gomatIdAsaH – 10

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anyApadeshadvAsaptati (अन्यापदेशद्वासप्ततिः) belongs to a class of poems which, by way of appreciating or condemning natural qualities of particular objects, praises a man for his virtue or condemns another for his vice, by implication. The poem came to be written due to an incident at the royal court. The king had in his hand an ivory balance and asked rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) to describe it and the latter gave out the following stanza with facile grace :

उच्चैः प्रापयसे पदं लघुतरानर्थानधस्ताद्गुरून्
जिह्वां लोलतमां बिभर्षि कुटिला विस्रंसिनस्ते गुणाः  ।
अप्येवं धट तारतम्यकलनाचातुर्यधौरेयता
त्वय्याधीयत येन सर्वविदसौ धातैव किं ब्रूमहे ॥
The purport of the stanza is this : The balance has a wavering needle and loose chains; it lifts up the empty things and brings down the weightier ones. Nevertheless, the all-knowing ruler has made it the supreme authority in assessing the comparative value of all objects in the world. This was an implied criticism of the unbalanced patronage of the king. The king was however pleased with the poet and asked him to compose a poem on the model of anyApadeshashataka (अन्यापदेशशतकम्) of nIlakaNTha-dIxita (नीलकण्ठदीक्षितः).
kIrtivilAsa (कीर्त्तिवलासः) is a champu-kAvya (चम्पूकाव्यम्) in florid style with a wealth og imagery, on the greatness of Ailyam tirunAl (आइल्यं तिरुनाल्). It describes the capital city, the royal court and the prominent scholars that adorned the sadas (सदस्). Available mss. of the work break off with the first ullAsa (प्रथमोल्लासः).
tulAbhAraprabandha (तुलाभारप्रबन्धः) portrays the tulApuruShadAna (तुलापुरुषदानम्) ceremony celebrated by vishAkham tirunAl (विशाखं तिरुनाल्). The ceremony consists in weighing oneself in a balance with gold which would later be distributed to deserving persons. There are in this work one hundred and odd stanzas in different meters, some of them with verbal devices and insertion of draviDian words (द्रविडपदानि) without affecting the meaning.
gauNasamAgama (गौणसमागमः) is a small work painting the pageant in the capital with the colors of imagination, when Lord Napier, Governor of Madras, visited the State in 1863.

gomatIdAsaH – 9

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rAmasvAmI shAstrI (रामस्वामी शास्त्री) was a versatile writer. He wrote in almost all branches of saMskR^ita literature, poetry, drama, rhetoric, metrics, grammar and philosophy. He was a born poet, and his poetry was the outcome of divine inspiration. In his kIrtivilAsa-champU (कीर्त्तिविलासचम्पूः) he says that he had a spontaneous poetic outpouring which resembled in its speed and gallop of horses (ashvadhATI – अश्वधाटी).
{
घोटीनामनुकुर्वतीं स्ववशयन् धाटीं जवात्साहितीम् ।
cf. घोटीकुलादधिकधाटीमुदारमुखवीटीरसेन तनुताम् – ambAShTaka (अम्बाष्टकम्), ascribed to sha~NkarAchArya (शङ्कराचार्यः).
ashvadhATI (अश्वधाटी) reminds one of the Pegasus or the winged horse of Greek Mythology which means poetic genius.
}
He could handle the most abstruse subject with ease and felicity and had formed a style of his own which is at once simple, clear and elegant. A short account of some of his extant works is given here.
surUparAghava (सुरूपराघवः) is one of his most important works. It is a mahAkAvya (महाकाव्यम्) in the pattern of the bhaTTi-kAvya (भट्टिकाव्यम्) describing the rAma story (रामकथा) and indirectly illustrating the rules of pANini (पाणिनिः) and the common figures of speech. It has considerable improvement on its prototype; and in respect of illustration of grammar, it follows the siddhAnta-kaumudI (सिद्धान्तकौमुदी) of bhaTTojI-dIxita (भट्टोजीदीक्षितः). The author has made innovations in the theme which heightens the poetic effect of the work. He also wrote a lucid commentary to the poem explaining grammatical subtleties. The extant manuscript ends with the 33rd stanza in the eighth canto which describes dasharatah’s (दशरथः) entreating kaikeyI (कैकेयी) :

