grants enable reconstruction of medieval village geography and land classification. The genealogical prologues (prashasti) preceding grant records preserve dynastic histories from royal perspectives, while the witnessing officials listed document administrative hierarchies. Copper-plate grants’ portability and durability ensured their preservation, though they represent particular class of transactions—typically privileged land transfers—rather than comprehensive records of all agrarian activity.
Dating and Chronology: Critical aspect of Sastri’s compilation involves establishing accurate dates for inscriptional sources. Medieval Indian inscriptions employed diverse calendrical systems—Shaka era, Vikrama era, regnal years, and various astronomical dating methods. Sastri’s epigraphical expertise enabled converting these dates to Common Era chronology, essential for historical reconstruction. Paleographical analysis—studying script evolution—provides additional dating evidence, as Kannada script underwent systematic changes across centuries. The volume’s chronological organization enables researchers to trace historical developments sequentially and to identify contemporaneous sources from different regions or dynasties.
Linguistic Analysis: The volume addresses inscriptions in multiple languages reflecting Karnataka’s multilingual character. While most inscriptions employ Kannada—in Old Kannada (Halegannada) and Middle Kannada (Nadugannada) forms—significant numbers use Sanskrit (particularly for royal prashastis and religious contexts), Tamil (especially in southern Karnataka and for Chola-period records), and Telugu (in northern Karnataka regions). Some inscriptions employ bilingual formats. This linguistic diversity documents Karnataka’s position at intersection of Dravidian and Indo-Aryan linguistic spheres and its incorporation within different political-cultural networks across centuries. Sastri’s command of these languages enabled accurate interpretation and comparative analysis impossible for scholars limited to single linguistic traditions.
Geographic Distribution: The volume organizes sources by location, enabling regional historical studies. Karnataka’s diverse geography—coastal plains, Western Ghats highlands, Deccan plateau regions, and river valleys—supported different economic activities and political formations. Inscription distribution patterns reveal centers of political power, religious importance, and economic activity. Dense concentrations in particular regions indicate intensive settlement, while sparse areas may reflect either lower population density or less durable inscription traditions. This geographic organization facilitates local and regional histories complementing dynastic narratives.
Historical Context and Significance
The publication of Sources of Karnataka History, Volume I in 1940 situated the work within multiple intersecting historical, intellectual, and institutional contexts that shaped both its production and reception.
Epigraphical Tradition: The volume built upon substantial foundation of colonial-era epigraphical surveys. James Prinsep’s nineteenth-century decipherment of Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts initiated systematic study of Indian inscriptions, enabling historical reconstruction from primary sources rather than relying solely on literary texts. For Karnataka specifically, Benjamin Lewis Rice’s Epigraphia Carnatica (1894-1905) represented monumental achievement, documenting approximately 9,000 inscriptions from the former Mysore region in twelve volumes. Rice’s work, along with J.F. Fleet’s earlier studies, established Karnataka as among the best-documented regions epigraphically in India, creating source base that enabled subsequent historical research. Sastri’s volume synthesized and organized this accumulated evidence, making it systematically accessible for historical analysis rather than remaining scattered across multiple archaeological reports and journals.
Decolonizing Historiography: By 1940, Indian historians were increasingly challenging colonial historical narratives that had often marginalized regional histories, emphasized external invasions and conquests, or portrayed Indian civilization as stagnant and unchanging. Regional historiography—focusing on Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Bengal, and other areas—demonstrated India’s diverse and dynamic historical trajectories, countering homogenizing colonial narratives. Sastri’s work contributed to this historiographical shift by centering Karnataka’s indigenous sources, documenting complex political formations, sophisticated administrative systems, vibrant religious and cultural developments, and economic dynamism across centuries, challenging narratives of Indian historical passivity or dependence on external impulses for change.
University and Institutional Development: The University of Mysore’s publication of Sastri’s work reflected the institution’s role in regional cultural and intellectual life. The Mysore princely state, under relatively enlightened rule during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, invested substantially in education, establishing schools, colleges, and ultimately the University (1916). This institutional infrastructure enabled scholarly research and publication that might not have occurred in regions lacking similar support. Vice-Chancellor N.S. Subbaraya’s immediate recognition of Sastri’s compiled materials’ value and decision to ensure publication demonstrated institutional commitment transcending individual scholarly initiative. The University of Mysore thus functioned not merely as teaching institution but as center for regional scholarship, comparable to roles played by universities in Calcutta, Madras, and other Indian cities in fostering regional cultural movements.
