 Though the Vaishnava courtly writings in Kannada began with the Hoysala poet <unk> and the devotional song genre was initiated by Naraharitirtha , the Vaishnava movement began to exert a strong influence on Kannada literature only from the 15th century on . The Vaishnava writers consisted of two groups who seemed to have no interaction with each other : the Brahmin commentators who typically wrote under the patronage of royalty , and the Bhakti ( devotion ) writers ( also known as <unk> ) who played no role in courtly matters . The Bhakti writers took the message of God to the people in the form of <unk> songs composed using folk genres such as the <unk> ( a musical composition with refrain , based on tune and rhythm ) , the <unk> ( a composition based on rhythm ) and the <unk> ( a composition based on melody ) . <unk> <unk> and <unk> Kavi were well @-@ known among the Brahmin commentators , while <unk> Dasa and <unk> Dasa were the most notable of the Bhakti writers . The philosophy of Madhvacharya , which originated in the Kannada @-@ speaking region in the 13th century , spread beyond its borders over the next two centuries . The itinerant <unk> , best described as mystic saint @-@ poets , spread the philosophy of Madhvacharya in simple Kannada , winning mass appeal by preaching devotion to God and <unk> the virtues of <unk> ( enlightenment ) , <unk> ( devotion ) and <unk> ( detachment ) . 