सायम्प्रातिकमासिकसांवत्सरिकेषु तावकार्थेषु ।
पौनःपुनिकेष्विच्छसि कियदधिकं द्वैप्यवस्तुषु ब्रूहि ॥

gomatIdAsaH – 8

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After a brilliant rule of five years, vishAkham tirunAl (विशाखं तिरुनाल्) passed away in 1855, and mahArAja mUlam tirunAl (मूलं तिरुनाल्) ascended the throne. He was pious ruler, a student of the poet, and cherished a loving veneration for his guru (गुरुः). But, shAstriar (शास्त्री) did not live long to enjoy the love and regard of his disciple.
He passed away peacefully, as he had anticipated, in the forenoon of the 15th August, 1887 in his residence at trivendram (त्रिवेन्द्रम्), all his four sons attending on him. Hearing the sad news kerala-varmA (केरलवर्मा) , with abrupt felicity, wrote the following AryA (आर्या) to his elder brother who was also student of the poet :
श्रीशङ्करोपमानाः श्रीमदनानन्दनाथगुरुचरणाः ।
श्रीमोदिनीसनाथाः श्रीपुरमेवापुरद्य पूर्वाह्ने ॥
This forenoon, our great teacher shrI-madanAnanda-nAtha (श्रीमदनानन्दनाथः) who was like shrI-sha~Nkara (श्रीशङ्करः) entered into shrI-puram (श्रीपुरम् – the abode of the Goddess) along with shrI-modinI (श्रीमोदिनी).
A predominant figure in the literary and spiritual world of kerala (केरलम्) in the 19th century, rAmasvAmI shAstrI (रामस्वामी शास्त्री) left a chasm that no one could fill up.

gomatIdAsaH – 7

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Ayilyam tirunAl (आइल्यं तिरुनाल्) passed away in 1880 and was succeeded by vishAkham tirunAl (विशाखं तिरुनाल्) , a distinguished scholar alike in English and saMskR^ita (संस्कृतम्) . kerala-varmA (केरलवर्मा) , who was an intimate friend of the mahArAja (महाराज) , now regained his full freedom and glory. The king bestowed on the poet honors and rewards, but they had now little attraction for the poet who was content to lead a life of study, teaching and spiritual practices.
ilattUr (इलत्तूर), the native village of poet where he often retired during his closing days, suffered for want of good water supply. The villagers appealed to the Government through the poet, and the king ordered a tank and a well to be dug in the village, and facing the tank a temple of gaNapati (गणपतिः) to be constructed. The order was duly carried out in 1882, and the poet celebrated the consecration ceremony in person and composed a song “pillaiyAr kalyANam” (पिल्लैयार कल्याणम्) in tamil (तमिल) and made a grant of land for the daily pUjA (दैनिकपूजा) of the Deity. To perpetuate this auspicious event, sundararAja-kavi (सुन्दरराजः कविः) , student of the poet and native of the same village, composed three stanzas in saMskR^ita (संस्कृतम्) and had them engraved on the wall of the gaNapati-temple (गणपतिमन्दिरम्).
 {
कोलम्बे सुमनायमानगणिते वर्षे स्वभा(स्वर्भा)न्वग्रजे
श्रीमद्वञ्चिकुलाब्धिचन्दिरविशाखेन्द्रेण धर्मात्मना ।
देवब्राह्मणपुण्यमज्जनपयःपानाय निष्पादितं
यावच्चन्द्रदिवाकरं विजयतां दिव्याम्बुपूर्णं सरः ॥१॥
May the tank, full of divine waters, caused to be dug by the order of the victorious king vishAkha (विशाखः) , the moon of the vanchi line (वञ्चिकुलः) of kings, in kollam year (कोल्लं वर्षः) 1057, for the sacred bathing and drinking by the Gods (देवः) and Brahmin-s (द्विजः), last as long as the sun and the moon endure.
वृन्दाधवाब्दमिति भाजि कलौ द्विजेन्द्रा –
नन्दाय दन्तिमुखधामतटाककूपाः ।
श्रीमद्विशाखनृपतेः कृपयात्र राम –
स्वाम्याख्यपण्डितवरैरलमक्रियन्त ॥२॥
Through the kindness of the king vishAkha (विशाखः) , paNDitavara rAmasvAmI (पण्डितवरः रामस्वामी) had a temple for the God gaNapati (गणपतिः) constructed and a tank and a well dug, in the kali year 4983, to the joy of dvija-s (द्विज) of illatUr (इलत्तूर).
श्रीविशाखो नृपो रामः श्रीरामः सचिवोत्तमः ।
रामस्वामी कविः सभ्यः रामस्वाम्यधिकार्यपि ॥३॥
– श्लोककर्त्ता सुन्दरराजः ।
Now shrI rAma varmA vishAkha (श्रीरामवर्माविशाखः) is the ruling king; shrI rAma (ayyngar) (श्रीरामः अय्यङ्गरः) the Dewan of the State; rAmasvAmI (shAstrI) (रामस्वामी शास्त्री) the poet and counselor, and rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) the sarvAdhikArI (of the palace) (सर्वाधिकारी).
– The stanzas were composed by sundararAja (सुन्दरराजः).  }

