බුද්ධකාලීන ශ්‍රී ලංකාව හෙවත් හෙළබිම පාලනය කළ පණිත නම් මහරජතුමා

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King Panitha who reigned in Helabima or Sri Lanka in Buddha's time

There isn't a single chronicle which reports that there was a great king who reigned Sri Lanka in Buddha's time. But, there are inscriptions which report a king who reigned Sri Lanka in Buddha's time,  this must be certainly be bringing a surprise to all of you. When something of this nature is not stated in the chronicles, it must be the utmost duty of the Archeological Department to reveal the truth. But, unfortunately, instead being worried over the said duty, respective authorities have worked to seal it up totally.

1035       {(.. the cave) of Panihitha treasurer of the great king and..}

                (Sinhala Shilalekhana Sangrahaya, Page 166)

What is mentioned above is the inscription which talks about this particular king and it the Sinhala translation of Professor Nandaseana Mudiyanse. It can be very clearly seen that Professor Senarath Paranavithana had changed the meaning of this inscription, in the process of the interpretation. Now, let's look in to the view point of the Archeological Department as well which was the cause of this interpretation.  For that, it is necessary to look in to the original inscription.

1035 (1) Maharajhaha Panita - badakarika parumaka - Sumanaha

(The cave) of the chief Sumana, officer in charge of the store-house of goods in deposit, of the great king (I.C. 81)  

The act of presenting the name of the great king 'Panita' as Pranihitha and also with an adjective to 'store-house in goods deposits' can be explained as a modification done for this inscription. Because of this, the name which could be used to recognize the great king reigned in Buddha's time was lost.

There is a statement describing this king in Pāli Balawatharaya written by Venerable Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Maha Nayaka Thero in 1882. This book reports that a  branch of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree, in the time of the Buddha, had been taken in procession by a Bhikkuni called Shona and it had been planted by the great king Panitha at the Shakya Wansha Vihara.

Mahavamsa, the great chronicle, too states that branches of the sacred Bodhi tree had been planted by the respective kings living in the times of Kakusanda Buddha, Konagama Buddha and Kshyapa Buddha.Not only that, this had been taken in to the Dasamara Piritha in the Pirith Book as well. But, planting of a sacred Bodhi tree in this manner is not stated in Mahavamsa and Dasamara Piritha.

There is an inscription stating the kingship in Heladeepa. But that inscription does not carry any name. This inscription is found in the area of Mihinthale.

 (The cave of Mahanbika, the daughter of Dweeparaaja, is (given for) Sanga )

(Sinhala Shilalekhana Sangrahaya, Page 53)

Let's identify the name of the father, the king, of the daughter Mahabiya.

There is another inscription which is evident for this King Deepa to be a Maha Raja ( a great king).This can be proved by the inscription at the Korathota Vihara.

1103. (The cave of Mahabiya, (who is) the daughter of the great king, was given for the Sangas who did come and did not come from all four directions).

(Sinhala Shilalekhana Sangrahaya, 1103)

King Panitha can be identified well through the inscriptions found from many inscriptions in Sri Lanka. The authors of Indian influence such as the one of Mahavamsa did their best to destroy the history of Lanka. On key archeologist got the opportunity to bring light to chase out that darkness through the inscription, but he also did the same. Even to this date, it is visible that the students of that master are committed to safe guard the betterment of their teachers, but not the glory of the motherland, Sri Lanka.

(The cave of Abi Upaliya, who is the Chief Queen of the Great King Panitha)

(Sellipi Kiyaweemata Nohaki Apata Pahasu Kramayak, Page 26)

This inscription can be used to positively to identify King Panitha. This inscription proves, very positively, that Panitha is not Pranahitha.

This inscription can be considered as something did before he become the king. And his father also can be identified. HIs is a Parumaka called Viyaga.

Sumana had worked as the Ayaka parumaka of Abi Upalaya, the queen of the great king.

What  does this mean? It means that there had been a brother for King Panitha called Poornaka.

According to this inscription Nagasha was another brother of King Panitha. This inscription says that this brother of King Panitha called Nagasha had done an offering to the Buddha and the noble Sanga.  " Aparimitha Lokadathushe" is a term used for the Lord Buddha.

It's a chief called Pussadewa had worked as the Ayaka Parumaka of Panitha Maha Raja. This is mentioned in an inscription situated in Akurugodella in Sithulpawwa. That inscription is as follows.

A Parumaka called Sumana had worked as the treasurer for the Greta King Panitha. The term such as is attached to the name of Sumana , to introducing his name, to describe his relationship as a son of King Panitha.  The inscription for that is as follows.

The father-king mentioned here can be identified as King Panitha and Sumana is the noble person called God Sumana Saman. The term called Bagawatha found in this inscription is used for Buddha and it suggests that the period of this inscription can be taken as of Buddha's time. The inscription found in Bana Samanala confirms this further. The inscription found at the Samanala Peak is as follows.

A Parumaka called Damaraja had worked in the process of making the steps of the sacred footprint of the Buddha at Sri Pada Peak. That is why it is called Darmarajagala ( the peak or the mountain of Darmaraja) It can be seen in the inscription at Bowaththegala. The inscription numbered as 549 is an evidence for it. The name called Shumana found in this inscription has been changed as Gamana by the Archeological Department, but it can be seen as it is in the picture of its block (platelix). Finally, this proves that Parumaka Sumana is no one else, but God Sumana Saman.

Although the name of the great King Panitha has been removed from the texts\books, the letters engraved on the rock stand on the place where the noble person called King Panitha had reigned in Lanka in the time of Buddha. The Great King Panitha was the owner of the biggest shipping company in Lanka. The commander of it was a Parumaka King Gōtabhaya. After the death of the great King Panitha, King Gōtabhaya got all the possessions of the shipping company under his commands and was popular as Pugiyana (Shipping company) ( 662. Madukashaliya Pugiyana Lene Shagasha.  Professor Senarath Paranavithana had disappeared the picture plate of this inscription. It is understandable that driven by the intention that the world will know about this, he must have acted in this cheap manner. This teaches a very good lesion to all who have the interest in destroying the glory of the motherland.

The list of the books refered by Mookalangamuwe Pannananda

• Nethadutude
• Panitha Rajathuma ( Manuscript)
• Budhusarana ( 2008.02.20, 2008.03.21)
• Lanka Shilalekhana Sangrahaya 01
• Sinhala Shilalekhana Sangrahaya 01
• Sellipi Kiyaweemata Nohaki Apata Pahasu Kramayak

Read this in Sinhala 

Translated by Amal Meemanage (amalmeemanage@gmail.com) 

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