Panditharaja Shastra Ratnam Prof. D. Damodara Pisharody

Damodara Pisharody was born in 1918 to Nayathode Pisharath Lakshmikutty Pisharassiar and Thanippilly Manakkal Parameshwaran Namboodiri. After Primary education and passing out Panchamam exam from Sreemulanagaram Sanskrit School, he completed his studies in Sanskrit from Thripponithura Sanskrit College. He became staunch desciple of Perunthanam Narayanan Namboodiri and Shankaranarayana shastrikal and acquired vast knowledge in the field of  Grammar and Hindu philosophy and Mimamsa ( analytical study of Hindu vedic scripts). He also learnt Tharkashastra ( Logical interpretation of Vedic philisophy) under the scholar Rama Varma Parikshit Thamburan , ruler of Cochin Province. Later on he went on to become Professor of Kaladi Ashramam school and Thripunithura Sanskrit College. Thanthrika kulapathy Vezhaparambu Narayanan Namboodiri and Kalady Sanskrit University’s former Registrar K.G.Paulose were some of his distinguished students. In 1967 he was conferred Shastra Ratna award by Pattambi Neelakantha Sanskrit Vidyapeeth. He was also honoured with Panditharajan award by Thrippunithura Sanskrit College. He was a distinguished scholar in Sringeri Sannidhanam vidwalsadassu and had received Keerthi Mudra from Sankaracharya Swamikal. In 1974 he retired from all his official duties, although for some more years he imparted his knowledge to students of Pavaratty Sanskrit School. He has published his critical interpretation of  N.N.Gopala Pillai’s ” Seetavicharalahari”, Perunthaanam Narayanan Namboodiri’s “Vyakaranaarthamala” , Vishnubhajanga sthothram etc. He has also published “Samskritadhyapakabandhu”. This abundant treasure of Sanskrit language ended his humble life in July1984 in his own residence Narayanalyam.