Rama Rajasekhara Explained

Rama Rajasekhara
Sri Raja Rajadhiraja
Parameswara Bhattaraka
"Rajashekhara" Deva
Peruman Adigal
Succession:Ruler of Chera Perumal Kingdom[1]
Reign:870/71–c. 883/84 AD
Full Name:Rama Rajashekhara
Predecessor:Sthanu Ravi Kulasekhara
Successor:Vijayaraga
Regnal Name:Rajasekhara
House:Chera Perumals of Makotai
Religion:Hinduism (Shaiva)
Signature:Vazhappally copper plate, king's name cropped (version 2).jpg
Signature Type:Grantha

Rama Rajasekhara (fl. 870/71 – c. 883/84 AD[2]) was a Chera Perumal ruler of medieval Kerala, south India.[3] [4] [5] Rajasekhara is usually identified by historians with Cheraman Perumal Nayanar, the venerated Shaiva (Nayanar) poet-musician of the Bhakti tradition.

Rajasekhara presumably succeeded Sthanu Ravi Kulasekhara around 870 AD.[6] "Tripuradahana" and "Saurikathodaya", Yamaka poems by Vasubhatta, were composed under the patronage of Rajasekhara.[7] Two temple records, from Kurumattur, Areacode and Thiruvatruvay, Vazhappally, mention king Rajasekhara. The former contain the only available "prasasti" of a Chera Perumal ruler of Kerala.

Rama Rajasehara probably abdicated the throne toward the end of his reign and became a Shaiva nayanar known as Cheraman Perumal Nayanar. He was succeeded by Vijayaraga (fl. c. 883/84-c.895 AD).

Sources

Rama Deva

Laghu Bhaskariya Vyakhya, a mathematical commentary composed in the court of king Ravi Kulasekhara in 869/70 AD, mentions a Chera Perumal royal called Rama Deva, who marched out to fight the enemies on getting information from the spies.[10] A possibility identifies Rama Deva with Rama Rajasekhara.[11] Rama Deva is described as a member of the Solar Dynasty ("ravi-kula-pati") in Chapter IIII, Laghu Bhaskariya Vyakhya.

Patron of Vasubhatta

Vasubhatta, the famous Yamaka poet of medieval Kerala, names his patron king as "Rama" in his Tripuradahana and Saurikathodaya.

Tripuradahana refers to Rama Rajasekhara as follows:

Another poem by Vasubhatta, the Yudhisthiravijaya, says that "Kulasekhara" was the regnal title of his patron king.[12] A later commentary on the poem Yudhisthiravijaya argues that "Rama" was the personal name of the king with regnal title "Kulasekhara". Modern scholars generally consider this a result of confusion on the part of the commentators (between Sthanu Ravi Kulasekhara and Rama Rajasekhara) who were separated in time from the Perumals.

Some scholars also identify king Rama Kulasekhara as the patron of poet Vasubhatta (and thus placing Vasubhatta in 11th-12 centuries AD).[13] This view is generally found unacceptable on several counts.[14]

Epigraphic records

DateRegnal YearLanguage and ScriptLocationContents
NatureNotes
871 ADN/AGrantha/Southern Pallava Grantha (Sanskrit)[15]
  • Kurumattur Vishnu temple, Areacode.
  • Engraved on a loose, granite slab.
Temple inscription[16]
  • Date is given as a Kali Day chronogram (871 AD).
  • Rajasekhara belonged to the illustrious Ikshvaku dynasty of god Rama.
  • Rajasekhara ruled the country with justice and never deviated from the Laws of Manu.
  • During Rajasekhara's righteous rule, twelve Brahmins dug a temple tank and also installed an idol of god Vishnu.[17]
c. 882/83 AD13[18] Vattezhuthu with Grantha/Southern Pallava Grantha characters (early Malayalam)
  • Thiruvatruvay, Vazhappally.
  • The plate is owned by Muvidathu Madham, Thiruvalla.
  • The plate is said to belonged to and discovered from Talamana Illam or madham, near the eastern tower of Vazhappally Temple, Changanassery.[19]
Temple committee resolution
  • Records a temple committee resolution presided over by king Rajasekhara. The resolution describes Thiruvatruvay Pathinettu Nattar, Vazhappally Urar and the king deciding on land grant for muttappali (daily offering in temple).
  • The inscription begins with the invocation "Namah Shivaya" ("Respect to Shiva") in place of the usual "Swasti Sri" ("Hail! Prosperity
").
  • The record also mentions a coin called "dinara".

