KAKKASSERI BHATTATHIRI Dear friends,
After reading about KakkasseriBhattathiri from Sri Sivam Perinkulam’s posting years back,(Fortunately he has startedwriting articles now after 3-4 years gap) I was eager to make my posting after readingabout him from Eithihyamala. Keeping the reading as skeleton I am making this posting. We know a nampoothiri who succeedin vaatha prathiivatham is honoured as BHATTATHIRI. The period of Kakksseri nampoothiri is thatof UDDANTA SASTHRIKAL.Kakksseri won over Uddanta Sasthrikal. Kakkasseri was a nampoothrihighly scholared. But he was not for the customary practices of nampoothiricommunity. He was not specific of nampoothiri acharams. He was of the opinion that bath isfor body pleasure and cleanliness and not for SUDDI. This meant he would takebath as he likes and when ever he likes. He was named Kakkasseri becausehe could IDENTIFY CROWS.He was extra intelligent. He was a wandering Bhattathiri. Nothing is knownabout his Veali (marriage) or children. Let me start with the birth of Kakkasseri. Sincerely, Gopala Krishnan 7-10-2013. Reposted after editing and updating information. R. Gopala Krishnan 1. Kozhikkode Thali temple assembling It was a practice during theperiod of MANAVIKRAMAN SAKTHAN THAMPURAN once in a year scholars assembling in THALITEMPLE at Kozhikkode. I mean by scholars who are really experts in Vedam, sasthram,puranam etc. There will be discussions and those who win over others are paidwith PANAKKIZHI (Money in a small redbag). Malayali Brahmins (nampoothiries) were most participants in the early days. Some how there was decline in thenampoothiries attending and persons from near by states participating and winning.At this time Uddanta sasthrikal from Tamilnadu appeared. 2. Uddanta sasthrikal He was a scholar, no doubt. But he was very pride. For himothers were insignificant. He will come with a parrot. Parrot willtalk as he directs. Others in Kerala thought- what apity condition. A person from other state win over others every year. He becameclose with king also and started living with king. A golden period to him. My note- We have uddaantasasthrikals everywhere, in Brahmana samooham, groups otherreligions etc. now also. 3. Nampoothries assemble at Guruvayoor. Some years passed. Chief Nampoothiriesassembled at GURUVAYUR. They prepared a “Bala” (butter) with recitation of manthrasand prayer to Guruvayoorappa. At that time one antharjanam had conceived nearby in an illam. It was proposed to give the butter to the Antharjanam and she consumesit till delivery. 4, Birth of Kakkasseri Accordingly she consumed butter and in time gavebirth to a male child. With out my writing – he became later thefamous Kakkasseri Bhattathiri. (What name he was known during a boy is not toldin Eithihyamala) 5. Death of father. At the age of three his fatherdied. One year Deeksha had to be observed. At that time during MASIKAM, the child could recognisethe difference between the crows present the previous day and on the day totake pindam. He will identify to his mother. Fornampoothiries SAPINDI is after one year My note- We say balikakka or Andan kakka. We cansee many crows sitting on tree branches, and when Pindam is offered oohum- none of them come near itirrespective of the claps the kartha make. Even the big balikakka wait forspecific crow/crows first to take pindam. There is definitely certain crowsassociated with our pithrus. They may have representatives when sraddha isconducted separately by male children for their father. For mother there is srardha and pindam only in Gaya. 6. Upanayanam Vidyarambham was done at the ageof three and upanayanam was performed at the age of five to the child. Mother used to take him to near MUKKUTHALADevi temple. One day just to joke on the child one passing by person asked himwhere he had gone. He said to Mukkuthala devi temple. He further asked whatdevi said? Immediately he said NOTHING in a Sanskrit sloka –The gentle man could not makeout what the child said. He became perplexed. Finally the boy explained the meaning of his verse in substance asNothing. The person could understand theboy is not an ordinary child. 7. Challenging Uddanta sasthrikal. The nampoothiries desired heshould challenge and win over Uddanta sasthrikal. It was even beforeSamavarthanam (Completion of education with Gurukulam) My note- Many may be recollectingour sastrikal telling bridegroom side- Finish SAMAVARTHANAM and come, I might commence vratham… 8. Tatthayum poochhayum (Parrot and cat) When Kakkasseri appeared in thesadas of Manavikraman, he was just a boy. The king had a doubt since appearingas a boy, did he come to participate in the discussion. He confirmed YES. Kakkasseri had gone with a servant and a CAT. First he placed hiscat opposite to parrot. It got geared- whether cat would attack it? Exactly itwas the intention of Kakkasseri bringingthe cat to the sadas. 9. Vatha prathivadam and winning Kakkasseri defeated in eachtharkam from the very first welcome from the Uddanta sasthrikal. King Manavikrama understood, Uddantasasthrikal could never win . However he is an aged Brahmin. King thought giving him lastchance. He asked the person who couldgive more number of meanings of thefirst sloka from RAGHUVAMSAMcould be won. Sasthrikal could give 4 but Kakkasserigave 8 and win all the 100 kizhies. The last Kizhi was for the aged person,sasthrikal said, he is maximum aged. But Kakkasseri said- my servant is moreaged than you and took that kizhi also. Uddanta sasthrikal returned to Tamilnadu accepting his defeat ofKakkasseri…. 10. Other tharkams and vatha prathivathams Bhattathiri became famous. He hasparticipated in many tharkams later too with uddanta sasthrikal . In some Uddanta made unparliamentarily attacks and nampoothri too retarded in the same coin. My note- Beautiful. It was in Eithyamala period also!!! 11. Samavarthanm.. Samavarthanam was performed. Afterthat nampoothiri never used to remain permanently in the illam. He was a wandering man with principle SARVAM BRAHMA MAYAM. He will take food from all, touchall, he never felt anything. However during Thali vada prathivadam (Kozhikkode Thali Lord Siva temple) he used to attend positively and get all kizhies. 12. theendal and thodeel As days passed many other nampoothiries could not like him . But none could talk and winover him. Those talk adverse totally changed in hispresence itself. 13. Brahmins question It was the time of Tharkasasthram at Tali temple and Kakkasseri was returning getting all Kizhies.Others asked him- What shall we do in the situation of a crisis. They internally ment to get ridof Kakkasseri. He understood it. He asked to pray Devi, and she willgive out a way- Even Brahma will become servant in substance. 14. Kakkasseri calls on 41st day of prayer. The Brahmins after preparingpadmam started to worship Devi as Kakkasseri told them. On the 41st day Kakkasseri came and stoodoutside. He wanted some water. After drinking it he said- You havetheendal and thodeel. Iam having BRASHTU. I am not coming inside and left the scene. 15. Kakkasseri- where is he? Afterwards no body has seenKakkasseri Bhattathiri. Most probably he would not have children. There was nomale member in the illam. So after him the illam went to memories- Anyam ninnu poyi. It isfelt his period was between Kollam Era 600 and 700. 16. Eandi- Unakkutheriyuma? Yar intha Kaakasseri. My note- In the earlier posting I had added this par t also. Now Sri Sivam Perinkulam is withus –Original poster on this . I request him to writeabout this part which could make every one laugh. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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