The Bhrngasandesa by Vasudeva The Bhrngasandesa attributed to the authorship of Vasudeva is also known as Bhramarasandesa. It contains 177 stanzas. The author was contemporary of Melpatur Narayana Bhatta and hence the work can be assigned to the 16th C. AD.
The hero in a full moon light was sleeping beside his love after enjoying conjugell bliss. Then a Yaksi took him and turned to Malaya Sikhara to enjoy with him. On the way in Trivandrum she left him seeing her husband coming. The hero spends some days in Trivandrum and at the end he meets with Bhrnga and beseeches him to carry a message for the heroine. The route of messenger is lies between Trivandrum and Kottakkal. Description of places, temples, rivers etc. are important from historical and cultural points of view. Places, Rivers, Temples Among the places mentions are Tvm, Quilon, Tekkumkur ruled by Udayamartanda, the capital of Tekkumkur Vatakkumkur ruled by Godavarma, Kutamalur the capital of Cempakasseri rulers, Trippunitura, Cochin, Trkkanamatilakam and Irinjalakkuda. Several temples on the way find mention in the poem like the Visnu temple at Tiruvalla, Krsna temple at Kumaranellur, Siva temple at Vaikkam, Siva temple at Tiruvanchikkulam, Bhadrakali temple at Kotunnallur, Visnu temple at Irinjalakkuda, Durga temple at Urakam, Siva temple at Trissur, Visnu temple at Guruvayur, Durga temple at Mukkola, Visnu temple at Tirunavay. Back waters at Astamudi near Quilon and rivers like Murinnapula Bharatappula etc. are also referred to. Kings—Ravivarma While describing Trivandrum, Bhrnga refers to a king named Ravi Varma. rājyaṃ dṛṣṭyākalaya ravivarmāvanīndrasya sampat prājyaṃ vājyantaritaviśikhodagramagre samagram | citrotkīrṇaṃ tridaśanivahaiḥ sthūlanīlopalāṅgaiḥ dhāmnā tulyaṃ tribhuvanapateḥ dhāmā yena pratena || This Ravivarma was the ruler of the Venad kingdom during (1611-1663 AD). According to historians, it was on this Ravivarma’s reign that Tirumala Naik of Madurai had invadedthe Nanjunad. The reference—vājyantaritaviśikhodagraṃ—may be suggestive of the kings wealth army. In the time of Bhrnga Kolamba or Quilon was ruled by another Ravivarma who had newly ascended the throne. It is suggested by the stanza that the trade in silk cloth in Quilon was very prosperous at that time— “rājahaṃsairjuṣṭāṃ paṭṭāmbarakanaka paṅkeruhālīṃ prasūte || ” This Ravivarma on his reign that the Padmanabha Swami temple had been reconstructed with the Vatilmatam (gale house) Balikkalpura (the front house for oblation), Matappalli (or kitchen) etc. This is referred to in the second half of the relevant stanza of Bhrnga. Udaya Martanda Varma There is a reference to the king Udayamartanda of Tekkumkur lambedhastvaṃ divi kimapi lolamba! kolambadeśe ramye yasmin vilasati saromanasaṃ mānavānām nityaṃ tadvai navaravikarollāsinīṃ rājahaṃsaiḥjuṣṭāṃ paṭṭāmbarakanakapaṅkeruhālīṃ prasūte || In Bhrnga-sandesa it is described that the messenger will reach Daksina Bimbali the abode of Udayamartanda, after crossing a forest region. From this one can assume that at that time Tekkumkur was ruled over by the king Udayamartanda. In another verse it is mentioned that the capital of the Tekkumkur kings was situated on the southern banks of the river Minaccil. That is no doubt, the present Kottayam town. King Godavarma Bhrngasandesa mentions Vatakkumkur as ruled over by Godavarma. He is described as the glorious king and a valiant captain in the battlefield. It is likely that he is the hero of the Godavarma Yasobhusanam of Arunagirikavi and of the Godavarmaprasasti of Melpattur Narayana Bhattatiri. King Keralendra A king of Kochi is mentioned in the Bhrngasandesa poem by the terms ‘Keralendra’ Mataksmabhrt’ and ‘Rajaraja’. The poem describes Kochi as the capital of Rajaraja (king of kings) surrounded by teh river Periyar. paurastyāśāṃ kakubhi parikhībhūtacūrṇītaraṅgād dūre dṛśyā nabhasi nagarī rājarājakṣitīndroḥ | yo bhīmo'pi prathamasamayeṣvarjunatvaṃ yaśobhirnītaḥ kṛṣṇāmādadhata kare khaḍgavallīsubhadām || (1-61) The ancestral palace of the rulers on the west-coast is also referred to. The poem describes Tiruvancikkulam as a battlefield where the fight between the king of Kochi and the Samutiri of Kozhikode had taken place. This historical fight is also referred to while describing the place Trkkanamatilakam near Kotunnallur. It is stated there that the messenger bee may be mistaken for a gun shot by the soldiers falling on the ground. The poet says that the messenger can be see the