12. Ramakatha and Sanksepabharata

The Ramakatha^[1] of Vasudeva is a prose work that gives the story of Rama in a nut-shell. Nothing definite has been known about the poet. In three of the four verses in the prelude the poet indicates the circumstances in which the work was composed^[2]. From these we learn that Vasudeva wrote the work at the instance of king Aditya Varma alias Naralokavira. Sankararama Sastri identified the king with Adityavarma, the predecessor of Umayamma Rani^[3].

This Vasudeva is known to have written another prose in Sanskrit called Samksepa-Bharata [Sanksepabharata], in which he states that the work was written under orders of king Ravi Varma.

The verse is:—

jagadānandayan gobhiḥ śataṃ mārgaṃ sanātanaṃ
prakāśaḥ śrīkaro rājā ravivarmā virājate || ^[4]

Sankararama Sastri identified Ravi Varma with the names alike who ruled after Umayamma Rani, on the presumption that the two works had been composed in two successive reigns. While the supposition that the poet lived in a period in which there were two rulers of the said names is correct, the identification of the rulers does not seem correct for many reason. Firstly, Sastri’s supposition that the cognomen Naralokavira is a modification of Butalavira, a title held for the first time by Bhutalavira Udaya Martanda Varma (AD 1494 -1535) is not sound. Secondly Aditya Varma who preceded Umayamma Rani is known to be one of the most worthless rulers, ever produced by Travancore.

The main historical fact contained in the mention is that Aditya Varma alias Sarvanganatha with whom the poets patron mentioned in the Ramayana Sangraha was identified, is proved to have been known by another cognomen Naralokavira, a fact not known to history from other sources.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ed. by C. Sankarasastri, Madras 1929

[2]:

gatāṃ paritrāṇaparaḥ sumedhayā jitārisadvargatayā mahīyān
vibhrājate viśrutavikramaśrīrādityavarmā naralokavīraḥ |

[3]:

Intro. to the Ramakatha -Pp 8 -10

[4]:

Kerala Sahitya Caritram, Ullur -Vol. III -P 285