Sanskrit sources of kerala history part 21 KR IRS 16 824 17824 Part 21 16824
13. The Sri-vidyadhiraja-vijaya by Sri. Mutukulam Sridhar Chapter 3 - Historical Details from Mahakavyas The Sri-vidyadhiraja-vijaya is written by Sri. Mutukulam Sridhar. In this poem describing the city of Tvm, the poet introduces the village of Kannammula where the hero of the poem Vidyadhiraja or Cattampisvami lived. The birth of the Guru, the primary education he received are described in succession. Even while he was young he dedicated himself to Lord Subrahmanya. A description of the Sahya Mountain follows in the third canto. The Guru resorted to the mount Marutva and began his ascetic practices there. Cantos three to five contain the Guru in the services of the people, and his visit to the temple Aniyur in Tvm. The meeting of Srinarayanaguru and Cattampisvami is related in the sixth canto. Cantos seven to eleven are devoted to the description of the meeting of Nilakantha-tirthapada, and the latter accepting studentship. The visit of Chattampisvami to a number of palaces is also described here. Cantos twelve to seventeen of the Srividyadhirajavijaya summarise the miracle performed by Cattampisvami, his services to the people, his meeting with Vivekananda at Ernakulam, the rescue of passengers of the boat capsized at the sea port, the founding of an Asrama at Ettumanur, the celebration of the sixtieth birthday of the Svami and so on. The Samadhi of both Nilakanthatirthapada and Cattampisvami is described in the eighteenth canto. The concluding canto of the poem deals with the construction of a Samadhimandapa at Panmana in Quilon. ----------------------------------------------- 14. Nayakabharana or Astalayanayakiya Chapter 3 - Historical Details from Mahakavyas The Nayakabharana is a Mahakavya of Mathukulam Sreedhar. In 19 cantos it interprets the story of the heads of eight families known as Ettuveettil Pillas. They exercised decisive prowess in the administrative matters of the old state of Travancore. The poem begins with the description of the Malaya Mountain and passes on to depict the position and privileges held by the heads of those eight families. tathā ca veṇāṭapure mahodayā babhuvuraṣṭā khalu nāyakāgrimāḥ vivekino'ṣṭālayanāma carcitā vipakṣavicchedacaṇa vipakṣaṇā The customs and manners in the state are projected in tune with the same. The rule of king Adityavarma is described next. āsīdādityavarmeti ko'pi vañcīmaheśvaraḥ kulamakramāgatāṃ lakṣmīmudvahan bhaktasattamaḥ Princess Umayamma was adopted to the royal family. She harboured an ill-will towards the Ettuveettil Pillas. This resulted in the inefficiency of the queen as an administrator. Her friendship with the king of Kottayam was of no avail. When the attack of the Muslims came she could cut only a sorry figure. The war waged between travancore and the Mugals is described at length. The princess Umayamma was succeeded by Ramavarma. When he took up the reigns of the administration the Pilla group offered their whole hearted support. The royal tour of the Sucindram temple is depicted beautifully. The marriage of the king, the children born to him their playful deeds and such other attractions of familial life are also subsequently detailed. Umminittanka, the princess fell in love with Marthanda Varma, the kings nephew, who had only a strained relation with the Pilla group. This necessitated a change in his residence. Umayamma could not contain the fruitlessness of her love and the murder of her brothers, and she was left with the choice of self-immolation. The annexing of the nearby principalities with Travancore by Martandavarma on his becoming king is dealt with elaborately. Martandavarma made clandestine attempts to bring Elayitattu Rani under his power. Further attempts in this direction resulted in the self immolation of the Rani. The pilla group of men who did not enjoy the favour of the king right from the beginning were exterminated. Martanda Varma dedicated the country to Lord Padmanabha the family deity of the kings of Travancore, and took the vow of ruling the country as a representative of the Lord. The poem is written with the specific purpose of glorifying the life and activities of Ettuvittil Pillas, though the history of Travancore takes them otherwise. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15. Other Mahakavyas describing Kerala Chapter 3 - Historical Details from Mahakavyas *The Raghuvamsa of Kalidasa which contains a beautiful description of Kerala bears evidence of the fact that the land had become familiar to writers in the north by the fourth century AD. We can see references to the legend of Parsurama’s creation of Kerala from the sea.* Ramavarma is the author of Bharatasangraha. In the beginning of this Mahakavya the poet has referred to his royal line breifly tracing the history. Some of the proteges of later Kolathiri’s have referred to their patrons. Srikantha-variyar, Raghava Variyar and Sankara kavi are prominent among them. In the introductory portion of the work, the author gives the following information. guṇākaraḥ keralavarmanāmā satena dattaṃ, pratipadya rājyaṃ | śaśvat prajārañjana jāgarūko narmūlayāmāsa madaṃ ripūṇām || jagannivāsaṃ hṛdaye dadhanā mudā kadācinnija bhāgineyam | rāmavarmāṇamuvāca kāvyaṃ vidhīyatāṃ bhāratasaṃgrahākhyam || In the royal family having Elimala as its capital, there was a queen named Mahaprabha. Her son Ravivarma was the king for a long time and after his death his younger brother Kerala Varma ascended the throne. It was at the instance of this Kerala Varma that the poem was written. The author, Rama Varma, was a nephew of Kerala Varma. From the records available at Chirakkal palace it is known that this prince Ramavarma died in 1443 AD. Kerala Varma became the king of Kolattunadu in 1423 AD, and ruled over the country till his death in 1446 AD. So the prince must have composed his work between 1423 and 1443 AD. The extant manuscript of the poem, which deals mainly with the story of the Mahabharata breaks off in the middle of the 25th Canto. The style of the poem is very simple, but not very graceful. Matabhupala-carita by Raghavavarma Tampuran of Panthalam is a historical kavya consists of 10 cantos. Raghava Varma belonged to the Pantalam royal family. He was born in 1874 AD in the Cerukkayil palace of Pandalam. His father was Vasudevan Nambootiri of Kizhappurattu Illam in Panaccakkattukara in Kottayam, and his mother was Revathinal Tanvangi Tampuratti (of Pantalam Royal Family) It is a biography upto the Sastyabdapurthi of king Ramavarma Maharaja of Cochin. In the poem there is a reference to the king Cera who is traditionally supposed to be the first king of the Cochin Royal family. Pariksid-vijaya of *Ramasvami Sastri of Kalpati* is a historical Kavya consists of 10 cantos. The author was a great scholar and is said to have flourished somewhere between 1855 and 1925 AD. He is belonging to Kalpati in Palakkad. It is a biography on the last of the Cochin king Ramavarma Tampuran popularly known as Parikshit Tampuran (1897-1965 AD). This king was great scholar in Tarka also a good writer in Sanskrt. This kavya is not available to us this work is only known to us by great scholar Vatakkumkur. Manavikrama-samutiri-carita is a historical kavya by Vasunni Musat (1855 1914 AD) which gives the life history of the Zamorin king Manavikrama Ettan Tampuran. (1845-1915) The kavya gives history of the king and throws much light on the history of the king and historical evidence of that time. So, it is highly useful in making the history of Kerala. The Balyudbhava or Mahendra Vijaya by Godavarma Yuvaraja is a Mahakavya in 16 cantos by the king poet Godavarma Yuvaraja of Kotunnnallur (1800 -1815 AD) it is historical in nature. Pariksit-carita (laghugita) of Acyutapotuval K. on the life of Ramavarma Pariksit Tampuran of Cochin in 4 cantos. Angalasamrajya by A.R. Rajaraja Varma is a historical kavya of the 19th century