Shravanabelagola inscription of Nandisena

The Shravanabelagola inscription of Nandisena, dated to the 7th century, is one of the early poetic inscriptions in the Kannada language.^[1] The inscription extols saint Nandisena of Shravanabelagola (a prominent place of Jain religious power and worship) and his journey to heaven ("world of gods", lit, devaloka).^[2] According to the "Institute for Classical Kannada Studies", the inscription, which it dates to 700 A.D., is suffused with literary characteristics and figure of speech. It is therefore important to the study of the development of Kannada literature.^[1] According to the scholar D.R. Nagaraj, exalting the "individual as the hero of the community" is the commonality the Nandisena inscription has with the other metrical Kannada inscriptions of the period; the Halmidi inscription and the Kappe Arabhatta inscription.^[1]