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.
6. Samudrabandha’s commentary on the Alankarasarvasva
Samudrabhanda[1], one of the court poets of Ravi Varma Kulasekhara alias Sangramadhira, is famous as the author of a commentory on the Alankarasarvasva[2].
At the opening of the commentary, Samudrabandha describes the circumstances under which the commentary was written by him. The author was a member of Ravi Varma’s court. Once some scholars informed Ravi Varma of the many excellent qualities of the work Alankara Sarvasva of Mankha which was in the form of a Vrtti on Rajanaka Ruyyakas Alankara Sarvasva. Also, they prayed that king Ravi Varma himself should write a suitable commentary on Mankhuka’s work. Ravi Varma’s learned exposition on Mankhuka’s treatise has been recorded in the form of a book by Samudra bandha.
T. Ganapati Sastri rightly identified this Ravi Varma with Sangramadhira Ravivarma of Quilon[3].
The historically useful passages in the commentary are contained in two textual portion namely the introduction in verse and the illustrative verses. The introduction has, besides the first benedictory stanza, 17 verses. At first Samudra bandha describes the city of Kolamba or Quilon, which has been compared with Alakavati, Ayodhya, Bhogavati, and Amaravati. This carries three verses.
Then the poet describes king Ravi Varma who rulers over the earth from Quilon.
vibhūṣayan purīmenāṃ yaduvaṃśavibhūṣaṇaṃ
ravivarmeti vikhyāto rājā śāsti vasundharām |
Then the poet takes five stanzas to extol the king. The ostentation is too general, lacking specific points of historical value.
The introduction by Samudrabandha is in the form of a statement of fact and a statement of explanation of the circumstances in which the commentary was written. His deposition appears to be absolutely credible. The introduction bears reference to two important points. (1) The city of Quilon was in a very flourishing condition. (2) Ravi Varma was well erudite in all the branches of literature. These two points are well attested to by other records.
The illutrative verses are, with a few exceptions, meant to portray the many qualities of the king. The main historical purpose served by them consists in the fact that the king Ravi Varma has been profusely referred to with the cognomen Sangramadhira[4].
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
14th C. a scholar in the court of Ravivarma Sangramadhira -probably a known Keraliya according to Ullur His son Simharaja refers to him in his commentary on Rajasekhara’s Karpuramanjari as Samudrabandhayajva. Kerala Sahitya Caritram, Ullur -I -297 -299; Keraleya Samskrita Sahitya Caritram -I 297; KSLB -P 125
[3]:
T. Ganapati Sastri, introduction to the first edition, Travancore Sanskrit Series No. 8 reproduced by Sambasivasastri, P 11