Back to Mahabharata Resources Page
References on Ganesha writing Mahabharata in Medieval Malayalam Texts
References on Ganesha writing Mahabharata in Medieval Malayalam Texts
Tirunizhalmala (dated 1200-1300 AD)
by Govinnen (Govindan)
Commentary by M.M. Purushothaman Nair,
Sandhya Books, Calicut University P.O., Kerala (1981)
(Page 100)
Invocation of Ganesha: Viyatan mozhiyum Paratatteyoru
kompukontezhuttiTumaven (who wrote with a tusk, the Bharata spoken
by Vyasa)
Bharatam Pattu (dated 1500 AD)
By Ayyanappilla Asan
Commentary by P.K. Narayana Pillai, National Book Stall, Kottayam, Kerala
(1988)
song 2, Sambhava Parva, page 44
Praising Ganesha in the beginning of the text: The stylus for
writing the holy Mahabharata is the six faced boy God (Subrahmanya)
(The story of Vyasa accepting Ganesha as his writer for Mahabharata
with the permission of Brahma is famous - Note by commentator on page 44).
Cherusseri Bharatham (Bharatagatha)
Authored by Ponathil Sankaran Nambiti during the reign of
Udyavarman Kolathiri - M.E 621 to 640 (A.D 1446 to 1465)
Edited with an introduction by Chirakkal T. Balakrishnan Nair,
Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Thrissur, Kerala (1974)
Chapter 1, page 3
Praising Ganesha in the beginning of the text: My lord, son of
Sambhu (Siva) who kindly wrote this story, which removes all sins and
grants salvation, with (his) tusk, please shower your kindness on me to
enable me to complete this task without any worry or disease affecting
me.
(These lines refer to Ganesha, who wrote the verses of Mahabharata
recited by Veda Vyasa, with a tusk on his right hand, on the leaves of
Bhoorjara tree. The ancient Ganesha installation of the Velath Temple in
Mayyil of North Malabar (Kannur District, Kerala) is based on the concept
of the scribe of Mahabharata, page 26-27, introduction by the editor).
Kannassa Ramayanam
by Rama Panikkar (later half of fifteenth century)
VEdavyAsanenRa nAmamezhum dvijEndran
nhanamiyanRu conna purANamanRuyar paRuvatAgrE
nalamiyal konpu koNTezhutum GanEshane nhAn tozhunREn.
I salute Ganesha who writes with the tusk on the tip of the
mountain, the Purana spoken with knowledge by the Indra among brahmins,
VedaVyasa.
Quoted by M. M. Purushothaman Nair in his commentary to Tirunizhalmala.
Compiled by A. Purushothaman (May 2005)