The origins of Agama Shastra date back to the Gupta period (320-550 CE), when Indian architecture and engineering were flourishing. The text is believed to have been written by Indian architects and engineers who compiled their knowledge and experiences into a comprehensive guide. The Agama Shastra was widely used in southern India, particularly in the region that is now Karnataka, where Kannada is the predominant language. Over time, the text underwent revisions and adaptations, resulting in various versions and interpretations.
The Virashaiva movement, initiated by Basavanna in the 12th century, was critical in vernacularizing Agamic Shaivism. Basavanna’s Vachanas (poetic prose) refer to shathsthala (six stages) and angopanga rites, which echo the Makutagama and Vatulagama . The Shunya Sampadane , a 15th-century compilation of Virashaiva teachings in Kannada, contains detailed descriptions of initiation ( diksha ) and linga worship drawn from Agamic sources. agama shastra in kannada
Here is the kannada version