10. The Vancidravilasa of Sankara Subrahmania Sastri

Vancidravilasa^[1] of Sankara Subrahmania Sastri is a biographical poem in eight cantos on the life of Srimulam Tirunal Maharaja of Travancore (1885 to 1924AD). He was born in 1858 AD native of Ambasamudram in Tamil Nadu and was born in 1882, as the son of Padmanabha Jyotisi and Minakshi Amma. He had his education at Madras and his subjects of specialization were grammar and Ayurveda. He had served as a Sanskrit pandit for 30 years in the St. Joseph’s High School at Trivandrumm. Sastri is a good writer of Sanskrit prose and verse^[2]. He handles the both with equal and fluency. Among his works, the Vancidravilasa in the best one. He passed away on the 30th May of 1946 AD.

It finds mention in the Travancore State Manual (Rev) T.K. Velu Pillai, its author, speaking about the literature produced on the Sastyabdapurti of Srimulam Tirunal refers to the Vancidra-vilasa in the following words.

‘Many poems were composed in honour of the event in Sanskrit and Malayalam. Mangalamanjari^[3] is prominent among the Malayalam poems. Among the Sanskrit works regarding the Sastipurthi is the Vancidravilasam, a poem in eight cantos^[4].

The name of the author has not been mentioned in the manual.

The work is to give an account of the life of Srimulam Tirunal upto his 60th year of age. To quote his own words.

prāyaśo'tra kathāneturjanmaprabhṛtayaḥ śrutāḥ
vṛttānte ṣaṣṭipūrtyantāḥ viśadaṃ pratipāditāḥ ||

A noteworthy feature of the composition is that it is free from all attempts to give an embellished account of the hero.

The first canto gives an account of Srimulam Tirunal’s life from his birth to the attainment of the position of Yuvaraja or heir -apparent. He was born on the 11th day of Bhadrapada in the year 1033 M.E. in the Vancisvaranvaya. His mother was princess Lakshmi sister of Ayilyam Tirunal and Visakham Tirunal Maharajas of Travancore.

This is indicated in the verse

yasya mātā viśāṃpatyorviśākhāśleṣa bhūpayoḥ
sahajātābhavallakṣmīriti khyātā satāṃ matā ||

In the year 1047 M.E. Sir. T. Madhava Rao, who was responsible for all the progress of Travancore was retired from service. His retirement and the appointment of the new Devan have been alluded to in three verses^[5].

In his 22nd year of age Srimulam Tirunal took a consort from the Nagercoil Ammavidu. The lady was named Anatalakshmi, to be identified with Anantalaksmi Ponnamma.

That was been indicated in the following verse^[6].

atha dvāviṃśati................

The marriage took place on 3rd Medam 1055 M.E. within six month after that Ayilyam Tirunal, at whose instance the marriage was arranged left his mortal coils. Visakham Tirunal succeeded to the throne, and in turn Srimulam Tirunal became the heir-apparent. On 20th Menam, 1057 ME, Anandalakshmi, Srimulam Tirunal’s lady, gave birth to a son and passed away the same night.

On the death of Vishakham Tirunal, Srimulam Tirunal became Maharaja. Then he was 28 years old. Under his orders, the Minister Rama, to be identified with Dewan the honorable V. Ramayyangar, conducted a general survey and settlement of lands in the state. The Vyavaharasabha or the judicial court was re-organized what is meant here is the separation of the executive and the judiciary. A text was introduced for the Nyayavadins. On the retirement of Ramayyengar, Dewan Peshkar Rama Rao had been longing for the position^[7].