king, Keralendra, when the later comes to the temple at Trkkanamatilakam for worship. Rajaraja, Keralendra etc. are the official designations of the rulers of Kochi Virakerala Varma was the patron of Melputtur Narayana Bhatta who wrote the Virakeralaprasasti and Gosrinagaravarnana praising the king and the capital city. The death of the poet Vasudeva is assigned to the former half of the 17th C. AD, which is the date of Melpattur also. The king is mentioned in the poem as residing at Matilakam with his military-camp ready for attack. Ullur opines that the king Vira Kerala Varma killed Ittikkumara Menon, the soldier of the Samutiri, in 1615 AD, and brought Trkkanamatilakam under the central of Kochi. Therefore, this place is described in the poem as “Matadhatrindraguptan” (Protected by the Kochi king). So the king mentioned in the poem might most probably be the king Virakeralavarma of Kochi(1601-1615 AD) A palace is mentioned to be built by the Portuguese at Mattaneri by about 1555 AD and presented to the ruler. Since then, for about two centuries, it was the seat of the kings of Kochi. More than a hundred years later, at about 1663 AD, the palace underwent repair and renovation at the hands of the Dutch. Thereafter, the palace came to be known as the Dutch palace. The palace of the ancestors of Kochi kings referred to in the poem on the west coast may be the famous dutch palace. Bhringa-sandesha describes the fight between the Samutiri and the king of Kochi while describing Trkkanamatilakam and Kotunnallur. The poet advises the messenger reaching Tiruvancikkulam, to be careful that the arrows which come from the battlefield do not touch his body. At Kotunnallur, in the days of the war, the messenger can see the Goddess Kali of Kotunnallur performing Tandava dance with her galaxy of bhutas. The demon intoxicated with drinking the blood are said to be laughing loudly and clapping their hands in the battlefield. Trikkanamatilakam is also mentioned as the venue of the fight, where the messenger bee humming across the sky may be mistaken for a gun-shot by the soldiers, became Trkkanamatilam at that time resounded with so many gunshots of the battlefield. Kotunnallur was the venue of the great war between Kozhikode and Kochi. It is pointed out by ullur, that during the reign of Virakerala Varma (1601-1615 AD) and Ravivarma (1615 -1624 AD) there was always war between Kochi and Kozhikode. The poet conjectures that the king of Kochi might be camping at Matilakam, making proper preparation for war. The Samutiri attack on Kotunnallur in 1604 is famous in the history of Kerala. Continuous war between Kochi and Kozhikode are recorded in the history of Kerala during the 15th and 16th C. AD. The celestial place of the Samutiri of Kozhikode near the temple at Tirunavaya is referred to in the Bhrnga-sandesa poem. The place mentioned in the poem is the Manittara or Mamanka them. Poems refers to king Vikrama, Samutiri of Kozhikode. Who has reached Trkkantiyur to move the Tirunavaya for the Mamankam festival. Vikrama king who was a great warrior and who stood for the protection of the Mamanka festival at Tirunavay. The name vikrama relates to the Manavikrama which is hereditary title of the zamorin of Calicut. At Tirunavay the poet describes the festival of Mamankam presided over traditionally by the zamorin of Calicut. From this reference we are able to know that in the time of Bhrnga, the zamorins had attained the privilage of presiding over the Malabar festival. The Subhagasandesa by Narayana Subhagasandesa was written by one Narayana. Nothing more is known about the another or his date. Narayana was a native of *Trissur*. For some reason he was obliged to spend some months at cape comorin. Ullur states that the hero was caught by evil spirit and thereby he reached Kanyakumari and thus he was seperated from his wife. His wife’s house was at Trissur. There he happened to meet a Subhaga—a snataka Brahmin who had arrived there for the worship of the Goddess of Kanyakumari. Subhaga is sent with the message of love to the hero’s beloved at Trissur. The Subhagasandesa of Narayana was composed under the patronage of king Rama Varma of Jayasimhanad who is believed to have flourished in the 16th C. AD. Referring to this Ramavarma, the poet says the following at the end of the Purvabhagam. yasya svāmi yadukulapatirṇāmato rāmavarmā yasya śrīmān bhavati paramaṃ devataṃ bhāgineyaḥ | udyanmādhavīrasaparimale yasya sandeśakāvye hṛdye