________________
INTRODUCTION
high antiquity.1 "An inscription from Bengal, belonging to the seventh century, describes a certain individual as 'paraśava' and makes him the issue of a Brahmin father and a Śūdra mother, which is in conformity with rules of the sacred laws. Bāņṇa, in his Harshacharita, also tells us that his father, a Brahmin, had a Śudra wife besides a Brahmin one, and describes her issue as his 'paraśava brothers'." In the Kerala province Pārasavas are known as Variyaras (also spelt, Warrier) who form a subsection of the group of Ampalavasis (literally, temple-residents) whose hereditary occupation is temple service. The duties of the Variyaras are to sweep the temple premises, cleanse the templeutensils, collect flowers and make garlands. They hold a rank below the Ksatriyas in the social hierarchy of Kerala. They are believed to have had their origin in the union of Nampütiri (Kerala) Brahmanas with Nayar women; and like the Nayars they follow the matrimonial system of inheritance. The text of Candralekha (I. 5. 4 etc.) makes a reference to their menial service in the temple, and perhaps hints that they were not duly respected in the society. Our author, however, would not like them to be condemned, because they render service to Brahmanas, they are devoted to literary pursuit, and among them has been born Rudra, of pure character (suddha-vutta suhao). Parasavas are renowned for Sanskrit scholarship in Kerala from very early times.
65
There is no doubt that Rudradasa had worthy teachers in Rudra and Srikantha, the former definitely and the latter probably of the Parasava community. Considering their association with Zamorins of Calicut, it appears that this Rudra is the same as the author of the commentary Bhaktapriya on the Nārāyaṇīyam (A. D. 1585) of Narayana Bhaṭṭatiri (1560-1646 A. D.). Further this Srikantha, it is likely, is the same as the author of the Prakrit Kavya, the Soricaritta, in which he mentions Rudra as his fellowstudent.3
Rudradāsa, like his teachers, enjoyed the patronage of the Zamorins of Calicut; and Manaveda, whose marriage is celebrated in the Candralekha, was his contemporary Zamorin. The Zamorins of Calicut were not only great warriors, but they were also great
Jain Education International
1
G. S. Ghurye: Caste and Race in India, London 1932, p. 91.
2 M. Krishnamachariar: History of Classical Sanskrit Literature, p. 254.
3
See my paper The Soricaritta: A Prakrit Kavya', Journal of the University of Bombay, XII, ii, pp. 47-62.
9 चं. ले.
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