As part of the golden jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria many programmes had been organised in the state capital. Important among them was the felicitation meeting held under the presidentship of princess Parvati Bayi Bharani Tirunal, who read out a paper on the life of Victoria. An address of felicitation was sent to Victoria from its meeting. The Maharaja donated Rs. 10,000/-to the imperial institute, London, set up at the jubilee memorial. Also, an amount of Rs. 2,000/-was denoted to the Victoria technical institute, Madras at TVM, the Victoria jubilee town hall was built, and at Quilon, a High School and a hospital for women and children were started. A number of works of art in gold and ivory were sent to Victoria. The heir apparent of Cochin paid a visit to him in TVM. At Tvm Srimulam Tirunal established what is called the prakasavyakhyanasubha (prakāśavyākhyānasabhā) or the public lecture committee, the members of which were paid Rs. 1000/-per annum. Mr. Cannimora, Governor of Madras visited the state in the next year. To commemorate the visit, a panyavithika (paṇyavīthikā) was built in TVM. Panyavithika stands for market, and it may be identified with the Cannemora market, Tvm. In 1063 M.E., the girls school was re-organised and placed under mukhyopadeśikā or head-mistress. The Laksadipa was celebrated with great pomp. In the month of Makaram, 1063 M.E. he undertook a tour to Bombay via Poona.

Afterwards, the king, with the help of the Dewan, introduced many reforms. Seeing the neglected state of Sanskrit education in the state, he started a skt college, and appointed Kerala Varma Valiya Koyittamuran as its inspector. Seeing the popular interest in Ayurveda he started the āyurvedapāṭhaśālā at TVM and sanctioned a scheme for grants-in-aid, to be paid to private practitioners in Ayurveda. Then, he instituted the niyamanirmāṇasamiti to be identified with the legislative council. In the year 1064 M.E. Queen Victoria bestowed in him the title of G.C.S.I. The ivory carving centre started by Visakham Tirunal was developed into the school of arts. Stamp papers of lower denominations were issued. In Makaram 1065 M.E. the Maharaja undertook a tour to upper India and visited places like Varanasi, Delhi and Culcutta. At Culcutta, he met the victory Lord Lansdowne. Qualified persons were recruited to the Vanabhaga, to be identified with the forest department. Also, many Prakasakaryasthanas and Vidyagrahas, to be identified with public officers and scholars respectively, were started. Qualified persons were appointed to the Vaidyavibhaga, to be identified with the Medical Department. In Tulam 1066 ME he went to Ramesvaram on a pilgrimage. In the next year prince Asvati Tirunal Martanda Varma passed the B.A. Degree examination.

About this the following has been said in the Kavya.

atha bīe -parīkṣāyāmavāptavijayassatāṃ
mānyo mārtāṇḍavarmā naḥ kṣmāvāsavam anūmudat |
caturbhujaṅga prāvāra birudaprāptireva sā
asya prācīkaṭacchṛddhānadhītāvadhikanprabhoḥ
na kevalaṃ bhāratīyāḥ āṅgalāśca vipaścitaḥ
āślādyantatamāṃ rājasūnorvijayamasya taṃ
bhāratīya kṣamāvāsyeṣvasyetaṃ prathamo jayaḥ
ślāghyo'sau vañcivāstavyān ānandabharitān vyabhāt
svānandadyotakathayā svaśrīyāya kṣamādhavaḥ
dve ratnakarṇike prādāt grantharatnāni cādarāt ||

From this, it is known that Srimulam Tirunal, nephew Martanda Varma Asvati Tirunal passed the B.A. examination and became the first graduate prince of India. His great distinction was cheered not only by eminent Indians, but also by European Scholars. The Maharaja in due appreciation of the meritorious success of his nephew presented him a pair of ear -studs made of gems in addition to a gift of books. Then he celebrated the Painkuni Arat, performed the Tulapurusadana and issued the Tulabharakkasu bearing the conch-mark on one side and it legend Sripadmanabha on the other.

