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Although it is unequivocally known that 'Varadambika-parinaya Campu was written by the illustrious authoress Tirumalamba, unfortutunately very little can be said about the authoress herself with equal certainty. Owing to the scarcity of any authoritative source, different theories have been formed by the later writers as regards the name, identity and life of Tirumalamba. One such contention is that Tirumalamba was queen of Achyutaraya. To substantiate this statement a few literary works are taken into account. The telagu poem 'Vijayavilasam' by Chenakura Venkatakavi states that a certain Sevvappa married the sister of the queen of Vijayanagar King Acyutaraya and got the Tanjore principality, perhaps as dowry. >> 66 In another Telagu work "Subhadraparinayam" it is said that one of the sister of Tirumalamba was married to the above mentioned Sevvappa. By this we are drawn towards the conclusion that Tirumalamba must have been a queen of Achyutraya. Tirumalamba speaks of herself as the confidante and object of the deepest love of Achyutaraya,' which shows that the she was his queen. It can also be noted that the several records of Achyutaraya preserved at the Vitthala temple at Hampe, one describing his gift of 'a mountain of gold' [Suvarna-meru] is composed by one'Oduva Tirumalamba', in all probability none else but the illustrious authoress of the Varadambikaparinayam . Prof. Suryakanta identifies the poetess Tirumalamba, with a court-reader who became one of the queens of Achyutraya. The Srirangam temple inscription mentions that the king Achyutraya visited the temple along with his two principal-

66 queens Varadarajamma,Oduva Tirumalamba and the young prince Venkatadri. However the great poet Rajanatha Dindima in his Achyutarayabhyudayam" says that the Salaga princess Varadambika was the queen or "Mahisi" of Achyutaraya. But in his Kavya nowhere has he alluded to Tirumalamba, therefore Dr.M.N. Srinivas Aiyangar says that, had Tirumalamba been the "Pattamahishi".She should have written about the same in bold letters. A divergent opinion is held by T.V. Mahalingam. In addition to identifying Oduva Tirumalamba and Tirumalamba, he adds that a poetess by name Mohanangi said to be the authoress of the "Mariciparinayam" a love poem, might be the same as Tirumalamba, the wife of Aliya Ramaraya and the daughter of Krishnadevaraya. But C. Hayavadana Rao observes that it can not be definitely stated whether Oduva Trimalamba can be identified with Tirumalamma Mohanangi and Tirumalamma, the queen of Achyutaraya. But this scholar has doubts about Oduva Tirumalamba and Tirumalamba being one and the same person. and Tirumalamba If it is accepted that Oduva Tirumalamba were one and the same, consideration has to be given to the term "Oduva" and its meaning and import. The term "Oduva" to the author of The Source of Vijayanagara History 'means a student. If Oduva means a student naturally 'Odisvars', means a teacher. This has inscriptional evidence. But the term "Oduva" with respect to the erudit scholar and poetess Tirumalamba is very unconvincing, because wherever this term has been used, it has meant an ordinary student. It would have been understandable if Tirumalamba was a rare case to take to studies, but it is very well known that education among women [belonging to the aristocratic families, Royal houses, and Courtesan class] was quite common; 13

14 many of them learning. achieving high degree of proficiency in various branches of Therefore, suggestions have been made that she was a reader in the court, whose duty was perhaps, to read poetry to the ladies of the royal house and royal court. But the office of the reader has not been referred to any where although there were lipikaras (scribes), Karnika (accountant), engraver, calender makers etc., as frequently mentioned in various inscriptions. Thus we can notice that divergent opinions have been voiced by various scholar as regards the identity of Tirumalamba. However, this uncertainty and ambiquity is set at rest by the discovery of an inscription of Achyutaraya in Sriranganatha Temple at Srirangam. This epigraphic evidence clears all the clouds of doubts about the identity of the authoress. It goes thus: "Be it well! Hail! Prosperity! in the Saka Year 1461 (expired) Corresponding to the (cyclic) year Vikarin in the month of Bhadrapadaon Tues day, which was a day of the Twelfth tithi of the first fortnight, with Sravan Nakshatra Maharajadhiraja Rajaparameswara Sri Veerpratapa Sri Vira Achyutaraya Maharaya was pleased to perform the Tulabhara Mahadana (ceremony) for [i.e, in commemoration of this the queen (Rajamahishi) of the Maharaya, named Oduva Tirumaladevi Ammanavargal was pleased to compose two sanskrit slokas". Although this inscription cannot be taken as the conclusive evidence to prove that Tirumalamba the poetess, was the queen of Achyutaraya since contrary evidence and arguments also do exist, but it can be taken as sufficiently authentic to establish the identify of the poetess Tirumalamba. Generally Sanskrit authors do not give any information about themselves which would enable us to construct their personal history or to fix their times. 12

