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 Sucindram Inscription of Ramavarma (Dated 654 M.E.)
The record is written on the wall of the Cembakaraman Mandapa in the Sthanunatha Swami temple at Sucindram and consists of single Sanskrit verse[1], written in Grandha characters.
abde kolambasajñe viśati gavigurau mitrayate tulātye
maitrakṣe senduvāre pratipadi vanitāla?[Ṛ]Mnnake rāmavarmā
kailāsādressutulyaṃ kalitaśuciguṇaṃ śrīmati śrī śucīndre
vañcībhūpālacūḍāmaṇirakṛtapuromaṇḍapaścandramauleḥ ||
The record is dated 654 of the Kolamba era, expressed by the chronogram viśati, the other particulars of the day are Monday, Maithra asterism and Kanni lagna. It also furnishes kali day 1672731 as the corresponding date. The astrological details of the data had been analysed by the R. Narayanan Potti[2].
Kolambabda or Quilon year Visati = 654. Tulam 1, 654 M.E., a Wednesday.
Sun entered Tulam rasi 14 nalikas after sunrise.
Tulam 1, 654 M.E. = Kali day 1672704, Wednesday.
Kali day kailasadressutulyam = 1672731 dawned on a Monday
Udayaphustam = Sun: 6 -25 -49
Moon: 6 -27 -29
Tithi: 0 -1 -35
Visaka asterism: 26 nalikas 45 vinalikas after sunrise on Monday, 1672731 st. Kali day.
First day of bright fortnight (sukla-prathama): 50 nalikas -6 vinalikas after sunrise the same day.
That day in Kanni (Kanya) lagna, the asterism was anilam (anuradha) tithi sukla pratipat (first day of bright fortnight) date 27th Tulam 654 M.E. Monday evening.
Jupiter in Idavam (Rishabham)
27th Tulam 654 M.E. fell in A.D. 1478.
The inscription is of great historical value in many respects. It reveals that in 654 M.E. there was prince named Ramavarma in Venad and the same king is given the attribute vañcībhūpālacūḍāmaṇi it proves that the Cambakaraman Mandapa was constructed by him. The great historical value of the record consist in the fact that it describes Ramavarma, who according to another inscription in the same temple was the senior Tiruvadi of Trippappur at that time, as the vañcībhūpālacūḍāmaṇi. This indicates that the title vañcībhūpāla was applied to the rulers of the Trippappur branch as well. And, in the final analysis it becomes evident that the Trippappur dominian was also called Vanci.
This inscription was first noticed by the Travancore archeological department in its annual report for 1092 M.E. But the term tulādya in the first pada of the verse was given there in as tulāntye in 1930. T.K. Joseph published the next of the inscription again, with some more notes on the date. However, his claim that the inscription was not published before[3] had no connection with truth. The correctful text was published in Travancore Arceological Series in the year 1935.
T.K. Joseph gives a very curious explanation about the cognomen Chempakarama. According to him Cempakaraman is not actually a compound of Cembaka (kind of flower Michelia Cempaka) and Raman (a personal name) but only corrupt from of a Tamil compound Cem-piran or rather of Cem-puran both meaning noble lord or king. But Joseph has not cited atleast one instance of its occurrence in historical documents. His supposition farfetched.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Travancore Arceological Series Vol. VIII P. 23
[2]:
Vide -KSP -Series -3, 1930, P 158
[3]:
T.K. Joseph KSP -series -3, 1930, P 158