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Narayanan, M. G. S. . Perumals of Kerala . CosmoBooks . 2013 . Thrissur (Kerala) . 64–65 . 1972.
  2. Book: Devadevan, Manu . Irreverent History: Essays In Honour Of M. G. S. Narayanan . Primus Books . 2014 . V. . Kesavan . New Delhi . 58 and 74–75 . Changes in Land Relations during the Decline of the Cera State . Davis Jr. . D. R..
  3. Book: Karashima, Noburu . A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations . Oxford University Press . 2014 . 145–47 . States in the Deccan and Kerala.
  4. Book: Narayanan, M. G. S. . Perumals of Kerala . CosmoBooks . 2013 . Thrissur (Kerala) . 64–66, 88–95 and 107. 1972.
  5. Veluthat . Kesavan . 2017 . The Temple and the State in Medieval South India . Studies in People's History . 4 . 1 . 15–23 . 10.1177/2348448917693729. 158422635 . free .
  6. Book: Veluthat, Kesavan . South Indian Horizons . École française d'Extrême-Orient . 2004 . 471–85 . Mahodayapuram-Kodungallur.
  7. Book: Unni, N. P. . Kulasekhara Varman and his Works . University of Kerala . 1965 . 16–20 . Kulasekhara Varman - His Date and Identity. 10603/175255 .
  8. Book: Narayanan, M. G. S. . Perumals of Kerala . CosmoBooks . 2013 . Thrissur (Kerala) . 64 and 77. 1972.
  9. Book: Narayanan, M. G. S. . Perumals of Kerala . CosmoBooks . 2013 . Thrissur (Kerala) . 302–303 . 1972.
  10. Book: Narayanan, M. G. S. . Perumals of Kerala . CosmoBooks . 2013 . Thrissur (Kerala) . 64–66 and 78–79. 1972.
  11. Book: Narayanan, M. G. S. . Perumals of Kerala . CosmoBooks . 2013 . Thrissur (Kerala) . 79–80. 1972.
  12. Veluthat . Kesavan . 1982 . The Status of the Monarch . Proceedings of the Indian History Congress . 43 . 147–157 . 44141225.
  13. Vielle . Christophe . 2012 . Real and Ideal Kings in Matrilineal Kerala . Religions of South Asia . 5 . 1 . 365–387 . 10.1558/rosa.v5i1/2.365.
  14. Book: Devadevan, Manu V.. The 'Early Medieval' Origins of India. Cambridge University Press. 2020. 229–30. The Semantic Universe of the Kudiyattam Theatre.
  15. Veluthat . Kesavan . 2018 . History and Historiography in Constituting a Region . Studies in People's History . 5 . 1 . 13–31 . 10.1177/2348448918759852. 166060066 .
  16. 2016 . Tewari . Rakesh . Chera Inscription, Kurumattur, District Allapuram . Indian Archaeology – A Review . Archaeological Survey of India . 2010-2011 . 118.
  17. News: Naha . Abdul Latheef . 11 February 2011 . Ancient Inscription Throws New Light on Chera History . The Hindu . https://web.archive.org/web/20190920155438/https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/Ancient-inscription-throws-new-light-on-Chera-history/article15293183.ece . 2019-09-20 .
  18. Book: Narayanan, M. G. S. . Perumals of Kerala . CosmoBooks . 2013 . Thrissur (Kerala) . 435. 1972.
  19. Rao . T. A. Gopinatha . An Inscription of Rajasekhara . Travancore Archaeological Series . Government of Travancore . 2 . 2 . 8–14.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Rama Rajasekhara".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.