15 Nor are there biographies in the sense of modern western biography, availble in Sanskrit. In fact, the term 'biography' itself is ill-suited to Sanskrit. However, biographical and historical elements are found in the works of various authors. Fortunately, the epilogue of Varda mbi kaparinaya furnishes some valuable information regarding its authoress. She herself states that she was the confidante and the object of the deepest love of Achyutaraya, the king of kings (RajadhiRaja). The afore said epilogue goes as follows: ityekavarakarnanamatra- drdhavadharita - navya- kavya - natakalankara - puranagama - rahasya -sarasyanubandha-samindhana- svabhavika pratibhanubhavaya, vidhavisesa- niravadha-vivdavdara - sakala - kavikula- sravanananda- cintitanantabhista- phalasrayana- visranana- kama - gavibhavada sesa bhasa - visaya - savisesonmesa - caturima - garbhita - sarasa- prabandha- sandarbhaya, vividha- vidha - pragalbha - rajadhirajacyutaraya - sarvabhauma - prema - sarvasva - visvasa- bhuva, nirupadhika- mahopakara-nirmana- dharma- nirmala- hrdayaya, nikhila -lipi - vilekhana - niyata vitarana- krtahasta - hastaravindaya virinca cancala - nayana nakhancala - samudancita - vipanci- prapancita - pancama- madhurimodancana - vikasvara- kanthasvaraya, vipula - talatala - vihara - vinoda - sakaravatirna- sataparnasana varavarnini - mati- nirnayikaya nanadesa- pratisthitaneka- viracita - vajapeya- paundarika - sarvatomukha- mahadhvara - vdijavaravitiryamanasirvisesa- paripoyasita - bhagya - saubhagyaya, niyata - raksita - kavikutumbaya tirumalambaya nirmitam varadambika - parinayannama campukavyam acandratarakam abhivardhatam | - "The glory of Tirumalamba's natural genius has been augmented by her continuous appreciation of the ins and outs of the wonderful Novels Kavyas, dramas, poetics, the Puranas and the Vedas, fully retained in memory after hearing them read but once. Her beautiful literary compositions. characterised by striking flashes of genius in regard to all subjects and all languages, are a feast for the ears of all poets and all eminent scholars,

16 proficient in the highest sciences, and are veritable cows of plenty for bestowing imaginable, innumerable and desirable fruits on those who need well be loved wife of the emperor versed in all the sciences. Her heart them. She is the confidant and the Achyutaraya, the King of kings, well has been purified by righteous deeds in the form of great and unsimulated benefits. Her loutus-like hands are expert in making constant gifts and in writing all scripts. Her voice, sweet as cuckoo's notes, swells with the sweetness of the Pancama notes, produced by the lute played on by the tips of Sarasvati's nails. She produces the convication of her being Sarasvati descended in corporeal form for the pastime of roaming over the surface of the earth. Her good fortune and prosperity were enhanced by potent blessings granted by eminent Brahmanas at the great Vajapeya, Pundarika `and Sarvatomukha sacrifices performed by many Brahmanas held in high esteem in diffrent countries. And she constantly protects families of poets." We can take note of, that according to this epilogue, Tirumalamba was a versatile poetess of manifold accomplishments. "It presents her as a profound scholoar endowed with wide and varied learning, a poetess of great repute, and a generous patron of letters, a beloved queen, and a righteous, virtuous and bounteous lady of religious temperament."