nārāyaṇakavayituḥ pūrvabhāgaḥ samāptaḥ || Poem extols one Ramavarma, who was the poets patron. The only significance of the kavya for history is this— vīrassevyastadanu bhavatā viśrutā rāmavarmā rājā rāmājanamanasi yo rāmavarmābhidhānaḥ | yena sphītaṃ jagati jayasiṃhānvayo yāti kīrtiṃ || pātho rāśiḥ paramaśucinā pārvaṇenenduneva || māno nīvi manasijaśaraḥ kiṃkarāḥ prārthitorthī cāro netraṃ kavirabhimataḥ prāṇabandhuḥ kṛpāṇī nītirbhāryā nigamabhaṇitirdeśiko yasya loke tādṛṅmṛgo bhavati sukṛtī rājaśabdābhidheyaḥ || Ullur identifies this Rama Varma with the brother of Udaya Marthandavarma who fought with Vijayanagar. If this is correct, as it seems to be, he has to be identified with Bhutalavira Rama Varma of immortal fame. While describing the Cempakasseri temple on the hill at Kuttalam poem mentions a treasurer by name Yajnanarayana, appointed by king Rama Varma of Tiruvitamkur. Ullur identifies him with Yanjanarayana Iyer, appointed by Rama Varma to collect the tolls of Tiruvitamkur kings in the 16th C. AD at Tirunelveli District. Yajnanarayana mentioned in the poem was only a financial officer posted at Kuttalam by the king of Tiruvitamkur. The Catakasandesa (composed in Thirumandhamkunnu) Catakasandesa is a work of the Sandesakavya type in form though different in content, in that it is a prayer for financial assistance made by a Namputiri Brahmin of Tirumanthamkunnu [Thirumandhamkunnu] in Malabar to Kartika Tirunal Ramavarma Maharaja of Travancore through a Cataka bird. When Tippu Sultan invaded Malabar in 1787 a poor Brahmin took refuge in Travancore ruled at that time by Kartika Tirunal. Later due to a sudden illness he returned to his home without formally taking leave of the king. There he worshipped goddess Kali at Tirumanthamkunnu. One day, he inform his hardship to his former protector and chose a Cataka sitting in a garden, as his messenger. The bird is asked to go to Trivandrum with his message of entreaty for financial help. Places, rivers, temples etc. Several rivers places of cultural interest are mentioned in the course of the poem. Duties of the temples of Camravattam, Tirunava, Trichur, Peruvanam, Urakam, Irinjalakkuda, Kotunnallur, Trippunithura, Vaikkam, Kalarkotu, Ambalappula and Haripad are referred to in worshipful terms. Rivers like Bharatapula and Periyar are crossed by the messenger who also passes through places like Cennamangalam, Cempakasseri, Kayamkulam, Krsnapuram, Quilon, Karamana, Neyyatinkara, Parasala and Kulittura. Although this poem has been brought to highlight as a good source of historical knowledge, in reality it does not make any substantial contribution for the history of Travancore. The poem describes extensively a large number of towns in Travancore ending with Padmanabhapuram. These descriptions are too general and their historical worth is meagre. (In addition to three places, the king has also been described, but that lacks specific references.) Still, a few interesting pieces of information could be gathered from them. The city of Trivandrum was in those days rapidly rising to prominence, and the heirapparent of the kingdom used to stay in ‘Sripadam palace. The Padmanabhaswami temple in a flourishing state. The Maharaja had his residence at Padmanabhapuram which he relished much. asti prācyāṃ diśi khalu tataḥ padmanābhālayākhyam sahyaprasthe sakalavibhaveḥ pūritaṃ rājaveśma | yasmin vāsaḥ kila sumahatīṃ prītimasya prasūte yatprāsādapravara vasatiḥ prekṣitobhūnmayā ca || At Trivandrum, there was the system of ringing the bell at each Nalika as indicated by the Ghatikayantra. The karamana gramam was a centre of adapts in music and Samaguna. In short the poem gives some useful account of the Travancore state of the 18th century. Kings and other reputed persons Among the celebrities of the period Paliyattau Komi Accan and the reputed physician Cirattaman Mussatu are named by the poet. The great Divan Kamayana Dalawe (the minister) is also mentioned Kartika Tirunal the illustration ruler and patron is eulogised in several verses].Kerala Sahitya Caritram, Ullur Vol. III -P 501. The importance and excellence in this work were highlighted for the first time by Ullur through a paper pub. in Sahityaparishat Traimasikam, which was in due course included in the Vinjanadeepika Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx K Rajaram IRS 26925 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZooH_YU_h9M%2B4p8%2Bmqbks4BtnbD7v3y%2B_geUP_PZX4JTew%40mail.gmail.com.
