Varadambika Parinaya Campu - An Analytical Study

Campukavya is a genre of literary composition in Indian literature. This type of work differs from other form of literature in which verse is mixed with prose.

The Varadambikaparinayacampu of Tirumalamba is one of the important Campukavyas in sanskrit. It comprises the description of Acyutaraya's forefathers and the life of Acyutaraya up to the birth of his son cina Vedkatadri. This Campu opens with the fanciful portraiture of the lunar dynasty. This Campukavya of Tirumalamba appears as an appealing one due to its literary ele-ments. This book is important from both the historical and the political point.

The authoress presents hereself as a profound scholar. This Campu is an unique one. Because, it is written by an woman and it proves her literary genius. Perhaps, this is the one and only Campu, which is written by an woman. On the other hand, the descriptions of the physical beauty of a man is very rare. It is Queen Tirumalamba only who has described a lovely pen-portrait of her husband Acyutaraya. She has exhibited her mastery on sanskrit language.

Dr. Nibedita Goswami is serving as Assistant Professor, in the Department of sanskrit, B.H. College, Howly. Earlier, She joined as a lecturer (in-lien vacancy) in the department of sanskrit at `Handique girl' college.

She did her M.A., M.Phil and Ph.D from the Gauhati University. She has several research publications, which are published in different journals. Apart from these, she writes a book, entitled as "Sabdavyapara & Philosophical impact on Vigvanatha Kaviraja's work."

The Varadambikapannayacampu (VPC) of Tirumalamba is one of the important Campukavyas in Sanskrit. The authoress happened to be the queen of Achyutaraya, the king of Vijayanagara in Deccan. Historical evidences provide the information that the king of Vijaynagar ruled during the sixteenth century A.D. On the other hand queen Tirumalamba chose the family of her in-laws as the theme of her Campu. Hence, the VPC comprises the description of Acyutaraya's forefathers and the life of Acyutaraya up to the birth of his son. This Campu of Tirumalamba emerges as an appealing one due to its being enriched with so many literary elements. The subject matter of Tirumalamba's work also demands treatment in various aspects, as well as in critical and comparative lines. It also deserves a special study comprising the literary, philosophical and socio-cultural aspects.

With this idea in mind, while I aspired for research work for the degree of Ph.D. of Gauhati University on this Campu work of Tirumalamba. I approached my supervisor, who too appreciated and encouraged me to go for a serious study. With the suggestion and advice of any supervisor, the chapter-division are also designed.

In preparing this dissertation I have mainly based on the first edition of the VARADAMBIKAPARINNAYACAMPU edition by Prof. Suryakanta Sastri, in 1970, The references of the Varadambikapannayacampu made herein, pertain to this edition of Prof. Suryakanta Sastri. However, an immature researcher like me can only understand the difficulties in undergoing studies even at the absence of a dependable commentary on the text.

With these prefatory words, I, with all humility, place this work to the scholarly world. I shall be highly rewarded if the learned finds something interesting in it.

**Contents and Sample Pages**