Bhakthi Manjari (An Old and Rare Book)

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This is a devotional poem written on the model of Narayaneeya of Melattur Narayana Bhatta. It is divided into ten Sathakas; each of which is written in a different metre, the royal poet begins with a prayer to the Deity longing for steadfast devotion. The first four sathakas form a thematic unit. The royal poet applies the test of reason and substantiates his stand on the authority of puranic stories. His conviction is well established that devotion it the means of attaining the objects of life. At the close of the fourth Sathaka, he classifies Devotion into nine kinds.

The history of modern Travancore begins with king Marthandavarma who made Trivandrum his capital in the middle of the eighteenth century. But long before that, Trivandrum known throughout India as Ananthasayanam was a place of pilgrimage. 'Ananatha' is the serpant king upon whom reposes Padmanabha. The place first came into prominence with the installation of the idol of Padmanabha. The place first known as 'Syanandura is the sanskrit equivalent of Anantha- puram' prosperous or the city' Ananda' or bliss.

Our idea of the age of the temple is based only on traditional accounts. But its antiquity is assured by numerous references in literary-works. Silappathikarm, a Tamil Classic, ascribed to the second century A. D. refers to a Vishnu temple 'Atakamatam'. This is identified as the Padbhanaba temple of Trivandrum. During the ascendency of the Cholas and Pandyas in the succeeding periods, we have references in sasanas and lithic records. From the ninth century A.D. we have numerous references to Padmanabha temple in literary- works and old records. From the beginning, it enjoyed the special favours of the rulers of Trvancore, as they adopted Sri- Padbanabha as their tutelary Deity.

Quilon and later Padmanabhapuram were the places of permanent residence of the kings of Travancore during the ninth and eighteenth centuries. But the membership of the Maharajas in the 'Ettararogam' necessitated their frequent presence at Trivandrum." Several palaces came to be built here and colourful festivals of the Padbhanaba temple during the months of Alpasi and Pankuni were occasions when people from all parts of the country flocked to Trivandrum in large numbers", The discord among the members of the Ettara-rogam made it necessary for Umayamma Rani to interfere in the affairs of the temple effectively, There are many stories referring to the affairs of the period which are not seriously taken by sobre historians. The heroic queen decided to reside at Trivandrum taking as her counsellor Kerala Varma of Kottayam, the great warrior poet.

Trivandrum reached the hey day of its glory during the period of Marthanda Varma. He shifted the seat of the royalty from Padmanabhapuram to Trivandrum in A.D. 1745 and this town became the capital. Marthanda Varma built the fort of Trivandrum, renovated the Padmanabha-temple and the magnificence of the town had been praised by poets like Kunchan Nambiyar and Ramapuraththu variar.

Marthandavarma was certainly a generous patron of literature. He has been described as a great scholar. But he is not known to have written any work. Krishna sarman, author of a Champu work called SRIPADMANABHA-CHARITHA deals with the story of the origin of the Padbanabha temple. This was written at the instance of Karthikai Thirunal Rama- varman. The narration follows the fact given in the "Anantha-sayanakshethra Mahatmya'; Another short-poem is that of Sanku called Padmanabhodaya." It contains one hundred and forty two verses.

Karthikai Thitunal Ramavarman wrote Balaramabharata based on Bharata's Natyasasthra. Of the many scholars who adorned his court, Subramanya wrote "Padmanabhavijaya" Rukmani Parinaya, a drama dealing with the winning of Rukmani by Vasubhadrakrishna is the best known sanskrit work of Asvathi Thirunal Ramavarman. Among the works of Karthikai Thirunal's time special mention must be made of Alankara Kaustubha of Kalyana subramanya. It is a work on poetics on the model of Kuvalayananda, dealing with the figures of speech pertaining to meaning. He illustrates the figures of speech by verses composed by himself in praise of his patron king Ramavarman and of the King's family Deity, Lord Padmanabha of the Trivandrum temple.

Swathi Tirunal Ramavarma Maharaja of Trvancore, also known as Gharbha Sreeman was born in A.D- 1813 as the son of Rani Lakshami bhayi and Rajarajavarma Valiya koil Tampuran of Cannasseri, and inherited the throne even while in the womb of his mother. A well-known linguist Ramavarma was a great scholar in Sanskrit and Malayalam. He knew English quite well and was well versed in Tamil. Telugu Kannada and Hindusthani. Being very much interested in music, he made a special study of the art.

