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 Quilon inscription of Vira Kerala (Dated 671 M.E.)
The inscription[1] is engraved on the foundation of the Mandapa infront of the Ganapati temple near the tobacco godown at Quilon. It consist of three verses in Sanskrit, written in Grandha characters.
The first verse is mean to express the best of wishes to king Virakerala alias Jayasimha. In the second verse[2] the real purport of the inscription is contained. In the third verse, it is stated that for the worship of the lord of Netrapura Keraleswara promptly executed the command of Kolambesa. These three usages require special mention. The historical work of the inscription consists in identify these three, determining the circumstances inwhich Keraleswara executed the order of the Kolambesa.
Gopinatha Rao who edited the inscription did not give any explanation for the usage Netrapuresa[3]. The only scholar who is known to have tried to identify Netrapura was Prof. Ramapisharoti, according to whom Netrapura was the same as Kannetti[4]. It is held them Netrapura was the name of a temple, located somewhere near Kannetti, it should be had to have been located in Odanad, as the Keralam of the Namboothiri conception terminated with Kannetti and Venad, including Desinganad stretched southwords from Kannetti. That is to say, Kannetti did not form of the part of Venad.
Netrapura seems to be the same as Kannanallur near Quilon. The name of the place is derived from the temple of Krisna located there. The usage Keraleswara occuring in the third verse is often interpreted as the lord of the Kerala country in the literal sense. Gopinath Rao translated Keralasvara as the ‘King of Kerala’[5]. T.K. Velupillai also makes the same interpretation and supposes thereupon that ‘Travancore at that time extend over the northern parts of Kerala’[6]. Kolambesa literally means the lord of Kolamba, or the city of Quilon. In the historical sense Kolambesa means king of Venad. Kolambadesa in the present context means the ruler of Venad. Gopinatha Rao has rendered only the literal translation namely ‘the lord of Kolamba’[7].
This was followed by the reproduction of the text and an ellabarate discussion of the historical importants by K.Ramapisharoti and A.G. Varior in 1940[8]. The record has been referred to and utilized by many scholars such as Venkayya[9], Ganapati Sastri[10], Nagamayya[11], T.K. Veluppillai[12] and Ulloor[13] in their respective studies.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Travancore Administration Report, No. 51 of 1084 M.E.
Travancore Arceological Series Vol. II P.-26 -27
[2]:
kolambe punarekasaṇṭatiyute saṃvatsare ṣaṭśate
nityaprajñāmunisthitetha mithune bhānau tulāyāṃ gurau
govindaṃ vṛṣabhebhyaṣecayadanurādhe mahūrte śubhe
śrīmannetrapure avatātsanavatāṃ prāpte ciraṃ no vibhuḥ |
[3]:
Travancore Arceological Series Vol II PP -26 -27
[4]:
Indian Historical Quarterly Vol XVI March 1940 P. 148 “we are inclined to identify Netrapura with Kannetti some time the southern limit of the dominion of the Perumpatappu Muppil”.
[5]:
Travancore Arceological Series Vol. II P 27
[6]:
Travancore State Manual Vol. II P 51
[7]:
Travancore Arceological Series Vol. II P 27
[8]:
Indian Historical Quarterly Vol. XV PP -145 -165
[9]:
Epi In. Vol IV Pp 290 -97
[10]:
Introduction to the Pradyumnabyudaya Travancore Sanskrit Series No. 7
[11]:
Travancore State Manual Vol. I. P. 278
[12]:
Travancore State Manual Vol. II P. 149
[13]:
Vinjanadeepika Vol. I. PP 88 -101