[5] Makayiramnal Kerala Varma Thampuran was the author of Bhoothanatholbhavam thullal and Aardra Maholsavam Sanskrit champu.
[6] Thekkekkettil Kottarathil Athamnal Godavarma Valiya Thampuran (1840–1911) was the grammar guru of Pandalam Kerala Varma.
[1] Kerala Varma started learning the alphabet at age 3 from Pandalam Achutha Warrier.
Kerala Varma learnt Siddha Roopam, Sree Ramodantham, and Amara Kosam by age 10.
[1] Thereafter he studied the poems Sree Krishna Vilasam, Naishadheeya Charitha, Kiratharjuneeyam and plays like abhigijñānaśākuntalam.
[1] Kerala Varma married Ammukkutty Amma, who was the sister of the poet Oduvil Kunhikrishna Menon in the year 1905.
During this period, he along with Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer learnt grammar and rhetorical figures under the guidance of Thuravoor Narayana Shastri.
[1] He was appointed a member on the expert panel of the Maharaja of Travancore by the then king Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma and was granted 10 rupees as salary.
[1] Kerala Varma was disturbed by the unexpected deaths of his relatives and close associates in a short period.
[8] Kerala Varma's initial works were Sreekrishna Sthothram, an astakam on Dharmasastha, Kesadipada Sathakam, and Rasavilasambhanam.
[10] Kerala Varma authored 16 major works, including two mahakavyas Rukmamgadacharitham and Vijayodayam.
[3] Revealing Varma's command over the language and the medium of expression, Rukmamgadacharitham was meant for a scholarly audience.
[2] According to N. Krishna Pillai, Kerala Varma's mahakavyas would astonish everybody with their word control and effortless beauty.
[1] Marthanda Devodayam, Vancheesa Sathakam, Sreemoola Prakasika, and Sreemoolaraja Vijayam fall into the history based category.
[1] Saubhadra Niryanam, Urmila, Bheema Prabhavam, Lakshmana Pravasam, Ghatolkkachan, Subhadra, Marthya Vaibhavam, Barbareekan, Sayoojyam, and Vibheeshaabhishekam can be categorised as mythology based.
[1] Kerala Varma wrote the widely popular Malayalam prayer song for children Daivame Kai Thozham.
[19] Some of his other poetry for children include Kalikkutty, Maasangal, Neram Veluthu, Thathammayum Penkuttiyum, Aana, Ponnu Thampuran, Nakshathrangal, Nazhikamani, Sundara Viddi, Ammepaksham, Kanduvo Nee, Kadannalum Theneechayum, Arivu, Manthan Chanthayil Poyathu, Jalam, Oru Tharkkam, Chinthikkaran, Payyeppayye, Kallane Killan Pidikkum, Vaayu, Oru Vanchippattu, Kallanaya Eli, Dinacharya, Kakkayum Kurukkanum, Pasu, Palliyunarthal, Prarthana, Vallamkali, and Ambili Ammavan.
[1] His poems Kaliyum Karyavum, Payyethinnal Panayum Thinnam, and Othoruma contain advice for children.
[22] Although his ancestral deity is Lord Ayyappa, Kerala Varma wrote majority of hymns in praise of Devi.
[27] Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer called Kerala Varma "Prithveesan" for his uncanny ability to write poems in Prithvi metre.
[29] Kerala Varma used to publish a fortnightly periodical Kavana Kaumudi, which contained poetry and contemporary issues.
[4] Kerala Varma was the owner and Chief Editor of the periodical and P. K. Narayanan Namboothiri was the publisher and manager.
[1] Poets like Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer opposed the idea of such a periodical initially, but later praised it and wrote in it.
In 1905, the printing of the periodical was shifted to Kerala Kalpadrumam Press in Thrissur, which was managed by Vallathol Narayana Menon.
[1] The earlier poems of Nalappattu Narayana Menon, G. Sankara Kurup, and V. C. Balakrishna Panicker were also published in this periodical.
[1][4] Kavana Kaumudi is considered to have served as a unifying factor, surpassing the regional differences and parochial discriminations that existed in the early 20th century.
[32] Even Kumaran Asan who was reluctant to publish his poems through the periodical, wrote that it would not be a mistake to consider Kavana Kaumudi as a standard for understanding the prosperity of poetic skills in Malayalam.
[33] In the souvenir published during the birth centenary of Kerala Varma, poet Cherukunnam Purushothaman observed that none of the obstacles such as the complexity of the topic, demand for fast completion, or lack of time for revision or correction marred Kerala Varma's priceless editorials.