5. The Kama-sandesa by Matridatta

Kamasandesa^[1], a poem devided into two parts and containing respectively 66 and 69 stanzas is composed by Matrdatta^[2] of Melpattur, Grammarian-poet Narayanabhatt of the same illustrious house. The hero who was enjoying the company of his wife. Suddenly taken away by a raksas to Cidambaram. There he meets Kamadeva and requests him to take a message to his wife Candralaksmi at Tirunavaya.

The poet describes places, shrines, kingdoms, mountains, rivers while detailing the course. The route from Cidambaram to Tirunavaya passes through the holy places like Sivaganga, Kaveri, Kandaramannkkam, Madhyarjunam, (Tiruvitalmarattur) Kumbhakonam, Srirangam, Konkan, Perur-temple near Coimbature, Sahya mountain, the region called Mangalam, Trichur, Istakroda (Tirumittakroda), Kurukshetra (Jukapura), Ambasaila (Kotikkunnu) Amlasaila(Velliyamkallu), Bharatapula, Tirunava The king Ramavarma of Cochin We get reference to a Ramavarma of Cochin twice in the Kama-sandesha .

First it is said that he abolished the toll system in regard to the Kaveri river—

yātrāśulkaṃ sakalajagatāmasti yatra prabhūtaṃ
tatrasthaistairnṛpatipaśubhirbhujyamānaṃ balena |
māṭakṣoṇīvalabhidakhilatrāṇanaipuṇyacuñcu
rduvāraṃ yat praśamitakathaṃ nirmame rāmavarmā (Kama-sandesa I -33)

Ullur identified this river as the northern branch of Kaveri called Kollidam^[3]. This historical incident is not recorded in the history of Cochin. But some arrangements regarding tolls made between the king of Cochin and the Portuguese about so years after the advent of the Portuguese in Cochin is seen^[4].

The work also states that he built a palace a little to the north of Trichur.

kācit saumyāṃ diśi punarato rājadhānī samindhe
sṛṣṭā rājñā prathitayaśasā rāmavarmābhidhena |
rāme svargaṃ gatavati cirādākulā satyayoddhyā
yadrūpotthā śamayati śucaṃ tena vaidhavyajālam || (Kamasandesa I-57)

The histories of Cochin do not seem to record the construction of a palace near Trissur by any Ramavarma. But the residence of the kings of Cochin at Trichur in 16th C. and the existences of an old palace of medieval structure in the heart of the town is noted^[5]. It is also stated that the town and palace were fortified in 1774 AD by mud walls and trenches^[6].

This Ramavarma can be identified with Kesava Ramavarma (1764-1601 AD) the most celebrated ruler of Kochi during the period of the Portuguese settlement. He was the patron of many poets and men of letters. He went on a pilgrimage to Banars in his old age and died there. An inscription dated 1575 AD seen in the Cidambaram temple, says that a king of Kochi donated 32 plates in 1576 AD and gave five villages in 1593 AD to the Cidambaram temple^[7]. The Ramavarma mentioned in Kamasandesa is most probably this king.

A greedy king having the name Vira is mentioned in the Kama-sandesa ^[8]. He is stated here as the ruler of the countries to the north of the river Kaveri in the cola country. Dr. S. Venkitasubrahmania Iyer identified this Vira with the king Virappa Nayaka of Madura (1572-1595 AD)^[9] Kamasandesha refers to one Acyuta as ruling the region to the northern part of the river Kaveri. He is described here as an evil king^[10]. This king is identified with the Achyutappa Nayak of Tanjore (1560-1614 AD)

The Nayaka of Palghat

After passing the Palakkad gap Kama-sandesa speaks of a Nayaka king (A Nair ruler of Kerala).He is wealthy, docile and unrivalled in quality.

It is stated.—

teṣu śrīmānanupamaguṇo dakṣiṇo nāyako namorvinātho bhavati bhavatā takṣitiḥ pūrvagamyā |
yasyāstāvatmadana! sutanordakṣiṇodīcyahāryau tuṅgau kvacit pṛthutarakucadvandvaśobhāṃ vidhataḥ || (Kamasandesa I-48)

Ullur^[11] says that by the term—dakṣiṇodīcyahāryau—in the stanza mentions the two places called Tenmallapura and Vatamalappura and Palakkad had the name Vatemalappura. Ullur and Vatakkumkur said that this Nayaka might be a king of Palakkad^[12]. Nairs are the kings of Palakkad and they are known as ‘Sekharivarmans’^[13]. The chronological account of the Palakkad kings are not available now.

