I would like to present some details regarding the contributions of keralites to Vedic culture and philosophy. It is of course a vast and elaborate subject and hence it is not an easy task to discuss the topic comprehensively. Even the manuscripts which were found in Kerala themselves have to reveal much details on the Subject. Must Of them were very ancient and we cannot infer exactly the period to which they belonged.

’The Vedas are the collect-ion of mantras. The word Veda is derived front the Sanskrit root ‘Vid’ which means knowledge Hence the Vedas are the books of knowledge to Keralites as to any other Indian. The Vedas are ,our : the Rigveda , Yajurveda Samaveda, Atharvaveda. Unfortunately, due to various reasons Atharva veda has no prominent role in Kerala. The mantra composed in a metre bears concept and teaching worth contemplation and adoption. It contains ultimate knowledge.

Considering Rigveda, many manuscripts related to it have been discovered from Kerala. ‘The vital thing is that these manuscripts contain very rare commentary on the Rigveda. One of them is RigVeda Bhashya of Udgitha. It is on palm leaf and written in Malayalam script. It contains the commentary from the 4th Rik of Varga 7.5.33 to the end of the It begins as ‘mrstanam dhrtannanam avayavabhutath’ and ends as ‘nasuram hanva yena palanena trauokyam’. This manuscript was found from Payyur Bhattathiri.
And another manuscript which was also written in Malayalam was found in 1942. It is now in Adayar library. And the good old commentary on the Rigveda by Skandaswamin was also recovered from Kerala. Two of them were printed in Devanagari script. One is on palm-leaves. The first two books are not complete. One of the books starts from –‘ sriraastu skandaswamikrithamrigveda – bhashye, prathamaastake prathamo adhyaayah ( SANSKRIT SLOKA). It is dated 22. 2 . 1928 and the first Ashtaka has been published by Prof Kunjan Raja in the Madras University Sanskrit series and the first two Adhyaayaas by Pundit Sambasiva Sastri in the Trivendrum Sanskrit series. But the palm leaf is in Malayalam script. This manuscript was also found from Payyur Bhattathiri.

Another manuscript of the same work has also been found hum Payyur Bhattathiri .The palm - leaf contained 12 folia and is in Malayalam script The wonderful thing is that the very old Rigveda Bhashya of Venkata Madhava has been obtained from Kerala. According to most of the indologists, in Kerala, the Vedic Scholars concentrated only on the recitation of the Vedas and did not involve in the deeper studies .But the Rigveda Bhashya of Skandaswaamin andVenkata Madhava reveal the facts that Keralites were very much interested in finding the crux and essence of the Vedas. Venkata Madhava’s Rigveda Bhashyam is in Malayalam script and and there were Karikas also proceeding the commentary. This document also belonged to Payyur Bhattathiripad.

In the beginning of each of the 64 Adhyaayaas a few stanzas have been added, that explain some point connected with Vedic interpretation. These stanzas have been collected and published under the title of the Rigvedaanukramani , by Prof C. Kunjan Raja at no.2 now in the Madras University Sanskrit series. Tile more interesting, thing is that one anonymous Rigveda Bhashya in Malayalam Script has also been obtained.

The Upavedas are the texts on the ‘ laukika’ (Earthly) themes of the Vedas. The Upavedas of Rigveda , Yajurveda , Saamaveda and Atharvaveda are the Arthaveda(Material sciences) , Dhanurveda(Military sciences) , Gaandharvaveda(Music and Dance) , Ayurveda(Medical sciences) , respectively. These explain the main concepts of the Vedas in detail an their respective topics . The Vedaangas are the anciallary sciences ( help books) of the Vedas . They explain and elucidate them . They are six in number viz – Kalpa ( help books explaining the Yajnaa or process of creation embodied in the Vedas) , Vyaakarana (Grammar), Jyotisha ( Astronomy or Kaalashastra helpful for keeping the record of time since the very origin of the universe ) , Niruktha(the book explaining the context of the Vedic terms). Hence it may be noted that Niruktha Saashtra cannot be equated to etemology.Etemology tries to derive a word from its root , but Niruktha tries to explain the context of the background of the particular word , Siksha and Chandas (meters explaining the compositional structure of the Vedas vis- a – vis the Universe). All these are helpful in explaining the true intended sense of the Vedas and their knowledge is considered as a prerequisite for in –depth Vedic studies. The Shaakhaas of the Vedas are various schools that emerged to preserve the Vedas with their true intended meanings . thus they should not be mistaken as the original Vedas . They may be explained as the outcome of the efforts of Vedic seers towards preserving the vast Vedic heritage.

In the past , there emerged 1127 Shaakhas ( Schools) of the Vedas including 20 of the Rigveda , 100 of the Yajurveda , 1000 of the Saamaveda and 7 of the Atharvaveda . But at present, books concerning eight to ten schools rae available.

We can have a quick glimpse of the above mentioned works , which once existed in Kerala. The Kausitaki Brahmana Vyaakyaa –Sukhanda or Sadharta Vimarsini of Udaya , an extensive and a very learned documentary on the Kausitaki Brahmana by Udaya in Malayalam. It is on palm –leaves. According to the author’s own statement , he was the son Naarayana Yajvan and Savitri , younger brother of Naarayana and Kumara and nephew of Risi and Pammesvara. He belonged to the Illam of‘Mukanda Mangalam which, in all probability, is the modern Mangalam, of Brahmakula Graama, the present Brahmakulam, near Guruvayur, South Malabar. He came of a family which probably was connected with the illustrious Payyur Bhattathiris, among, whom there were Risis as Parameswaran.’