gomatIdAsaH – 6

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The poet was imbued with high ideas, noble aims and love of freedom; these characteristics he shared with great men of old. The king offered him the post of the paNDita (पण्डितः) in the High Court, the highest position that a saMskR^ita scholar (संस्कृतविद्वान्) could then aspire to, but the poet did not accept it on the ground that (it) would prove a bar to his spiritual sAdhanA-s.
To all who went to him he was exceedingly kind and courteous; he had not the slightest trace of jealousy for other scholars.
A boy introduced himself to the poet with a manuscript of his prose work in hand. The poet received him kindly, and after going through the manuscript he expressed his appreciation of the ability of the boy to write chaste poetic prose in saMskR^ita (संस्कृतम्), called him bAla-bANa (बालबाणः) and recommended him to the notice of the king. The boy later became mahAmahopAdhyAya dr. gaNapati-shAstrI (महामहोपाध्यायः गणपतिशास्त्री), the famous editor of the trivendram saMskR^ita series (त्रिवेन्द्रं संस्कृत सीरिज). (This incident was related to me by Dr. gaNapatI-shAstrI (गणपतिशास्त्री) himself.).
A nampUtiri paNDita (नम्पूतिरि-पण्डितः), author of a commentary on the shekhara (शेखरः) of nAgojI-bhaTTa (नागोजीभट्टः), paid his respects to the king. The poet introduced the paNDita (पण्डितः) as a great vaiyAkaraNa (वैयाकरणः) and the latter received a liberal royal reward. The nampUtiri (नम्पूतिरि) thanked the poet saying that he was not honored so much by the royal present as by the recommendation of a poet and scholar of rAmaswAmI-shAstrI’s (रामस्वामीशास्त्री) eminence.
At one time there occurred a rift between the king and kerala-varmA (केरलवर्मा) as a result of which the latter was interned at alleppy (अल्लेप्पी). As the poet was remarkable for wit and conversation, the king sent him to kerala-varmA (केरलवर्मा) to settle their differences. The keraladautya (केरलदौत्यम्) or the embassy of the poet to kerala-varmA (केरलवर्मा) is graphically described by the latter in the fourth canto of his vishAkhavijaya (विशाखविजयः). The conversation between the two poets, guru and disciple, couched in alternate halves of anuShTup-shloka-s (अनुष्टुप्छन्दः) offers interesting reading. The guru asks his disciple to apologize to the king, the disciple however thinks that his guru’s blessings would give him sure relief from his straits rather than any amount of humbling himself before the wrathful ruler. The poet at last invokes the grace of his family Goddess on behalf of his disciple and retires.
{
अथानुयुज्य कुशलं कुशलः शास्त्रिपुङ्गवः ।
तेन सल्लापमकरोदित्थमर्धसमस्यया ॥
भवते कुप्यति कुतः कुलशेखरभूपतिः ।
यावदत्र भवान्वेद तावदेव ह्यवैम्यहम् ॥
……………………………………….
……………………………………….
क्षमापतेः पदे नत्वा क्षमापयतु तं भवान् ।
न मां दिदृक्षते स्वामी नमाम्यस्य पदे कथम् ॥
प्रेष्यतां पत्रिका तर्हि प्रश्रयाद्दर्शनार्थिनी ।
भवत्वेवं भवन्तो मामनुगृह्णन्तु सन्ततम् ॥
मोचयेत्सङ्कटाद्युष्मान् शङ्करी भक्तकिङ्करी ।
शेश्वीयाताश्वासदायी (?) शश्वद्विश्वास एष मे ॥
}

