Sanskrit sources of Kerala history
by Suma Parappattoli | 2010 | 88,327 words
This study deals with the history of Kerala based on ancient Sanskrit sources, such as the Keralamahatmyam. The modern state known as Keralam or Kerala is situated on the Malabar Coast of India. The first chapter of this study discusses the historical details from the inscriptions. The second chapter deals with the historical points from the Mahatm...
This book contains Sanskrit text which you should never take for granted as transcription mistakes are always possible. Always confer with the final source and/or manuscript.
The Tirukkurunkudi Bell inscription of Adityavarma (Dated 644 M.E.)
The inscription consists of a single verse in Sanskrit engraved on the bell having infront of the central shrine in the Nambi temple at Tirukkurunkudi, in Grandha characters.
It runs as follows[1].
śrīmat kolambavarṣe bhavati guṇamaṇiśreṇirādityavarmā vañcipālo viśākhaprabhurakhilakalavallabhaḥ paryabadhnān
dvārālaṅkārakhaṇḍaṃ tilakitajayasiṃhānvayaḥ śrīkuraṅgaprodyaddhāmno murāreradhidharaciravāmaṇḍalendro ||
Visakam Tirunal translated the verse as follows—
“In the year Bhavati (644) of the Kolamba era, the king Adityavarma, the ruler of Vanci born in Visaka, who is a string of jems of virtues and a master of all arts who adorns the Jayasimha dynasty, end who has attained the sovereignty of Chiravayamandalam (kingdom) hung up the bell which adorns the gate of Murari (Vishnu) enshrined in the Sri kuranga (Thirukurunkudi) Temple”.
The usage tilakitajayasiṃhānvaye suggest that Adityavarma was an eminent member of the Desinganad branch of Venad royalty.
The usage vañcipālā has to possible interpretation. In the literal sense, it means the ruler or protector of Vanci by which name, the kingdom of venad was known in those days. At the same time, a member of the Travancore royal house, irrespective of his assumption of sovereignty, could be styled as vañcipāla, if he held any of the collectoral headships. In the present instants, the former interpretation seems highly improbable because Vanci was at that time not an undivided and unicameral political entity, but a kingdom devided among and ruled by many collateral branches. None of the holders of the many headships could be treated as to have ruled the kingdom as a whole.
adhigaraciravāmaṇḍala—this attribute Adityavarma is taken to have acquired possession of the Ciravamandala, but which is meant the Cirava territory or the Cirava estates. Such an acquisition necessarily involved the assumption of Cirava headships by him as a prerequisite, because, before the time of Adityavarma, the Cirava muppa or the headship of Cirava was a collateral headship in the Odanad kingdom. Thus, the usage possessed very great historical significance.