The commentary suggests the name of the book as Sukhanda and Saankhyaadaayini. The commentary devised the text of the Braahmana into three Dasakas.
The Saankyavaayana Aaranyaka was also found written in Malayalam on palm -leaves. Aapisali Siksha is a treatise on Vedic phonetics, according to the views of Aapisali. This good old book on phonetics or Siksha is on palm –leaves. Thus it is crystal clear that ,as far as the ancient Vedic texts are concerned, Keralites were well versed in Sikshas (phonetics) and other branches of Vedas.

An anonymous write up named as Traisvarya lakshana (definition of the three Svaras) is also found written in Malayalam on palm-leaf. This treatise deals with three accents Udaatta (high tone), Anudatta (low tone) and Svarita (middle tone).
And again another anonymous author’s work ‘Naada – Varna – Viveka’ is on Phonetics. But this work is written on paper and dates back to 10th January of 1928. A nook thereby says that the title ‘Naada – Varna – Viveka’ has been temporarily suggested. It is also indicated therein that the work is copied by Pundit Venkateshvara Sharma, a Fellow of’ Sanskrit University, Madras.
Another great work is the etymology of Yaska found in Malayalam. It is very ancient and on Palm-leaves . The Adhyayaas are divided into paadas. The manuscript contains correct variants to the Anandasrama edition and the editions by Samasrami and Dr. Sarup. The recession of the Parisista here is widely different from the one available in the market. It is divided into five paadas numbered 3-6, and one unnumbered i.e.. the last paada.
The Nirukta Bhashyatika of Maheswara is also a work in Malayalam on palm - leaves This commentary is variously called Niruktabhashya – tika , Nirukta –vritti , Nirukta- vivarana , Vivarana –Samucchaya and Nirukta – vivarana – bhashya here written in Malayalam on palm-leaves.

I shall give here under a brief description of some of the palm – leaf manuscripts available in Kerala

1. The Purvottarobhaya -dirghi, an anonymous work.

2 The Bharadvaaja –Siksha –vyaakyana of Lakshman Jatavallabha Sashtrin

3. Madhvaanukramani of Madhava.

4. The Varna – chando – daivata of an anonymous writer.
This is a treatise on phonetics. As indicated by the name of the work, the Chandas, and Devatas are not dealt within the available portion. The work refers to Madhavacharya

5. The Saisiriya Siksha , a treatise onVedic phonetics, in accordance with the views of Saisira, it is written on palm-leaves in Malayalam.

6. The Saunakhiyaya Siksha , a treatise on Vedic phonetics attributed to Saunakha also on palm-leaves scripted in Malayalam.

7. Saunakiya Siksavyaakhya, also an anonymous work in Malayalam scruple written on Palm-leaves
Yoga and Yajna in Kerala
Yoga and Yajna also have a tremendous influence in Kerala. The Vedic concept of Yajna is very comprehensive. According to Fritstall, a native of Netherlands, who has now settled in the United States, in the long known history of Vedic culture in Kerala the first non- Namboothiri was allowed to see and attend Yajna, a Vedic Ritual, Only in 1975. He could manage to attend and study the Aitratiya Yaaga, a Vedic ritual conducted at Panjal, in Thrissur district performed from 12th April to 24th April, 1975. According to him, ‘The Namboothiri performances arc not artificial or scholarly re – constructions as have taken place in some other parts of India. Researchers have yielded proof for a Vaajapeya Yaaga performance in the lst century AD at Perinchelloor( Thaliparamba near Kannur). Namboothiris generally perform only Soma Yaga and Athiratra Yaaga

The Yaga-procedure consists of multifarious activities bestowed upon priests specialized in different Vedas , who officiate on behalf of and for the benefit of a ritual Patron, the Yajamana. Yaga and the related exercises belonged to tile Srauta Karmakaanda. Namboothiris also became reluctant to continue yaagam again for several years.
It was, according to a tale, Mezhathol Agnihotri, who conducted 95 yagas, took initiative to resume the Vedic rituals. I have never seen a Yaga in Kerala, I have given only some description about it. Sri Erkara Raman Namboothiri has written a book Ekaakina Satraangal (one day yagaas) which would be of great help to those who are interested.
Now I must conclude, though I am not fully satisfied with my presentation. The subject is so deep and of great dimensions that it needs strenuous and continued efforts to reach the intricacies of the facts related to Vedic contributions of Kerala. The subject has profound and deep connections with the history of Vedic studies in Cherokee.

Notes and References

1.See Prof Kunjan Raja , Puyyur Bhattathirimar , Keralopaharam , Keralasamajam , Madras , 1980.

Kulapathi , KasyapaVeda Research Centre ,
Chandranibha(H), Nanminda (po) , Kozhikode -673613 , Kerala – Bharat
Ph 0495 -4013599(O), 0495 -2857373(H)
Email : mrrajeshji@hotmail.com