It is an irony that the country with the most ancient civilization should have very few original histories about its past. Strictly speaking, the only historical work of the past worth the name of history is Kalhana’s Rājatarangini, which tells the story of the kings of Kashmir. Bana’s Harshacaritam is no doubt very valuable as a biography but there is a great deal in it that does not partake of the nature of correct history. It is only when we reach what is often called the Muslim period of Indian History that we have regular histories, whatever may be the degree of their objectivity. Because of this paucity of historical works belonging to the earlier periods western scholars have sometimes criticised Indians as lacking any historical sense. But there is a great deal in our ancient literature which we can press into service in the writing of Indian history. It will be profitable to read the Foreword to the first volume of the Indian History series published by The Bharatiya Itihasa Samiti in which Mr. K. M. Munshi has discussed the scope and limitations of our literary sources in the reconstruction of India’s past history.
The writing of India’s past history purely from literature is difficult, because, while literature, more often than not, gives only meagre history, a good portion of what it gives may often prove a snare or the basis of a preconceived theory. There is therefore the need to develop an objective outlook on the part of the historians of India. Literature has to be used in most cases mainly for corroborative purposes. As a hand maid to archaeology, epigraphy and numismatics, it is really most valuable.
The Madhurāvijayam is perhaps the only histo-, rical work for the history of South India, before the 15th century. Gangā Dēvi may, with some appropriateness, be called the first historian of South India in any scientific sense. The Madhurāvijayam tells the story of the extension of the Vijayanagar rule into the Tamil country and the circumstances leading to it. The book which is in nine cantos devotes a major part of the narration to the main factors culminating in the conquest of Madhurai by Kumāra Kampaņa. The following is an analysis of its contents, canto by canto.
Canto 1.—This canto contains the following pieces of information :
- Gives the names of contemporary luminaries.
- Gives information about the parentage of Kumāra Kampaņa-mentions Bukka and Harihara and describes the qualities of the head and heart of Bukka. Also mentions the name of Bukka’s queen as Dēvāvī. It may be noted that this is the only source giving information about the chief queen of Bukka.
- Describes the city of Vijayanagar. Compare this with the descriptions of the city given by Paes, Nicolo Conti, Abdur Razaak and others who visited the city in the hey-day of its prosperity. Pampa is men tioned as the branch of Vijayanagara.
Canto 2.—The birth of Kampana and also of the other two sons of Bukka, Kampaņa and Sangama.
Canto 3.—
- Gives an account of the early training of Kampaņa.
- Mentions his marriage with Gangā Dēvi. MADHURĂVIJAY AM
- Contains very interesting and valuable histo rical information which can be analysed as follows:
- (a) Bukka’s analysis of the political situation in the Tamil country.
- (b) His exhortation to Kampana to destroy the chieftains in the Tamil country and to establish himself at Kānci as its ruler.
- (c) After winning over the people of Tondaimandalam Kampaņa was to march on his conquest of Madhurai.
Canto 4.
- (a) Preparations for the march on the Sambuvaraya territory.
- (b) The size of the Vijayanagar army described.
- (c) The allies of Vijayanagar-the Cālas, the Kēralas and the Pāņdyas.
- (d) The orderly march of the army.
- (e) Camping at Mulbagal. Then the move to Virincipuram.
- (f) The siege of Padaivīdu and the fight with the Sambuvarāyas.
- (g) The defeat of the Sambuvarāyas and the death of the Sambuvarāya king at the hands of Kampaņa.
Canto 5.—Kampaņa establishes a just and pros pierous rule in Kāncīpuram.
Cantos 6 & 7.—Contain no historical information.
Canto 8.—The condition of the Tamil country after the Muslim occupation.
The Concluding Canto.—
The final battle with the Muslims. The conquest of Madhurai by Kampaņa after the defeat and death of the Sultan in the battle.
In the course of the following pages the above historical details have been examined with reference to other sources in some detail. There are, however, certain aspects which take away from its purely historical nature; e.g., Cantos 6 and 7 do not seem to contain any historical information. They describe only the amors of the prince and his sports with the queens. Of course, one explanation is possible, i.e., that a chronological gap is intended between the occupation of the Sambuvarāya territory and the conquest of Madhurai; and this gap is conveyed through the two cantos in which there is absolutely no reference to politics and all reference is to the private life of the prince. Perhaps it was also the intention of the poet to convey the idea that after the conquest of Kānci, Kampana endeared himself to his subjects by his just and benevolent rule. The fact that he could enjoy his life in Kāncipuram without any fear of a coup d’etat must show that his rule was popular and when he started on his campaign against Madhurai he had the fullest support of the people of Tondaimandalam.
The introduction of the supernatural element in the biography luckily does not affect the accuracy of the main details. The appearance of the goddess was a poetic convention. In Harsha’s Nāganandam there is the episode of a goddess presenting a sword to Jimūta vāhana. In the Madhurāvijayam the episode may be taken to be symbolic. The goddess that appeared before him may be taken as the personification of Dharma which had been so much put to trial during the inter regnum of the Sultanate in Madhurai, and her exhortation might be taken to mean that it was incumbent on the new Hindu power, viz., Vijayanagar, to reinstall Dharma on its original pedestal.
In short, in spite of what according to principles of modern historiography might be considered defects in a history, these minor details should not be taken very serious notice of in the Madhurāvijayam because it is one of the very few wholly historical works of India’s past.