The Zamorins of Calicut

In this work contains a reference to a zamorin of Calicut, who built the big kitchen and dining hall to the north of the Visnu shrine at Tirunavaya^[14]. The Zamorin is entitled in this work as Kunnalakkonathiri on Lord of Hills and Waves. This poem speaks also the Mahamagha festival and of the Zamorin who presided over it. The Zamorin of Calicut used to witness the great Mahamagha festival standing by the side of the banian tree near a hill^[15]. The ruler is often identified with Manavikrama, who occupied the Chaliyam fort in the second half of the 16th A.D.

Other reputed persons mentioned in K.S.

A Brahmin poet having name Mangala in the village Mangalam is mentioned in the K.S. Vatakkumkur identified this Mangalam Village with the famous Killikurissimangalam^[16], near Lakkidi, but the Mangalam poet is unknown of course, he was a Nambutiri Brahmin since the Nambutiris often used to call each other by their family names. Even now there are families among them with the name Mangalam. So it can be believed that the another Vasudeva speaks of the poet with the family name Mangalam. His real name is not known from the reference.

At the end of this work the author refers to a Brahmin scholar called Nilakantha living somewhere in the north of the village Kodikkunnu. This scholar is described in the poem as an incarnation of Bodhayana for the reestablishment of Dharma^[17]. Ullur^[18] conjectures that this Nilakantha might be the famous Thaikkattu Yogiyar, the author of the Praisabhasya and Smartaprayascitta.

Communities

The Brahmins living on the Southern banks of the river Kaveri which is under the rule of Acyutappa Nayak is mentioned in the K.S. There the study of vedas dwindled among the Brahmins and the chanting of it is seldom heard. The evening adoration also became rare among them^[19]. On the other hand, a Brahmin Agrahara at Kandamanikya is mentioned in the poem. We get reference to the great Brahmins living Tirumittekkoda at that time from the K.S. It is said in the poem that the Brahmin there acquired hounourable positions in their society by performing sacrifices. They are referred to here as “the Gods of earth”^[20]. The greatness of the Brahmins at ‘Sukapura is also extolled in the Kamasandesa . It is stated that the fame of Kerala as ‘Brahmaksetra’ is not lost even a little by the invasion Ksatriyas became of the traditionally endowed duties of the Brahmin at Sukapura^[21]. They are proficient in all branches of knowledge^[22].

The Kama-sandesa refers to a market near Palakkad^[23]. we get reference to the Svamiyarmathas in Trichur. The saints there are mentioned as experts in Vedanta^[24].

The legendary history of Palakkad pass ascribes its origin to invincible Parasurama. He found it impossible to bring the inhabitants for his own land of Kerala, as the mountain to the east were impossible with his axe he cut the chasm in the Ghats to provide a route it is known as Palakkad pass of about 20 miles broad. This puranic legend is early depicted in the Kama-sandesa ^[25].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Travancore Sanskrit Series No. 204 -1963 -Journal of Oriental Research, Madras Madras Vol. XXII -Maharaja’s palace library 62 -65

[2]:

According to Venkita Subrahmania Iyyer this work is by Melpattur Matrudattabhatta. For details vide Melpattur Narayanabhatta, Journal of Oriental Research, Madras 28—1958-1959, PP 61-67—Kama-sandesa introduction P. 4

[3]:

Sahityaparishat Traimasikam Vol. X -P 366

[4]:

C. Achutamenon, Cochin State manual, 1911 P 52

[5]:

Gazetter of India -Kerala -Triccur-Sridhara Menon 1962, P 623

[6]:

C. Accutamenon -Op.cit -P 398

[7]:

Daksinendiayile ksetrangal, K.K. Menon 1971 P. 130

[8]:

Kama-sandesa I -34

[9]:

Vide R. Satyanadha Iyyer, History of the Nayakas of Madras, 1924 PP 77-84

[10]:

Kamasandesa I -35

[11]:

Sahityaparishat Traimasikam Vol. X -P 370

[12]:

Ibid, Keraleya Samskrita Sahitya Caritram Vol III -P 245

[13]:

Studies in Kerala History -P 195

[14]:

Kama-sandesha II -3

[15]:

Kama-sandesa II -8 -9

[16]:

Keraleya Samskrita Sahitya Caritram Vol. III -P 245

[17]:

Kamasandesha I -64

[18]:

Kerala Sahitya Caritram, Ullur Vol. III -P 652

[19]:

Kamasandesa I -36

[20]:

Kama-sandesa I -60

[21]:

Ibid 61

[22]:

Ibid 62

[23]:

Ibid 50

[24]:

Ibid 58

[25]:

Ibid 47