The establishment of the juvenile delinquency school is referred to in this verse.

atha dhīmān parihartuṃ durvṛttamaparādhināṃ
bālānāmatra mulendro vidyāśālāmatiṣṭhipat ||

This was followed by the retirement of Rama Rao from Dewanship. In 1088 Sankara Subhha Iyer was appointed Dewan. Hannyngton was substituted by Grigy in the residency. Sankara Subba Iyer and Grigy jointly tried to re-organise the education Department. The construction of the Pechchippara dam was completed in the year. Princess Parvati Bayi passed away in the same year. Sometime after that the Maharaja performed the Padmagarbha ceremony. Then, he constructed the Krsnavilasam palace. He started the normal school, at the expense of one lakh of rupees, and also the law college at Tvm. The five major towns, Tvm, Nagarcoil, QUilon, Kottayam and Allappey were declared conservancy towns. The vaccination Department was placed under a new head, the svasthyadhikarin to be identified with the sanitary commissioner.

The opening of the Agricultural Demonstration Farm^[8] at Trivandrum has been alluded to in the following verse^[9].

kṛṣikṛtyabhivṛdhyarthaṃ matimānatra maṇḍale
akalpayadathāsmāka bhūpo ramyaṃ kṛṣisthalaṃ
navarītya kāryamāṇā kṛṣistatra virājate
atratyanāṃ karṣakānāṃ bahūnāṃ mārgadarśikā ||

In 1071 M.E. the Maharaja went to Madras to meet the viceroy Lord Elgin. About that time prince Revati Tirunal Kerala Varma met with an untimely death. In 1072 M.E. the Diamond Jubilee of Victoria was celebrated with great enthusiasm. In order to commemorate the event the Maharaja established a Library (The Tvm Public Library), a poormen’s asylum, and a hospital for women and children placing the hospital under the charge of a lady doctor, a measure adopted for the first time in the state. Some of the prisoners were released. In Tulam 1073 M.E., the Madras Governor, Sir Artur Havelok, visited the state capital and in consequence the Maharaja paid a return visit to Madras. The other benevolent deeds of the Maharaja included the establishment of a leprosy sanitorium, institution of chatravrtti or Sircar scholarship for medical students, grants to Bhasajasalas (Hospitals), reorganization of the patraropanavibhaga (Registration department) formation of a Sabha(Committee) for purapariṣkārakārya (Town improvement) and starting the scheme of rājanirdeśarakṣābhoga (Government life insurance).

Special mention has to be made of the opening of new schools for children of the depressed castes.

tadanvavarajātānāṃ vidyābhyāsāya nītimān
pāṭhaśālāstatra tatra samadṛṣṭirakalpayat ||

The expression samadṛṣṭiḥ. applied to Srimulam Tirunal is very significant. He is often pictured by adverse critics as a conservative Hindu, adamant to social reform and opposed to progressive changes. But the fact remains that he was the patron of the malayālīsabhā that labored for the social advancement of the Nairs. He was also the patron of the Citrasabha which rendered excellent Service for the uplift of the toiling Pulayas. He declared open all public roads for all castes of perople, including the untouchable outcasts. He removed the restrictions on the admission of children of the lowcastes to public schools. And, it was he who granted vast tracts of land to the Ezhava organisation, the SNDP Yogam. Therefore the appellation Samadrsti applied to Srimulam Tirunal is quite appropriate.

Krsnasvami to be identified with Dewan Bhahadur Krishnaswami Rao, CIE, succeeded to Dewanship. He had thirteen years of service in the state, and even held the high place of chief justice, a fact not known from other sources. He completed the project of Vatakadipa or gas -light. A new coin, the Tamracakra (copper cakra) was issued.

An important event in the private life of the Maharaja wa his taking a second consort. After along time from the death of his first lady, he took another spouse whose name has not been specified.

vyatītaṃ kāryamuddiśya paścāttāpo nirarthakaḥ
na hi patnīsamaḥ kaścit sahāyo dharmasaṃgrahe |
iti sañcintya matimān anurūpā matātmanaḥ
kāścit sīmantinīmaṅgīcakāra sahadharmiṇām || (VI-14-15)

A few days after his return to Tvm he appointed Anantarama Iyer as the Fouzdari commissioner.

