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.
15. Other Mahakavyas describing Kerala
The Raghuvamsa of Kalidasa which contains a beautiful description of Kerala bears evidence of the fact that the land had become familiar to writers in the north by the fourth century AD[1]. We can see references to the legend of Parsurama’s creation of Kerala from the sea[2].
Ramavarma is the author of Bharatasangraha[3]. In the beginning of this Mahakavya the poet has referred to his royal line breifly tracing the history. Some of the proteges of later Kolathiri’s have referred to their patrons. Srikantha-variyar, Raghava Variyar and Sankara kavi are prominent among them.
In the introductory portion of the work, the author gives the following information.
guṇākaraḥ keralavarmanāmā satena dattaṃ, pratipadya rājyaṃ |
śaśvat prajārañjana jāgarūko narmūlayāmāsa madaṃ ripūṇām ||
jagannivāsaṃ hṛdaye dadhanā mudā kadācinnija bhāgineyam |
rāmavarmāṇamuvāca kāvyaṃ vidhīyatāṃ bhāratasaṃgrahākhyam ||
In the royal family having Elimala as its capital, there was a queen named Mahaprabha. Her son Ravivarma was the king for a long time and after his death his younger brother Kerala Varma ascended the throne. It was at the instance of this Kerala Varma that the poem was written. The author, Rama Varma, was a nephew of Kerala Varma. From the records available at Chirakkal palace it is known that this prince Ramavarma died in 1443 AD. Kerala Varma became the king of Kolattunadu in 1423 AD, and ruled over the country till his death in 1446 AD. So the prince must have composed his work between 1423 and 1443 AD.
The extant manuscript of the poem, which deals mainly with the story of the Mahabharata breaks off in the middle of the 25th Canto. The style of the poem is very simple, but not very graceful.
Matabhupala-carita[4] by Raghavavarma Tampuran of Panthalam is a historical kavya consists of 10 cantos. Raghava Varma belonged to the Pantalam royal family. He was born in 1874 AD in the Cerukkayil palace of Pandalam. His father was Vasudevan Nambootiri of Kizhappurattu Illam in Panaccakkattukara in Kottayam, and his mother was Revathinal Tanvangi Tampuratti (of Pantalam Royal Family)
It is a biography upto the Sastyabdapurthi of king Ramavarma Maharaja of Cochin. In the poem there is a reference to the king Cera who is traditionally supposed to be the first king of the Cochin Royal family.
Pariksid-vijaya[5] of Ramasvami Sastri of Kalpati is a historical Kavya consists of 10 cantos. The author was a great scholar and is said to have flourished somewhere between 1855 and 1925 AD. He is belong to Kalpati in Palakkad.
It is a biography on the last of the Cochin king Ramavarma Tampuran popularly known as Parikshit Tampuran (1897-1965 AD). This king was great scholar in Tarka also a good writer in Sanskrt. This kavya is not available to us this work is only known to us by great scholar Vatakkumkur.
Manavikrama-samutiri-carita[6] is a historical kavya by Vasunni Musat (1855 1914 AD) which gives the life history of the Zamorin king Manavikrama Ettan Tampuran. (1845-1915) The kavya gives history of the king and throws much light on the history of the king and historical evidence of that time. So it is highly useful in making the history of Kerala.
The Balyudbhava or Mahendra Vijaya[7] by Godavarma Yuvaraja is a Mahakavya in 16 cantos by the king poet Godavarma Yuvaraja of Kotunnnallur (1800 -1815 AD) it is historical in nature.
Pariksit-carita[8] (laghugita) of Acyutapotuval K. on the life of Ramavarma Pariksit Tampuran of Cochin in 4 cantos.
Angalasamrajya[9] by A.R. Rajaraja Varma is a historical kavya of the 19th century AD. This is completely free from legendary matter and gives as a true history of British India. It contains 23 cantos and 1910 verses and depicting really the British period in India. So it is highly useful for the, makers of Kerala history.
The above survey enables us to trace a rough outline of the changing ideas on history in Kerala.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
bhayotsṛṣyavibhūṣāṇām tena keralayoṣitām |
alakeṣu camūreṇu ścūrṇā pratinidhīkṛtāḥ ||
[3]:
[4]:
The Manuscript of these works are not available. A brief account of the work is known to us from the scholar Vatakkumkur. It must have been composed after 1912 AD.—For detail see Kerala Sahitya Caritram, Ullur IV -P 683; Keraleya Samskrita Sahitya Caritram VI -P 234 -237
[5]:
Keraleya Samskrita Sahitya Caritram VI -P 412, he quotes only one line—parīkṣitāsīdavanipatermahān
[6]:
Manuscript of this work is not available, vide Kerala Sahitya Caritram, Ullur IV 741 -747; Keraleya Samskrita Sahitya Caritram IV 574-581
[7]:
Manuscript of the work is not available
Kerala Sanskrit Literature -P 248
Vatakkumkur says that the work is in 12 cantos.
Keraleya Samskrita Sahitya Caritram IV -P 318; Kerala Sahitya Caritram, Ullur IV -P 370
[8]:
Pub. by the author Trppunittura 1958
Vide Kerala Sanskrit Literature P 271;
Keraleya Samskrita Sahitya Caritram VI P 435