gomatIdAsaH – 5

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rAmasvamI (रामस्वामी) was a great teacher. He had a large circle of loving disciples who adored him not only for his profound learning, but also for the vAtsalya (वात्सल्य) he had for them. Many of them were poets and scholars of no mean order; and preeminent among them stands kerala-varmA (केरलवर्मा) , consort of the king’s sister, rAnI laxmI bAi. He is one of the great poets of kerala (केरल) and the father of modern malayAlam (मलयालम्) literature. In his vishAkhavijaya (विशाखविजयः) , a mahAkAvya (महाकाव्यम्) in twenty cantos describing the life and work of mahArAja vishAkham tirunAl (महाराज विशाखं तिरुनाल्) he tells us that rAmasvAmI shAstrI (रामस्वामी शास्त्री) was his brahmavidyopadeShTA (ब्रह्मविद्योपदेष्टा) and sAhityadeshika (साहित्यदेशिकः).
अगाधधीरथाहूय श्रीरामस्वामिशास्त्रिणम् ।
अहिनक्षत्रजः क्ष्माभृदहिनोत्केरलान्तिकम् ॥
ब्रह्मविद्योपदेष्टारं स्वस्य साहित्यदेशिकम् ।
केरलः प्रतिजग्राह बहुमानपुरस्सरम् ॥
}
sundararAja kavi (सुन्दरराजः कविः) , also a native of ilattUr (इलत्तूर) , had his early saMskR^ita (संस्कृतम्) education under shAstriar (शास्त्री). He was a poet and scholar and has to his credit  a number of  valuable works in saMskR^ita (संस्कृतम्) literature.
sha~Nkara pillai (शङ्कर पिल्लै) , son of a chief judge of Travancore, was another disciple. He studied vyAkaraNa (व्याकरणम्) and mantrashAstra (मन्त्रशास्त्रम्) under shAstriar (शास्त्री) and became a bhAShA-kavi (भाषाकविः). In the introduction to his devI-bhAgavata (देवीभागवतम्) in malayAlam (मलयालम्) , he refers to his preceptor by the eulogistic term “ilattUr-brahma-jyotis” (इलत्तूरब्रह्मज्योतिः) and pays homage to his many-sided attainments. Once the king asked the poet if his son was studying saMskR^ita (संस्कृतम्) , the latter replied that he had got not  one but two sons, meaning his students, ayyappan Potti (अय्यप्पन् पोत्ती / पोट्टी ?) and sha~Nkara pillai (शङ्कर पिल्लै), and that they were studying saMskR^ita (संस्कृतम्) very well. (The late mahAkavi ullUr parameshvara aiyar says that his father was a student of ayyappan potti.)