17 TIRUMALAMBA'S DATE It is hardly surprising that the same ambiquity which we encounter while deciding about Tirumalamba's identity, surrounds her date. Various and varied, but often contradictory opinions are voiced, convincing as well as unconvincing cited. But it is fairly evidences are certain that she lived during 16 th centuray.A.D. However, it has been subjected to much controversy, whether she lived during Krishnadevaraya's period or during that of Achyutaraya. We have already seen that opinions are also expressed that she began her career in the days of Krishnadevaraya and continued to reach the pinnacle of glory during the reign of Achyutaraya. 16 However in the foregoing analysis about her life, we have noticed that overwhelming evidenceses support the argument that she was the Pattamahishi of Achyutaraya. All the same this does not seem to solve the problem of fixing her date. Very little or almost nothing is known about her antecedents, her ascendance to the position of the queen, her education, so on and so forth. 17. Another problem that we have to contend with is that, the date of Achyutaraya itself is debatable. There is hardly any unanimity regarding the exact period during which Achyutaraya was at the helm of affairs in Vijayanagara. Achyutaraya, who finally succeeded Krishnadevaraya was a halfbrother of the latter, being the son of Ombamamba the last of the three wives of Narasanayaka. The KadladiCopper Plates of Achyutaraya, dated in Saka 1451 Virodhi, makara, ba, 13 Tuesday corresponding to December 28, 1529 A.D. declare that Achyutaraya succeeded Krishnadevaraya after the natural 19 demise of the latter. As the epigraphical evidence confirms the ascendancy of Achyutaraya to the throne of Vijayanagara, only after the natural death of 18 Krishnadevaraya and the dates of the coronation. of Achyutaraya being given 20 21 as October 21, 1529 A.D and November 20, 1529 A.D. and corroborated

by "Acyutarayabhyudayam" as well, as well, it can be summerised that Krishnadevaraya might have breathed his last earlier to october 21, 1529 A.D. Contradictory opinions have been expressed by schalors like Sewell. Nevertheless umpteen numbers of epigraphical evidences prove the fact that Achyutaraya ascended in 1542. Since we have forcefully argued that Tirumalamba was the Queen of Achyutaraya and fairly succeeded in establishing this fact, we can easily conclude that Tirumalamba also lived during the reign of Achyutaraya i.e. from 1529 to 1542. However, it is too well known that a few important questions which naturally arise in the mind of a student, who proposes to write on the life and date of any Sanskrit author, forever remain unanswered. Even in the case of a few authors like Kalidasa, Bana, Dandin etc., who have provided some information regarding themselves in their works, it is inadequate.22 The case of Tirumalamba is no exception to this general rule .We have to be content with whatever little information that we are able to elicit from different sources. 18 HER WORKS Tirumalamba has written a Campu-Kavya titled Vardambikaparinaya campu. It seems it was her only work, for no other work is credited to her name. As the name itself suggests, it is written in campu style, i.e., verses interspersed with prose. It is very difficult to fix the date of the composition of this work. Some scholers opine that it was written during the days of Krishnadevaraya, while some other think that it belonged to the period of Achyutaraya. Prof. S.K Aiyangara thinks that the Campu must have been composed between 1540-42,

taking in to account the facts mentioned by the poetess that Achyutaraya was married to Varadambika after his coronation and the campu ends after making Venkatadri, son of Achyutaraya and Varadambika heir-apparent. But epigraphs from Kanchipuram temples mention that Varadambika and Cina Venkatadri along with the king were weighed against pearls in the temples in A.D 1532. 23 Dr. Vasundhara Filliozat, says that relying upon some inscriptions in which the young prince Venkatadri is called 'Chikka-Odeya' which means the heirapparent, that it is possible that Tirumalamba must have composed her campu, between 1532-34. But she also suggests another possibility taking into account her glorification beyond what was historically warranted, of her husband, who died a premature death in 1542, that this work must have been written after 1542 A.D. 24 This Sanskrit campu narrates the marriage of princess Varadambika with Achyutaraya, who later on became the emperor of Vijayanagara, as the theme. Thus the plot of the campu is considerably short. It is simple too because it relates a single story and all its events unite so as to lead one to the final catastrophe, the marriage of Achyutaraya with Varadambika and the birth of Cina Venkatadri by her. 25. The work gives a genealogy of Achyutaraya's family. The description of Achyutaraya's family and his father Narasimha and his herioc adventures in undue details, which covers almost half of the Kavya renders it insipid and unlively. This is a grave flaw of this work. The preponderance of elaborate descriptions, some times even overshadowing the story line, makes it dull to a considerable extent. "Tirumalamba seems to care more for the display of her profound erudition, mastery of Sanskrit language and rich descriptive power than ,,26 for the narrative. 19

