 Kannada poetry changed course because of his efforts, and he was an inspiration for generations of poets to follow.Impressed by his early writings, Kereya Padmarasa, the court poet of King Narasimha I, introduced him to the king, who became Harihara's patron.A master of many metres, he authored the "Girijakalyana" ("Marriage of the mountain born goddess – Parvati") in the Kalidasa tradition, employing the "champu" style to tell a 10-part story leading to the marriage of the god Shiva and Parvati.