gomatIdAsaH – 4

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While the poet was winning laurels wherever he went, his absence was keenly felt in the king’s court in trivendram (त्रिवेन्द्रम्). The splendor of the Palace sadas (सदस्) was on the wane for want of a versatile leader. With repeated messages, the remorseful king had the poet brought back to trivendram (त्रिवेन्द्रम्) and reinstated him in his former place with added glory.

rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) was a follower of shrIvidyA (श्रीविद्या) of the samaya-school (समयमार्गम्) and an adept in the mantra-shAstra (मन्त्रशास्त्रम्). It is not known how and by whom he was initiated into the mysteries of shAkta-ism (शाक्तमतम्). He had his dIxA-nAma (दीक्षानाम) madanAnandanAtha (मदनानन्दनाथः), worshiped modinI (मोदिनी) in the form of the goddess tripurasundarI (भगवती त्रिपुरसुन्दरी) and initiated many disciples into the shrIvidyA (श्रीविद्या) cult. He often went on pilgrimage to tiruviDaimarudUr (तिरुविडैमरुदूर), a village on the main line of Southern Railway, and paid his respect to his dIxA-guru (दीक्षागुरुः) who is said to have expired a few years before 1885. In the 15th stanza of the AryAshataka (आर्याशतकम्) the poet makes obeisance to narasiMhAnandanAtha (नरसिंहानन्दनाथः) and other teachers. The great bhAskrarAya (भास्कररायः) is known to have spent his closing days at tiruviDaimarudUr (तिरुविडैमरुदूर), in the last quarter of the 18th century. It is possible that a disciple or one in the line of bhAkararAya (भास्कररायः) was the dIxAguru (दीक्षागुरुः) of the poet who came just half a century later.
rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) was credited with supernatural powers. Once the king kept concealed in his hand a small golden image of  a five-headed hanumAN (पञ्चवक्त्रो हनूमान्) and asked the members of his assembly to compose a stanza describing the object which he had in his hand. The paNDita-s (पण्डिताः) were naturally nonplussed, but rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) is said to have given a correct description in the stanza :

श्रीमान् श्रीरामदासो जयति वसुमतीताततातार्यजातः
श्रीरक्षोनाथवक्षःक्षितिधरकुलिशप्रायदंष्ट्राकरालः ।
श्रीदः श्रीरामसेवासमरसमनसां श्रीधरोदारबाहुः
श्रीदाशाद्रीशचापप्रतिभटतनुमान् पञ्चवक्त्रो हनूमान् ॥
वसुमतीताततातार्यजातः । वसुमती पृथ्वी । तस्याः तात आपः । तासां तातोऽग्निः । तस्य अर्यः – स्वामी वायुः । तस्माज्जातो हनूमान् । 
श्रीदाशाद्रीशचापप्रतिभटतनुमान् । श्रीदः – कुबेरः । तस्याशा – उत्तरा दिक् । तत्रत्योऽद्रिः – कैलासः । तस्येशः शिवः । तस्य चापो मेरुः । तस्य प्रतिभटः (प्रतिभटा) – परिपन्थी (पन्थिनी) – तत्सदृशः(तत्सदृशी) तनुः – शरीरः (शरीरं) , तद्वान् । अन्यत्सुगमम् ।

gomatIdAsaH – 3

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mahArAj Ayilyam tirunAl ascended the throne in 1860. This ruler was good scholar in saMskR^ita (संस्कृतम्) and malayAlam (मलयालम्) and a liberal patron of literature and music. Emulating the traditional bhoja (भोज) of dhArA (धारा), he asked poets and scholars to assemble in his court everyday and favor him by conducting learned discussions. He took delight in proposing samasyA-s which the members of the assembly completed.
rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी), the brightest in the galaxy of scholars and the favorites of the muses, excelled in this kind of literary pastime. The king cherished a high regard for the exalted intellectual and poetic abilities of rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) and showered on him liberal gifts and honors. The poet wrote his vR^ittaratnAvalI (वृत्तरत्नावलिः) and other works and dedicated them to his royal patron. The king consulted the poet with advantage in carrying on correspondence in saMskR^ita (संस्कृतम्) with poets and scholars and in judging the merit of literary men who came to the court for patronage. But this relationship between the king and the poet did not run smooth for long.