About the event and Anantarama Iyer, the author says.

athātithe katipaye divase madraśāsanāt
sthanamudrā kāpyanantarāmāya prahitādarāt
asau dhīmān kṣamājānerāśritatrāyako'sya naḥ
ārabhya bālyād vyalasat dvitīyamiva jīvitam
idameva sthanamudrādānamasmaddharāśitūḥ
asminnakṛtrimaṃ snehaṃ nivadayati tādṛśam || (VI-62-63)

Inthispassage madraśśāsanā means order of the Madras Government. sthanamudrā stands for appointment. The references to the appointment of Anantarama Iyer alias Saravana is very important for history, because this is perhaps the only known mention of his in a historical composition. Generally he thrives in the tongues of adverse critics. The ‘mesmeric influence’ of Saravana on the Maharaja and his indue importance in the state provoked biting criticism not only from the vernacular press but also from the English newspapers of Madras and elsewhere. G. Parameswaran Pillai violently criticized his misdeeds. He wrote extensive in English papers burning articles and reports craving for the expulsion of Saravana whom he called the ‘ICB’ or to ‘illiterate cook boy’. The main charge against him was that, though he was an unworthy poet, a menial in the palace kitchen, he made the Maharaja dance to his tune. The facts behind this “mesmeric influence” on the ‘slavish’ Maharaja has not been revealed by any author. The Vancidravilasa gives us a peep, though delicate into the circumstances in which the illiterate sub-took became the ‘real king’ of the state.

The text tells us that Saravana and the Maharaja were attached to each other from their very childhood. The mind of a child cannot distinguish the catagories of men. To the Maharaja, Saravana was not a soul different from his own. This piece of scanty information is grand eloquent and speaks the truth behind the slavish attachment of the Raja to Saravana.

In Tulam 1079 ME, Sir. A. Seshayya Sastri, formerly Devan of Travancore passed away, and the Maharaja sent a Vidyut Sandesa or telegraphic message to the friends of the deceased expressing his great. In Makaram 1079 M.E. the ruler of Cochin paid a visit to the Maharaja at Tvm.

The retirement of Krishnasvami Rao, on payment of a handsome pension, is indicated thus^[10] :

sumatimati kṛtajñāmeva kṛṣṇaṃ
hyamitavasūni vitīrya bhavamaṃsta

In this verse, Krsna stands for Krishnaswami Rao. The usage amitavasūni indicates the handsome amount of pension sanctioned to him.

The important historical information contained in the last line cantos are the following.

(i) In Medam 1079 M.E. V.P. Madhava Rao was appointed Dewan. Before that he was counsellor to the Maharaja of Mysore. He set apart a large amount to the time of six lakhs of rupees for the advancement of education.

(ii) Under orders of Srimulam Tirunal, the Dewan established the state legislature known as the Srimulam popular assembly^[11].

atha prajāsabhāṃ dhīman śrīmūlapadabhūṣaṇaṃ
śrīmūlendranideśena samadiṣṭipadādarāt

(iii) The tax in terms of paddy was stopped and in its place the system of tax payable in cash (ie. the rupee) or the Mudrika was introduced.

(iv) In Medam 1080 M.E. the Maharaja went to Madras.

(v) In Kumbham 1080 ME, the Rajah of Benaras visited Travancore.

(vi) In 1081 M.E. the people of Travancore celebrated the 20th anniversary of Srimulam Tirunal coronation.

Mahadeva Rao left Travancore service and assumed the Dewanship of Mysore. His immediate successor was Rajarama Rao, to be identified with Vellimisa Rajarama Rao (the silver-bearded Rajarama Rao)

In Medam 1081, Puradam Tirunal Lakshmi Bayi was married to Rama Varma Koyittampuran. Rajarama Rao’s acting service to a close as S. Gopalachariar assumed charge as Devan in Cingam 1082 M.E.