AD. This is completely free from legendary matter and gives as a true history of British India. It contains 23 cantos and 1910 verses and depicting really the British period in India. So, it is highly useful for the, makers of Kerala history. The above survey enables us to trace a rough outline of the changing ideas on history in Kerala. [1]:bhayotsṛṣyavibhūṣāṇām tena keralayoṣitām | alakeṣu camūreṇu ścūrṇā pratinidhīkṛtāḥ || [2]:avakāśaṃ kilodanvān rāmāya abhyarthito dadau | aparāntamahīpālavyājena rakhare karam | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter 4 - Traces of Historical Facts from Sandesha Kavyas and Short poems 15. Short Poems describing Kerala history Chapter 4 - Traces of Historical Facts from Sandesha Kavyas and Short poems Short poems gives us much information on some of the important historical figures of ancient Kerala. Some of the short poems bearing on Kerala history are given below. Agnivamsa-raja-katha Agnivamsa-raja-katha is a work in verse giving the legendary history of the Zamorin dynasty of Calicut. Vatakkumkur says that this is a very late work and probably written by a member of the Calicut royal family. The work is annonymous and little historical importance. Citrodayamani Citrodayamani of Sambasiva Sastri contains 2 cantos euloging Sri Citra Tirunal Maharaja of Travancore and giving the dynastic history of that royal house. The poem refers the Sri Citra Tirunal Maharajavarma as follows— citrodayamaṇiḥ so'ya mīpsitārthapradāyakaḥ sumanonandyamānaśrīratrābhātutarāṃ ciram || (I-5) The poet refers the Kerala kings as Chera— cerahvayāḥ katipaye keralābharaṇaṃ babhuḥ Among the Cera kings Chenkkuttavan is mentioned in this poem teṣu caṅkuṭṭuvākhyātaścerodhīradharāpatiḥ colapāṇḍyamahīndrāṇāṃ nigrahānugrahaprabhuḥ || (I-9) Travancore dynasty is mentioned as— vijayāt vañcimedinīm. Poem refers the kings named Cheraman Perumal. Cheraman Tolar, is a poet and a lover of literatur. In the Travancore dynasty then he mentions a Kulasekhara Alvar author of Mukundamala. In the Travancore Royal house others kings are referred as Sthanu Ravi, Bhaskara Ravi, Govardhana Martanda (pramukhyo vañcivallabhaḥ) Sangramadhira Ravivarma, Vira kerala Varma], Martanda Varma, Srimulam Tirunal, Sri. Cittira Tirunal Maharaja. I n the second canto poet *refers Sir. C.P. Ramasvami* Martanda Varma Sataka The Martanda Varma Sataka is a short poem consists 111 stanzas. The author of this kavya in stated to be one Kerala Varma who had the appellation vira. It deals with the life of Prince Asvati Tirunal Martanda Varma of Travancore. It opens with the statement that Martanda Varma flourishes in the world. Then the prince’s date of birth is furnished. He is stated to have been born under Asvati asterism in the month of Kartika, in the year 1047 M.E. In the fourth verse, his unique distinction of becoming the first graduate prince of India has been alluded to— abhūtapūrvāṃ nijavaṃśajānāṃ bīeparīkṣottaraṇena labhyāṃ caturbhujāṅgaṃ labhate sma dhīmān yaḥ kañjukaṃ sadi?[Â]barudaṃ hi bālye || In the eighth verse the princes elder brother is mentioned. tasyāgrajanme yuvarājabhūyaṃ sametya dhīmāniha lālasīti || The elder brother referred to above may be identified with prince Kerala Varma. Then the author refers to the death of the princes mother. Then the author speaks of the prince’s desatana and his visit to the Himalayas. The remaining portion of the poem is devoted to describe the various qualities of the prince. Among them the noteworthy. There were many advisers, he made decision on his own accord. He never tolerated falsehood, even it uttered by one dearest to him.