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.
(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.
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.
" 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.
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
Very good website, thank you.
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