Among the sanskrit works of Swati Tirunal Maharaja are the BAKTHI MANJARI. PADMANABHA SATAKA, SYANANDURAPURAVARNA PRABHANDA AJAMILO-PAKYANA. KUCHELOPAKYANA and the sangeetha kritis. Of these Bakthi-manjari was published by the government of Travancore in 1904. Mahamaho-padyaya T. Ganapathi sasthri has suggested that it might have been composed towards the close of the author's life.

This is a devotional poem written on the model of Nara-yaneeya of Melattur Narayana Bhatta. It is divided into ten Sathakas, each of which is written in a diffetent metre, The royal poet begins with a prayer to the Deity longing for steadfast devotion. The first four sathakas from a thematic unit. The royal poet applies the test of reason and substantiates his stand on the authority of puranic stories. His conviction is well established that devotion is the means of attaining the objects of life, At the close of the fourth sathaka, he classifies' Devotion into nine kinds.

The Padmanabha Sataka is a century of verses that praise the Lord of Trivandrum. Divided into ten decades, each in a different metre, it summarises the story of Bhagavatha and advocates the path of devotion.

Bakthi-manjari commands admiration not only on account of our regard for poetry, but also because of the exalted nature of the subject dealt within it. The tradition of Bakthi was deep-rooted in the royal house hold right from the days of Kulasekhara. There were several famous kings who called themselves 'Kulasekharas', Their capital was Mahodayapuram, which is identified with modern Tiruvanchikulam in Cranga-nore. 'Kulasekhara' seems to have been a title assumed by Kerala Kings. Kulasekhara Alwar is one of the great religous mystics of South India. According to tradition this vaishnavite saint was born as an incarnation of Vishnu's Kaustuba. The work assigued to him namely Mukundmala is a short lyrical poem of devotional fervour. The text is an exposition of two mystic manthras namely MUKUNDASHTA DASAKSHARA and ASHTAKSHARA manthras. The advaidic system of metaphpsics is blended with the Bakthi cult making Vishnu the SAGUNABRAHMAN.

With the fall of Vijayanagara, South India was disintegrating in political life. There were enough signs signalling the entry of India into a fresh period of slavery. But fortunataly two sectors namely spiritual and musical developed a vital mutual relationship. Sri Swathi Tirunal Maharaja is certainly a product of this period of musical spritual efflorescence. He stands foremost with his marvellous contribution. His powerful genius comprehended the several and varied excellence of all the early masters and his own brilliant contemporaries. In devotion, religious fervour, reformatory zeal and spiritual realisation, he matches any of his compeers. This work is a classical example that justifies the claims made in this regard. Luckily, the work was not lost. The only manuscript copy of the work at present available is in the hand-writing of the author himself.

A remarkable feature is the variety which the composer had adopted to suit the varying capacities of the listeners that came to him. That variety had contributed to the vide appeal of his productions. Gold is great by its own high value, Fragrance is something irresistible, but only genuine flowers possess it. ornaments like gold in the shape of flowers cannot give forth flower's fragrance. But if they should, it is indeed a miracle! This has been achieved by the Maharaja. The sanskrit adage 'HEMNA:; PARMAMODA-' is a truth.

Learned allusions, moral precepts, Upanishadic truths, condemnation of sham, hypocrisy and false paths, happy similies, every shade and mood of religous, devotional and spiritual experience, renunciation of the worldly good and flattery of the unworthy, joy of service, surrender and dedication make the Work an immortal epic recording in the mind of the Bhaktha. The Maharaja seems to have had a full consciousness of the mission with which his life was charged on this Earth. He clearly saw that he was born with the mission of singing Padmanabha even as Kulasekhara Alwar of old did. In this respect he is a self-concious, artist. In many contexts he dwells on the anxiety of weeping Yama, Lord of hell, who is unable to claim any victim, because people are urged to take the utterance of the namas of sri Padmanabha. The Maharaja also describes himself as one who treads the true path and he is a true savant-'PADMA NABADASA'-a nijadasa of the Lord.

That he was steeped in the religious and spiritual lore goes without saying. He was a lover of the learned-the truly learned. He commands a great felicity of expression, grace and flow in style. With much ease and effect he manages many alliterations and sound effects. There are numerous lines displaying his skill for double entendre. (Slesha). The literary quality is also evident in the touch of realism which enlivens his expression and bespeaks the king's keen eye on things around him.