That Tirumalamba was endowed with rich power of description, is evident from her campu which abounds in beautiful and lively descriptions. In addition to the delineation of chief personage, it depicts the countries of Tundira and C ola, the river Kaveri, armies and the fierce battle, the sea and Rameswara bridge, the garden, the spring-season with all its persuasiveness of love, the noon and evening 27 and acquatic sports. This work, unlike the other Sanskrit works which give the description of the beauty of the body of a woman, gives an elaborate description of the body a man, which is a rarity. A man's feet, thigh, waist, chest, arms,hands,shoulder,neck,throat,face,beard,eyes, ears, nose, forehead and hair are described by the poetess. This description of a man by a woman is indeed what distiguishes this work from all other Sanskrit works. This description, a lovely caricature of emperor Achyutaraya, is characterised by minute and faithful representation of the nature of things. "But one could hardly decline to admit the fact that the descriptions by their profesion and length slow the progress of the narrative, and appear to hang loose on its slender thread. 22 28 鈥� There is a narrow range of characters in this campu kavya, for Tirumalamba picks them up only from royal families. It is but natural since the campu concerns only with royal personage. They are real men and not merely qualties translated into their human embodiment. The cheif of characters are Narasimha, Achyutaraya,cina Venkatadri and the female characters Ombamammba and Varadambika who arrest our attention. The depiction of human emotions and sentiments(Rasas) is also worthy of notice. Of the sentiments that shehas delineated, there are the erotic(Sringara) heroic(Vira) furious(Raudra), the terrific (Bhayanaka) and disgustful(Bibhatsa) rasas. However the main sentiment of her campu is the erotic(Sringara) as its main theme is the depiction of love and marriage of Achyutaraya and Varadambika. 20

This sentiment is delineated by her with remarkable insight and vividness 29 One remarkable feature of the campu is the profusive employment of rhetorical emblishments(alankara). Various types of alankaras such as Alliteration(anuprasa), paranomasia(slesa) Repitition(yamaka) simile(upama) malopama, paronomastic similies(slistopama) poetical fancy (utpreksa), transition (arthantaranyasa) Antithesis (virodhabhasa) and (aprasrutaprasamsa), parisankya, representation (ullekha), sahokti (swabhavokti) and verbal (Shabdlankara) the ideal (arthalamkara) have been beautifully employed which have contributed to the beauty of the campu and have enlived it. The style in which the Varadambika-parinaya is composed is the Gaudi containing the literary excellence (guna) of vigour (ojas) which consists in the letters expressive of vigour. This campu, according to Prof. Suryakanta contains the longest compound which is to be found in sanskrit literature. He points it out to be the following: nirantarandha karita - digantara - kandaladamanda - sudharasa - bindu- sandratara - ghanaghana - vrnda-, sandehakara syandamana- makaranda- bindubandharatara- makanda - taru- kula - talpa-kalpa - mrdula - sikata - jala- jatila - mula- tala - marubaka- miladalaghu- laghulayakalita- ramaniya- paniya- salika - balika - kararavinda - galantika - galadela- lavanga- patala- dhanasara - kasturikatisaurabha - meduralaghutara- madhura - sitalatah saliladhara- nirakarisnu- tadiya- vimala- vilocana - mayukha- rekhapasarita- pipasayasa - pathika- lokan " ( P. 18, line 4 P. 19, line 2) Like wise, Tirumalamba has employed about twenty four kinds of metres, the important ones of which are (1) Anustubh, (or sloka) [7, 27, 55, 73, 74, 84, 90, 91, 108, 114] (2) Arya Verses [151]; 3 In dravajra, verses 21