Once the king asked the paNDita-s (पण्डित) of the assembly to compose a stanza on the comparative merit of his reign and that of svAtI tirunAl. The paNDita-s (पण्डित) who were looking for a royal smile gave out their versification, maintaining in one voice that the rule of their patron surpassed that of his predecessor in all respects. The demand of the king was embarrassing to rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी). He took it as an infringement of his freedom as a poet and kept silent. When the king pressed him for his contribution, he submitted that he should be excused for his inability to sell away his gifts for a cheap gain. Then the mahArAja asked the poet with cynical asperity if he had tasted the offering to his Goddess before he came to the sadas (सदस्) . The poet replied : “whether I have tested the offering or not is immaterial, but it is the royal head that the intoxication has affected”. This was indeed very bold reply to a powerful potentate, but the poet was undaunted and left the court immediately. The incident gave a tremendous shock to rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) and it turned the course of his life. He felt that court life and royal favors  were destroying his nobility (साधुता) of heart and were implanting mental anguish (साधिता) instead.

( The poet is said to have recited the following verse on leaving the court :

चित्तभूवित्तभूमत्तभूपलाको-
पासनावासनायासनान्मे भृशम् ।
साधुता सा धुता साधिता साऽधिता
किन्तया चिन्तया चिन्तयामः शिवम् ॥
)

He fled the city and toured all over India visiting learned institution and places of pilgrimage. At kalkattA (कलकत्ता) he had literary discussions with tArAnAtha tarkavAchaspati, author of the well known saMskR^ita (संस्कृतम्) encyclopedia vAchaspatyam, who showered on him high praise. He introduced himself to the professors of the saMskR^ita (संस्कृतम्) college, banAras (वाराणसी), as a paNDita (पण्डित) from trivendram (त्रिवेन्द्रम्); bAlashAstrI (बालशास्त्री), one of the professors, asked him if he had known the author of the ma~njubhAShiNI (मञ्जुभाषिणी) commentary, and when the poet revealed that the commentator was no other than his humble self, the professor’s joy knew no bounds; he hugged him to his bosom and dubbed him abhinava mallinAtha (अभिनवमल्लिनाथः).

gomatIdAsaH – 2

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On the first day, after taking the midday meals with the preparation of mangoes (Amra – आम्र) and ghee (Ajya – आज्य) in the palace kitchen at Panthalam, the boy remarked that he had sAmrAjya-bhojanam (साम्राज्यभोजनम् –> स-आम्र-आज्य-भोजनम्) which also means the enjoyment of universal sovereignty (साम्राज्य-भोजनम्). The Chief rAjA was pleased with the shrewdness of the boy and took him as a fellow student of his nephew kerala-vermA (केरल वर्मा) who was studying tarka and vyAkaraNa (व्याकरणम्) under him.

In an atmosphere of saMskR^ita (संस्कृत) culture, rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) attained in a few years to a high degree of pANDitya (पाण्डित्यम्) in the two shAstra-s (शास्त्रम्). He then studied the advaita-vedAnta (अद्वैतवेदान्तम्) under appA-dIxita (अप्पदीक्षितः) of tiruvAla~NgADu (vaTAraNya) (तिरुवलङ्गाडु – वटारण्यम्) and visited litarary centers acquiring proficiency in several shAstra-s (शास्त्रम्).

