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.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
The Varkala inscription of Martandavarma (Dated 655 M.E.)
This is written on the base of the Mandapa infront of the Janardanaswami temple at Varkala, Trivandrum District.
It consists of a single verse in Sanskrit, in Grandha characters.—
kolambe mamateti vatsaragate māse vṛṣārdhe gurorvārebhe mṛgaśīrṣake vidhitithau siṃhe ca lagne śubhe
snānaṃ samyagakāryad dvijavarai śrīvaikadhāmno hareśrīśauryādiguṇānvitassa matimān mārtāṇḍadhātrīpatiḥ ||
The date of the inscription[1] is mamata in the Kolamba era. The chronogram mamata denotes 655. The ceremony recorded[2] in the inscription was performed about midday of Thursday, the 11th May 1480 AD. The inscription records that on the auspicious occasion mentioned above, King Marthandavarma caused the deity of the temple to be bathed by Brahmins. Martandavarma is described as dhātrīpati, matimān, śrī śauryādiguṇānvitaḥ
The historical importance of the inscription lies on the fact that its speaks of a ruler named Marthanda Varma, who flourished in 655 M.E. in Venad of course, the dynastic relation of the king is not indicated in the record, as the word dhātrīpati is too general a term to denote a particular collateral branch of the royal house.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
The inscription had been edited and pub. by Keilhorn in 1896 -97
[2]:
Epi-In. Vol. IV P-204