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...
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Go directly to: Footnotes.
1.5. The settlements of Kerala with people
After the formation of the 64 villages Parasurama peopled the land first of all with Brahmins from various regions out side Kerala. Kerala Mahatmya mentions this point very clearly. According to the work the Brahmins in Kerala were not among the original inhabitants, but they were bought by Parasurama from various places outside Kerala. Most of them were brought from the Northern region. Parasurama is said to have, first of all, brought a poor Brahmin and his family is in the bank of river Krsna, a brahmin of great Sancity, well versed in Vedic love, and in the practice of Yoga. His wife and 8 sons were also no less learned than the vernerable parents. The father was installed as Yogatripad Yogiar or perceptor of all the Namboodiri Brahmin and was authorised to pronounce final judjent on the religion questions referred to him. A house was built for him at Vrsapuri 鈥楾richur鈥�[1].
The work further states that Parasurama next fetched more Brahmins from the families of Bharadvaja and Kasyapa in the Chola country[2]. Among those brahmins there was one, who was perceptor of the Vedas at Madhyarjuna Mahakshetra of the Chola country[3]. Parasuram built a school in order to teach the Vedas. His next step was to bring more brahmin from the city of Madhura and locate them in twelve Illams in order to adopts laws of Mantras and Tantras[4]. Finally he brought five families of brahmin who were well versed in Dharmaveda from the shores of the river Godavari[5].
Later ships with all species of seeds and animals came followed by 28 Samantas, Vaisyas and Sudras and the low castes鈥�
a峁ａ弓膩vi峁兣沘ti s膩mant膩n pa峁卥tiyukt膩n saputrak膩n
g峁沨墨tv膩 bh膩rgavo r膩mo n膩vam膩ropayadvibhu岣� |
惫补峁噄箩辞 惫补颈艣测补 sa峁僢h奴t膩n 艣奴dr膩napi ca n墨caj膩n
svar峁嘺k膩r膩 nayask膩r膩峁� s奴rucchedakar膩napi |
尘奴峁Ｄ乲腻谤补艣肠补谤尘补办腻谤腻峁僺迟腻尘谤补办腻谤腻苍补辫颈
艣il膩k膩r膩峁兣沜a峁囜笉膩l膩n ku岣島mbasamanvit膩n
(Kerala Mahatmya 16, Slokas 12-14)
The families of the native chieftains were mostly, of the Samanta castes, by they were classed as Sudras. According to the leagendary accounts current in Kerala Parasurama is credited with the settlement of Brahmins and other castes in Kerala.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Kerala Mahatmya -12 -Slokas 14 -36
[2]:
峁沢vedine br膩hma峁嚹亂a dadau tasmai ku岣島mbine |
k膩艣yap膩nvaya sa峁僢h奴t膩n bh膩radv膩jasya gotraj膩n || (Kerala Mahatmya -13-Sl 8)
[3]:
sarve峁Ｄ伱眂a dvij膩t墨n膩峁� 艣re峁ａ弓h膩y奴ya峁� hi kerale
sa峁卥alpaiva峁� tato r膩ma艣colade艣e cac膩ra岣� ||
madhy膩rjune mah膩k峁tre br膩hma峁噊 brahmavittama岣�
峁沢vedin膩mup膩dhy膩ya岣� ka艣cid膩s墨daki帽cana岣� || (Kerala Mahatmya -13-Slokas 5-6)
[4]:
艣r墨m奴lasthanam膩gatya puna艣ca madhur膩pur墨峁�
pravi艣ya k膩艣yap膩n vipr膩n tasm膩d膩n墨ya bh膩rgava岣� |
膩lay膩n k膩rayitv膩tha tebhyast膩n pradadau 辫谤补产丑耻岣�
a峁ａ弓ai艣varya帽ca h峁涐梗峁乼m膩 vi艣e峁峁嘺 dadau puna岣� || (Kerala Mahatmya -15-Slokas 1-2)
[5]:
驳辞诲腻惫补谤墨峁� tato gatv膩 v膩yum膩rge峁嘺 bh膩rgava岣� |
dhanurveda vidastatra dadar艣a ca mah墨sur膩n |
tasm膩cca pa帽cabh奴dev膩n ku岣島mbena samanvit膩n
puna艣c膩ny膩n mah墨dev膩n膩nay膩m膩sa bh膩rgava岣� || (Kerala Mahatmya -15 -Slokas 5-6)