In Medam 1082 M.E. Mulam Tirunal Setu Parvati Bayi was married to Ravi Varma Koyittampuran.

In Kanni 1083 M.E., R.C. Dutt visited Travancore. He spoke very high of the Maharaja.

Gopalachariar was relieved and the place filled by P. Rajagopalachari in Tulam 1083 M.E. Before that, he was Devan of Gosripura (Kochin) on 12th Dhanu 1085 M.E. Jagadguru Sri. Sankaracharya visited Tvm on his way to Kalady.

The Maharaja’s daughter, to be identified with Bhagavatipilla Coccamma, born in Panappilla Kartyayani Pilla Ammacci of Vadasseri Ammavidu was given in marriage to Godavarman Tirumulpadu. In Cingam 1086 M.E., the silver jubilee of the coronation of Srimulam Tirunal was celebrated.

In Vrscikam 1087 M.E. the coronation of George V.as king emperor was celebrated at Delhi, and Srimulam Tirunal was present in the grant Durbar.

On 22nd Tulam 1088 ME, Parvati Bayi gave birth to Sri Utram Tirunal Rama Varma.

In Medam 1089 M.E. Rajagopalachari was retired from Dewanship, and was succeeded by Sir. M. Krishnan Nair who was then chief Justice of Travancore.

The new Devan established the panchayath court.

Srimulam Tirunal attained his 60th year of age and the ṣaṣṭyabdapūrti was being celebrated in the whole of the state and state capital with great joy and public enthusiasam, when Sankara Subrahmanya Iyer composed the Vancidravilasa.

In conclusion it has to be observed that the Vancidravilas is essentially a historical chronicle in verse. The author is scrupulously particular in giving only the exact facts. He has said nothing ambiguous. The dates, with a few exceptions, are correct. His allusions are, as a whole, specific.

In short, the Vancidra-vilasam is a unique composition on history, not equalled by the Visakhavijayam in the abundance of details and pointed references^[12].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Tvm 1970. Then pub. with short foot notes by the author himself.

[2]:

His other works are Bharata kaumudi, Kerala kalidasa carita (pub. by the author)—Vidhi vilasam (pub), Laksadweepa prasamsa, Narada naipuni (pub), Samskrita chandrika, Jagadgunastava, Vivahamangalasamsa and Gadyaramayana

[3]:

Ullur -Pub. at Tvm, 1006 ME

[4]:

Travancore State Manual -Vol. II -P 709

[5]:

atha vañcidharāsampadabhivṛdhyādihetukaḥ
svamantrivṛttervyaranmanīṣī sa hi mādhavaḥ |
ameyaguṇadhāmaiṣā āśleṣakṣitivajriṇaḥ
sacivyamadbhutaṃ tanvan khyātaśloko vyabhāttamām ||
satīrthyo mādhavasyātra sa śeṣastatpadaṃ mahān
abhūṣayan vañciviśvambharāhariharājñayā || I-41-43

[6]:

atha dvāviṃśati samāssamadṛk sammatassatāṃ
ayaṃ svamātulāśleṣakṣamā parivṛṭhājñayā
nāgālayapurakṣmāpavaṃśābdhi kamalāyitām
upāyanstāmantalakṣmīṃ jitalakṣmīṃ tanuśriyā || I-57-58

[7]:

cirādabhipsitasthanalābhātha saṃhṛṣṭamānasaḥ
sa dhāmānājñayā yajñaḥ prajākṣemaṅkaro abhavat || (III-2)

[8]:

To be identified with the Agricultural farm at Nirmankara, near Karamana,Tvm

[9]:

Vancindravilasa -V -34 -35

[10]:

Vancindravilasa -VI -71

[11]:

Vancindravilasa -VII -10

[12]:

For more details see -Sanskritic sources -K. Mahesvaran Nair, 1983, Pp 215-236—Keraleya Samskrita Sahitya Caritram -VI -212 -214: KSLB P 402