22 [2,6,41,49,52,139,148]; (4) Upajati, verses [1, 4, 8, 11, 12, 20, 21, 34, 43, 46, 50, 53, 57, 67, 68, 78, 96, 98, 107, 110, 111, 116 117, 125, 126, 127, 134, 136, 138, 140, 142, 143, 147, 149, 150, 152, 154, 162, 166, 168, 168, 170]; (5) Upendravajra verses [15, 37, 47, 58, 72, 97, 102, 120, 122, 145]; (6) Kalahamisa verse [158]; [7] Drupavilambita verses [35, 174]; (8) Narakutaka verse [26,45]; (9) Prthvi verse [80] (10) Puspitaraga or aupacchandasika verses [10, 62, 66, 100, 141, 160, 161, 164]; (11) praharsni verses [42, 63]; (12) Manjubhasini: verses [83, 105] (13) Mandakranta:verse [17] (14) Malini verses [38, 85, 91, 93, 103, 106, 156] (15) Vamisastha: verses [3, 9, 16, 54]; (16) Vasantatilaka:verses [13, 18, 19, 22, 33, 44, 51, 61, 64, 71, 81, 87, 109, 112, 115, 119, 128, 129, 130, 132, 133, 137, 144, 163, 165, 169]; (17) Viyogini or Sundri: verse[79]; (18) Rathoddhata: verse 65; (19) Sardulavikridita: verses [14, 24, 29, 30, 31, 69, 77, 88, 89, 94, 101, 104, 121, 123, 124, 131, 171, 172, 173]; (20) Salini verses [32, 36, 39]; (21) Sikhaini verses [23, 40, 113]; (22) Suagata (verses 5, 48, 59, 82, 99, 157, 159, 167]; (23) Sragdhara:verse[56]; and (24) Hariniluta. verse [75]. The language of this work is fluent. There is vividity, melody and beauty in it. At many places we find compound words longer than those found in Kadambari or Harsh carite. Apart from lengthy descriptions that we have already referred to, there are Rhyme and rhythm and slesas. Throughout this work, there are beautiful comparisons or similie (upama) which are very apt to the circumstance in which they are used. She has stated that she has written this campu for those who are as scholarly and erudite as herself.

REFERENCES 1. The Archaeological Report of South India, Epigaphy, 1924 Similar Reference No. 45 2. Dr. M. N. Srinivas Ayangara, Sanskrit Kavicarite Sanskrit Cavicarite Publication 1978, P. 267 3. Dr Maan Singh, 'The Varadambikapainaya' A Jayanagar literary Bangalore Estimate, 23 Sarada-Pitha Pradipa, Annual Journal of Indoloogical Research Institute, Dwarka, 1972, Vol XII .PP 74. 4. Dr. Fillioat Vasundhara. "Unhistorical Statements in Varadambika-parinaya". Quarterly-journal of Mythic Society, Bangalore, April June 1977. P. 40 Dr. M. N. Srinivas Ayangar op-cit. P. 268. 5. 6. T. V. Mahalingam, Administation and social life of Vijayanagara 7. History, part II, Madras, 1975, P. 255 Viresalagam Pantulu, Lives of Telugu Poets, A.R.I.E. for 1923. P. 119-120.

8. S. K. Ayangara, Source of Vijayanagara History, Delhi, Gain Publication House, 1986. P. 170. 9. Dr. Venkaramanayya, 10. Studies in the Third Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Madras (Ed). University Historical series, by K. A. Nilkanta Sastri, 1935. P. 395-396. Dr. B. A. Soletore, Social and Political Life under Vijayanagara, (Ed) Paul. B. G. Madras,. 1934 P. 38. 11. Epigraphy Indica. Vol XXIV, 1937-38, P. 290, 12. Macdonell A History of Sanskrit Literature, New Delhi Munshiram Manoherlal 1972, P. 10. 13. Julie Hamper Hiebert, City and Empire: New currents of Research, Sanskrit poetry by Three Vijayanagara Queens, (Steiner Varlag Wiesbaden Gmbh Stuttgart), 1985, PP. 97-98. 24

25 campu, Chowkamba series, Varnasi, 14. Prof. Suryakanta, Varadambikaparnaya Delhi, 1970, P. 151. IbId. P. ii, Introduction. Kirshamachariar, 15. 16. M. History of Classical Sanskrit Literature, Motilal Banarasidas, Delhi, 1970. No. 133, P. 220. 17. S.K. Ayangara, op-cit, P. 173. 18. Karnataka State Gazetteer part I, part Ed. by Suryanath kamath, Bangalore, 1982, P. 292. Annual Report of South Indian Epigraphy, 1924, P. 157. 19. 20. ARSIE 1900 P. 49-50. 21. 22. A. MacDonell, op-cit. New Delhi, 1972. P. 10, Dr. Fillozat Vasundhara, Mythie Unhistorical statements in Varadambika parinay. op-cit, P. 41. 23. Ibid. P. 41. Dr Maan Shing, op-cit. PP. 74-75 24. 25. Prof. Suryakanta, op-cit, Chowkamba series, Varanasi, 1970, P. IX 26. Dr Maan singh, op-cit, P. 75

27. IbId. P. 76. 28. Prof. Suryakanta op-cit, Introduction P. XI Delhi, 1970. 26 29. IbId. PP. 18-19.