— priyataro api vadannanṛtaṃ vacaḥ sapati dūrata eva nirasyate || Padmanabhodaya Padmanabhodaya is a short kavya of Sankukavi known as Sankara Kavi written at the instance of Ramavarma Yuvaraja, nephew of king Martanda Varma of Travancore. According to Ullur, he has probably a Brahmin of Tamil extraction. He has written this poem named Padmanabhodaya on the Padmanabha Svami temple, Trivandrum. The author belongs to the first half of the eighteenth century. The work consists of 142 verses in four sections called Paddhatis. It deals with the glory of Anantasayanaksetra, description of the magnificance of Lord Padmanabha and the blessings showered by the lord of Divakara Yati. In this poem Sanku pays tribute to the king of Travancore, namely Martanda Varma. śrīmān mārtāṇḍabhūpo jayatu budhajanānandakārī nitāntaṃ kāvyaṃ cedaṃ madīyaṃ kalitaharikathā sāravatvāt sudhīndrāḥ śruṇvantvācandratāraṃ bhavatu ca dharaṇau vañcivaṃśo'tidīrghau brahmānandāmṛtābdhau mama hṛdayamidaṃ majjatāṃ nirviśeṣam || The adjective budhajanānandadāyī applied to the king indicates the amount of patronage extended by him to poets and scholars. In another verse he refers to the heir-apparent. Rama Varma whose order was like God’s inhibition to the poet.— dharmaḥ śarīrīva ca bhāgyarāśirde hīva mūrto haribhaktipūraḥ | sugātravān dhairyaraso'sti tatra śrīrāmavarmābhidhabhūmipālaḥ || The description of the prince as the embodiment of Dharma is very significant. In later times he became more famous as the Dharmaraja than Rama Varma Sankunni statement suggests that the cognoman Dharmaraja was derived not from the king’s grating protection to the refuges from Malabar, and the provision made for their maintenance for about twenty five years, but on account of his regular practice of Dharma. Here, Dharma does not merely mean charity, it initially refers to the doctrine of ideal kingship propagated by teh Dharmasastras. Other Short Poems Keralavilasa of Manavikrama Ettan Tampuran of Calicut contains 105 verses based on Keralolpatti. Kasiyatra varnana of Ramaswami Sastri of Elattur contains 120 verses on the pilgrimage of Visakham Tirunal Maharaja to Banaras in 1882. Apaddipah of Subbarama pattar P.S. is a poem in 33 verses on how a destitute family fleeing the kingdom of Zamurin was helped by an unknown person bearing a divine light to settle in the kingdom of the Maharaja of Cochin. Srimulacarita is short poem written by Ganapati Sastri deals the history of Travancore royal dynasty. Gurudigvijaya of Anantagiri is a biography of Sankaracharya. Brahmanapratishtais another work dealing with the settlement of Brahmins from Tulu Nadu into his country by king Udayavarma of Kolattunadu. Desyastaka contains 8 slokas dealing with the life of Udayavarma of Kolattunadu. Mala is a historical short poem of Krishnavariar A.V. on Parikshit Tampuran of Cochin. Visakhavilasa of Kesavan Vydyan in praise of Visakam Tirunal Maharaja of Travancore. Gaunasamagama is a small kavya on the visit to Trivandrum of Lord Napier, Governor of Madras, the governor is the Gauna in the kavya, composed in 1863 by Ramaswami Sastri of Elattur. Mahamrityunjayacarita of Sankara Variyar of Meethale Madom on a Mahamrtyunjaya conducted by the Raja of Kadatthanadu. Matamahisha Sastipurthi-dasaka of Krishnan Namputhiri of Nellurkandi describes the penegric on the Maharaja of Cochin. Setuyatravarnana of T. Ganapati Sastri on the setu yatra of Visakham Tirunal Maharaja of Travancore. Above mentioned these works shed light on the ancient Kerala history. [5]:bhavacchaṅkarācārya samaye śaivavallabhaḥ ceramān parumālākhyaḥ ko'pyāsīd rājaśekharaḥ || [9]:so'yaṃ mukundamālādi ganthānāṃ prabhavaḥ kaviḥ adyāpi vaiṣṇavā hṛdyāṃstāṃstān gāyanti vedavat || Ibid 29-39— avṛṇīta ca sar si pi rāmasvāmyāryamuttamam nītinyāyopadeṣṭāraṃ devendra iva goṣpatim || [19]:amātyanirvartitakāryavastuṣu svamantrivīreṣu hi teṣu satsvapi vicāryakāryāṇi tanoti yassvayam na dhīmatāṃ kṛtyavidhau parārthitā || [31]:śriyāṃ pati śrīpati rājaśekharo mahīpatirdākṣiṇakeralādhipaḥ | viśālavikhyātamatirmahābhujo viśākharājo'ya vibhāti viśrutaḥ || —Vide Kerala Sahitya Caritram, Ullur IV -P 232; Keraleya Samskrita Sahitya Caritram IV -P 624---- -----------------------K RAJARAM IRS 16824 17824 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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