Maharaja Krishnadevaraya

Raja Krishnadev Rai : Promoter of Science and Medicine

Raja Krishnadev Rai in his Amuktamalyada says that a king should maintain scientists in his court. Rayavachakamu signifies the Raya’s court attended by learned men, purohits, acharyas, jiyangars, ascetics, astrologers, physicians, scientists etc. Raja Krishnadev Rai feel that the responsibility of the scientists to safe guard the society and at the same time, he expected them to be self less in public service and committed to their investigations for the promotion of Scientific Knowledge.

Arogya chintamani of Damodhara Bhatta deal with many aspects of medical and botanical knowledge. Sayanacharya composed Ayurveda Sudhanidhi. Another work namely Netradarpanam in telugu on Opthamalogy of Panakalaraya, explains many advances in diagnosis and theraphy. He explains 96 eye – diseases.

The fact that wearing glasses also was in practice by the 16th century in Andhradesa can be known from this work. The Rasa system of medicine, generally known as tantric, saivite and siddha systems also gained much popularity during the Vijayanagara period. Nityanatha siddha and Gourana of 14th century A.D. mentions that Srisailam (Kurnool district) was a great centre of Rasa – siddhas and many medicines were prepared by the siddhas. Rasaratnakara, Rasapradipika were the noted works in Sanskrit & Telugu etc, written during Raja Krishnadev Rai’s period.

Raja Krishnadev Rai : Promoter of Chemico Mineral Operations

Srisailam and Amalapuram were the famous centers where many Rasasiddhas lived and continued research in chemico mineral operations of their posterity. The pharmacopeia of the siddha system is very voluminous. The chemical substances used in their therapy are classified into minerals, salts, poisons, sub – metals, mercury and sulphur. The fine varieties of salts, two varieties of poisons, nine metals and 17 sub – metals were explained. The description of Sodhana (purification) and Marana (incineration) of metals and sub- metals is very useful in tracing the technological development.

Raja Krishnadev Rai was not only king and he earned a title of “Kannada Rajya Rama Ramana” and we can understand by this facts that why he was titled as the “Lord of the Kannada empire”  wear Raja Krishnadev Rai portrait print hoodie and feel the glory of historical heroes of India. Check out Maharaja Krishnadevaraya Collection.