Sahrudayathilakan Rama Pisharody

Rama Pisharody was born in 1867 at Kallankara Pisharam near Irinjalakkuda Koodal Manikya Kshethram. His father was Vazhappilly Nampoothiri and his mother was Kunji Pisharasyar. He had two brothers namely Karunakara Pisharody and Bharatha Pisharody. His wife was Kuttamasseri Ichukkutty Pisharasyar. They had two children. Their son Kuttamassery Narayana Pisharody was the Principal of Govt. Sanskrit College, Thripunithura. Their daughter Ammukkutty Pisharasyar is the wife of Prof. K. Rama Pisharody, who was his nephew and was a professor in Annamalai University. To identify between these two, Sahrudayathilakan was called as Valiya Rama Pisharody.

His education began at home. He lost his parents at an early age and his maternal uncle Achyutha Pisharody brought him up. He came to Thripunithura with his uncle at the age of 11. There he learnt Astrology and Vyakaranashashtra etc. They became close friends through discussions on Nyaya, Alankara Sasthra, Sakunthala etc. He learned Dinakari from the King himself and learnt Gadhadhari along with Parikshit Thampuran, the royal prince of Thripunithra, and from Madhavacharya, during which they became close.

Rama Pisharody and Parikshith Thampuran enjoyed a great friendship. Parikshit Thampuran considered Rama Pisharody to be intelligent, sharp-witted, knowledgeable and vastly experienced and someone who always delighted his audiences and literature lovers. He considered him to be deserving of the title Sahridya Thilakan. Ullur S Parameswara Ayyar said their friendship was like the mixture of milk and sugar. Even his son Kuttamassery Narayana Pisharody has mentioned their friendship in his writings.

In 1890, at the age of 23 he became a teacher in “SESHACHARYA PADASALA” (Govt Sanskrit College, Thripunithra). In 1903 at the age of 36, he became Senior Sanskrit Pandit at Maharajas College Ernakulam. He retired in 1922.

He spent his remaining life writing, debating, and teaching children at the palace. He was “Asthana  Pandithan” of the royal Family Palace at Thrippunithura. He died of Asthma in 1947 at the age of 80.

Awards 
In 1915, the title of SAHRUDAYATHILAKAN was bestowed on him. At the same time, Kunju Nampoothiri and Ayya Shasthrikal were titled Tharkikha Thilakan and Shabdika Thilakan, respectively.

In 1922, he received “PATTUM VALAYUM” from Edward, The 8th, at the Madras Senet hall.

Literary Works
Some of his writings include – Ramavarma Satakam Khandakavyam, Balapriya, Kuvalayananda Vyakhya – Saaraartha Deepika, Shakunthala Vyakyanam, Analytical study of Shakunthalam and Malavikaginimitralochanam. Rasika Priya. Pisharody’s analysis on Vikramorvisiyam, Ratnavali, Rukasandesham (poetry), Dasarupakam Kuvalayandachandrika, Chitrameemamsa (Alankara books ), Vyutpathivadam, Dinakariyam (Books on Logic and Discourse) were never published. His brief history and about his works are mentioned in Kerala Sahithya Charithram Part V, written by Ulloor S Parameswara Iyer. book Vyanjanavruthi was mentioned in Mahakavi Ulloor’s writings. Many sthotras were also written by him of which, Sangamesa Stuthi and Poornatrayeesa Stuthi were published in Ravi Verma Grandhavali.
Pisharody’s interpretations and analyses are precious. However, it is unfortunate that most of them are currently unavailable.