The family deity of rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) was the Goddess gomatI (भगवती गोमती) enshrined at sankaran koil (S.R.) twenty miles northeast of ilattur (इलत्तूर), and his family used to visit the temple on all auspicious occasions. One day when rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) was chanting the 500 stanzas (पञ्चशती) of the poet mUka (मूककविः) at one sitting, he had a vision of the Goddess (भगवती), felt a thrill of serene joy creeping over his body and began to break in numbers. He was now the elect of the Goddess (भगवती गोमती) and called himself “gomatI-dAsa” (गोमतीदासः). This prefix to his name is invariably found in the colophons of his works.

His fame as a poet and scholar had now a secure basis. The name of svAtI tirunAl (स्वाती तिरुनाल) as a patron of art and letters had spread throughout the country. mahArAja uttram tirunAl who succeeded his brother in 1847 was equally zealous in maintaining the patronage. rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) thought of trying his fortune at trivendram (त्रिवेन्द्रम्) where he was sure his talents would receive encouragement. About 1849 he went to trivendram (त्रिवेन्द्रम्) and paid his respects to the mahArAja, and the latter having already heard about rAmasvAmI’s (रामस्वामी) abilities from the rAjA of Panthalam took him into his vidvat-sadas (विद्वत्सदस्). This assembly was constituted by the best talents of the country, and rAmasvAmI’s (रामस्वामी) poetic genius and scholarship found a fertile soil for their full development. uttram tirunAl was a well-known patron and author of kathakali-s, and rAmasvAmI  (रामस्वामी) wrote at the instance of the king his only malayAlam work jalandharAsura-vadham (जलन्धरासुरवधम्) (kathakali) which won him high praise.

gomatIdAsaH – 1

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This is an introduction to devIstotramAlA (देवीस्तोत्रमाला) of shrI gomatIdAsa rAmasvAmI shastrI (गोमतीदासः रामस्वामी शास्त्री) by G. Harihara Sastri (हरिहरशास्त्री). It was written in 1962. I’m posting it here for benefit of all.

Introduction
न कुतूहलि कस्य मनश्चरितं च महात्मनां श्रोतुम् ।
– बाणः ।

rAma kavi of ilattur

The rulers of the erstwhile State of Travancore in the extreme South of India were, from time immemorial, well-known for their munificent patronage of art and letters; and many of the Maharajas themselves were eminent poets and artists. ilattur (इलत्तूर) rAmasvAmI shAstrI (रामस्वामी), author of the devotional poems now issued, adorned the vidvat-sadas (विद्वत्सदस्) of four successive sovereigns of Travancore after mahArAja svAti tirunAl (स्वाती तिरुनाल), the famous poet and composer (1813-47), and was regarded as the greatest poet of kerala (केरल) in the 19th century A.D.

Life of rAmasvAmI shAstrI (रामस्वामी शास्त्री)
rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) was born in November 1823 in the village of ilattur (इलत्तूर), four miles east of Shencotta where the Southern Railways crosses the Western Ghats. His father sha~NkaranArAyaNa (शङ्करनारायण) alias Andi shAstrI was of a very pious and religious disposition and his mother’s name was kR^iShNAmbA (कृष्णाम्बा). rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) received his preliminary saMskR^ita (संस्कृत) education from the paNDita-s (पण्डित) of his native village. Seeing the unusual precocity of the boy his father sent him to Panthalam for higher studies. Panthalam, a small principality west of the Ghats, was for centuries a center of saMskR^ita (संस्कृतम्) studies, and its rulers, known as pANDya rAjA-s (पाण्ड्यराज), had vestiges of political rights over ilattur (इलत्तूर) till three years before rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) was born. It was, therefore, in the fitness of things that the villagers regarded the rAjA-s of Panthalam with a sense of suzerain-ship. There was no cart-able road across the Ghat-s at that time and rAmasvAmI (रामस्वामी) is said to have trudged on foot the distance of sixty miles to reach his vidyApITha (विद्यापीठ).