Sovereigns of Sri Lanka: King Dathapabhuti [535 CE]

Upon the death of King Silakala, his second son, Dathapabhuti, who was ruling Dakkhinadesa, seized the throne. Dathapabhuti had two brothers: the eldest, Moggallana, who governed the Eastern Province, and the youngest, Upatissa, who resided in the royal palace.

When Upatissa tried to prevent Dathapabhuti from claiming the throne, arguing that it was not his turn to rule, Dathapabhuti responded by having him murdered. This act deeply enraged Moggallana, who raised an army and marched north, encamping at Karinda Mountain to challenge his brother.

To avoid unnecessary bloodshed among their soldiers, the brothers agreed to resolve their dispute through single combat, reasoning that the country could only support one of them as king. Riding their battle elephants, the brothers engaged in a fierce and brutal fight.

Ultimately, Dathapabhuti’s elephant was injured by his brother’s, forcing him to concede. Faced with imminent defeat and despite Moggallana’s pleas for him to surrender, Dathapabhuti chose to take his own life, ending the conflict.

Dathapabhuti’s rule lasted only six months and six days.

Ancient Manuscripts Detailing the Sovereigns of Sri Lanka

Sovereigns of Sri Lanka are chronicled in several ancient manuscripts. These texts not only record the lineages of kings but also the significant events and developments of their reigns. Some of the most significant ancient sources are:

1. Dipavamsa: compiled between the 3rd and 4th centuries CE, and the earliest known historical chronicle
2. Mahavamsa: Initially compiled by Mahanama Thero in the 5th or 6th century CE, this chronicle was later expanded upon by other authors who added additional chapters. Covers events up until the reign of King Mahasena of Anuradhapura
3. Culavamsa: Starts where the Mahavamsa stops and records the history of Sri Lankan rulers from the 4th century to 1815. Mahavamsa and Culavamsa are often seen as one extended chronicle, commonly referred to simply as the Mahavamsa.
4. Pujavaliya: Written by a monk in or around 1266 during the reign of King Panditha Parakrama Bahu of Dambadeniya Kingdom
5. Rajavaliya: A 17th-century historical chronicle of Sri Lanka, covering the history of the island from its beginnings up to the accession of King Vimaladharmasurya II in 1687.

References

1. Blaze, L. E. (2004). History of Ceylon. Asian Educational Services. (Original work published 1933)
2. Geiger, W., & Rickmers, C. M. (1929). Culavamsa: Being The More Recent Part Of The Mahavamsa: Vol. Part I–II. Pali Text Society.
3. Dharmakirtti Sangharaja, D. (1922). Nikaya-Sangrahaya or Sasanawataraya: A History of Ceylon. H. R. Cottle, Government Printer of Ceylon.
4. Nicholas, C. W., & Paranavitana, S. (1961). A Concise History of Ceylon : From the Earliest Times to the Arrival of the Portuguese in 1505. University of Ceylon.
5. Obeyesekere, D. (1911). Outlines of Ceylon History. The Times of Ceylon Colombo.
6. Paranavitana, S. (1959). History of Ceylon (University of Ceylon): Vol. 1 (part 1)–3. Ceylon University Press.
7. Suraweera, A. V. (2014). රාජාවලිය. Education Publication Department of Sri Lanka. (Original book published in 1976 from the original documents from the 17th century)

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