Shilparatna Part 2

Author(s): Shreekumar K Sabhatsav Shastri
Publisher: Shreekumar K Sabhatsav Shastri

Page 7

PREFACE.
The second part of the Silparatna consisting of 35 chapters deals with iconography and allied matters. This is a highly useful work for those who are interested in iconography and architecture. The science of Silpa founded by Matanga, Bhřgu and other hoary sages was elaborately dealt with by Nārāyaṇa, Ravi and others; while in the Silparatna Srikumara has collected all the important subjects from the vast Silpa literature, at the instance of Devanārāyana, an ancient ruler of Ambalappuzha (North Travancore). The verse in the beginning of the first part,
सम्पूज्यते सदसि भार्गवसृष्टभूभा
गेऽस्मिन् बुधैः सकलशिल्पकथासु योऽसौ । तं मे नमामि पितरं भृगुवंशजातं
शश्वत् स्वपुत्रहितपूरणजागरूकम् ॥ as well as the closing colophon, TAGU maa taa श्रीकुमारनामधेयेन श्रीदेवनारायणराजचूडामणिपादसेवकेन लिखितमिदम् । show that the author was a Kerala Brahmin belonging to Bhargava Gotra. In the preface to the first part, it is stated that the author lived at the close of the 16th century A. D., on the ground that he was a protege of Devanară yana who is said to have entertainert in his court Nārāyana Bhatta, the famous poet and grammarian of Kerala of the 16th century. However, as the word Devanārāyaṇa is known to be a title of the
of Ambalappuzha, the determination of the date of the author is, I think, in need of further evidences. The word or arata mentioned in the verse, Farfar ITHI REYNTal
युत्पत्तिमुख्यभुवमद्भुतविक्रमाझ्याम् । सेतूवंकानननिवासकृताधिवासां
वन्दे षडाननवतीं परदेवतां मे ॥ as the seat of the family deity of the author seems to be the Sanskritization of the Malayala Desa Chiramelkkatu. From a cony, rsation with my friend Brahmasri kanippayyar Sankaran Namburi, I come to learn that this Deśa is now found in Talapalli Taluk in Cochin State.
It is a matter of satisfaction for me that I have been able to edit the second part with more manuscript materials than before and thus realise the hope expressed in the preface