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.
Tiruvitancode Inscription of Vira Iravi Varma
This inscription in Sanskrit verse written in Malayalam characters in engraved on the north wall of the Mandapa infront of the Siva temple at Tiruvitamcode[1]. It consists of 5 stanzas.
The first stanza says—
“In the kollam year expressed by the chronogram dvipāde (ie. in the year 814), when the son had risen to Vedabhaga (when it had passed four days), i.e., on the fifth day of Midhuna, on the day of the 13th Tithi of the bright half (of the moon) when the star was Anuradha, in Kharakarana, and Sidhayoga, Ravivarma the lord of the Yadavas, having renovated the temple of Vatakrodadeva, performed the purification ceremony according to the prescribed rule[2].
In the last stanza it has been revealed that the stanzas are the composition of one Balarama of the Vatamulageha. Since the king figuring in this inscription is known from many other records such as the Padmanabhapuram inscritpion of 798 M.E. etc. But the last stanza which speaks of the Vatamulageha is of great importance for the purposes of history.
The stanza is following:
śrīpādamūlahite vaṭamūlagehe viśiṣṭāśucitā juṣibālarāma
ślokānimānakṛta sokalākalāpa pādāravindarajasā pariśuddhacetāḥ ||
Here Sripada is taken to mean the Sreepadam svarupam or the Attingal svaroopam and Vatamulageha is identified with the Vatasseri Illam, which is famous as one of the Tavalis of Venad. The word Mulam is taken to mean the original. Thus the usage presents the compact idea that Balarama, the author belonged to the Vatasseri illam of the Travancore royal line.
Five Sanskrit inscriptions are met with in the region of Kochi for analysing there historical relevents. Four of them having direct reference about the rulers of Kochi. The Kochi region inscriptions are found related to the rulers, Koda Iravi (Trppunittura [Thrippunithura?]), Paliyasa, the Minister of Kochi (Tiruvanchikulam [Thiruvanchikulam?] and Cennamangalam) and Ramavarma Saktan Tampuran (Trppunittura [Thrippunithura]).
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Travancore Arceological Series Vol. VI PP -78 -80
[2]:
Ibid