Sreekanteswaram Padmanabha Pillai – The lexicographer best known for Malayalam dictionary, Sabdatharavali

Sreekanteswaram Padmanabha Pillai was a lexicographer and scholar from Kerala who lived during the period, 1864–1946. He was also a lawyer by profession. He was a native of Sreekanteswaram, Thiruvananthapuram, and fondly known by his native place name. Malayalam dictionary Sabdatharavali is his best known contribution towards literal world, and has authored around 60 books during his lifetime. He published Sabdatharavali in 1918 and a pocket dictionary in 1906, and his efforts were well-recognized by princely rulers then.

Sreekanteswaram Padmanabha Pillai was well versed in English, Tamil and Sanskrit. Since young he was interested in Thullal literature, and wrote his first work belonging to the same – Bali Vijayam. Later he got interested in Aattakatha. His efforts to compile a Malayalam dictionary started in 1897 and finally published in 1918. Though he was a matric fail, he passed Magistrate exams in 1898 and later worked as a criminal lawyer in Neyyattinkara and Varkala of Thiruvananthapuram district. Most of his literary works were related to Hindu mythology and Malayalam writers.

Sreekanteswaram Padmanabha Pillai – Some interesting facts

1. It took long 22 years for Sreekanteswaram to complete his masterpiece work, Sabdatharavali for which he is best known as a Malayalam lexicographer. It was first published in a magazine format in columns in alternative months.

2. He authored Duryodhanavadham and Dharmaguptavadham Aattakatha at a very young age. He authored Dharmaguptavadham at the age of only 21 which earned him the recognition of a poet.

3. He failed in his matriculation exams, which marked end of his official academic career, though he continued with his studies in Sanskrit, Ayurveda and other subjects.

4. He authored many poetry works belonging to different genres, apart from plays and other forms of works.