Political Context: The volume appeared during India’s final decade under British rule, a period of intense nationalist mobilization and growing anticipation of independence. Regional cultural movements, including Karnataka’s own renaissance emphasizing Kannada language, literature, and cultural heritage, intersected with nationalist politics. Systematic documentation of Karnataka’s historical greatness—its powerful medieval empires, sophisticated culture, and historical autonomy—possessed political resonance beyond purely academic concerns, contributing to regional pride and cultural self-assertion. Though Sastri’s work maintained scholarly rigor rather than explicit political advocacy, its demonstration of Karnataka’s rich historical heritage inevitably carried cultural-political significance in this charged context.
Research Utility and Scholarly Impact
Sources of Karnataka History, Volume I served multiple scholarly functions, establishing itself as essential reference for Karnataka historical research.
Primary Source Access: The volume’s fundamental contribution involved consolidating dispersed epigraphical evidence into single, systematically organized reference work. Prior to such compilations, researchers seeking inscriptional evidence for particular periods, dynasties, or topics needed to consult multiple archaeological reports, journal articles, and monographs, often scattered across libraries and difficult to access. Sastri’s cataloguing enabled efficient source location, significantly reducing preliminary research time and enabling scholars to identify relevant primary materials for their investigations. This infrastructure-building function, though perhaps less immediately visible than interpretive historical works, proved essential for enabling subsequent scholarship.
Chronological Framework: The volume’s systematic chronology provided temporal framework for Karnataka historical studies. By establishing accurate dates for inscriptions and organizing sources chronologically, Sastri enabled researchers to reconstruct political succession, identify contemporaneous developments across different regions, and trace changes over time in administration, religious patronage, economic organization, and social structure. This chronological precision distinguished scientifically rigorous historical research from earlier, more impressionistic approaches that lacked firm temporal anchoring.
Thematic Research: Beyond political-dynastic history, the organized sources facilitated thematic investigations. Scholars studying temple architecture could locate inscriptions documenting construction dates, patronage, and architectural features. Economic historians accessed grant records revealing land tenure patterns, taxation systems, and commercial organization. Social historians examined inscriptions documenting caste groups, professional guilds, and social hierarchies. Linguistic researchers studied language evolution through dated inscriptional evidence. The volume thus supported diverse research programs beyond Sastri’s immediate concerns, demonstrating how well-organized source compilations enable multiple scholarly uses beyond their compilers’ original intentions.
Training and Pedagogy: The volume served pedagogical functions, enabling students to learn historical methodology through direct engagement with primary sources. Rather than relying solely on secondary narratives, students could examine inscriptional evidence, practice dating and interpretation, and develop critical analytical skills. This source-based pedagogical approach, characteristic of modern historical training, depended on accessible source compilations like Sastri’s work.
Legacy and Contemporary Significance
S. Srikanta Sastri’s broader scholarly legacy, of which Sources of Karnataka History, Volume I constitutes the foundational work, profoundly shaped Karnataka and South Indian historical studies. His four-decade career, combining teaching, research, and institutional leadership, created intellectual infrastructure and trained scholarly generations that continue influencing the field. The interdisciplinary approaches he exemplified—integrating epigraphy, literary analysis, linguistic study, and comparative methodology—established models for subsequent scholarship. His critical engagement with colonial historiography and emphasis on indigenous sources contributed to post-independence historiographical reorientations.
The volume’s digitization and availability through the Internet Archive’s Digital Library of India project—with two different scans ensuring redundancy and accessibility—facilitates contemporary global access impossible during the print-only era. Researchers worldwide can now engage with these systematically organized Karnataka sources, enabling comparative studies, new analytical approaches, and broader scholarly participation. This democratization of access potentially transforms who can conduct Karnataka historical research, expanding beyond specialists with access to particular library collections to include scholars and interested readers globally.
For contemporary historians, the work retains multiple values. As primary reference, it remains useful for locating and initially assessing inscriptional sources, though subsequent discoveries and publications have expanded the available corpus. As historiographical document, it illuminates mid-twentieth-century approaches to regional history, revealing methodological assumptions, organizational priorities, and interpretive frameworks characteristic of that period. As institutional history, it documents the University of Mysore’s role in regional scholarship and the broader development of Indian historical studies during the crucial transition from colonial to post-colonial periods. The work thus functions simultaneously as living research tool and as historical artifact documenting Indian historiography’s evolution.
Description and analysis generated with assistance from Claude (Anthropic). Research compiled from Internet Archive metadata, Wikipedia articles on S. Srikanta Sastri, Karnataka history, and Epigraphia Carnatica, scholarly sources on Indian historiography, and materials from the official S. Srikanta Sastri website.