Sena and Guttaka [237 – 215 BCE]

Predecessor		Successor
King Suratissa [247 – 237 BCE]	Sena and Guttaka [237 – 215 BCE]	King Asela [215 – 205 BCE]
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

The accession of Sena and Guttaka (r. 237–215 BCE) marks a major turning point in the history of the Anuradhapura Kingdom. Their rise represents the first successful foreign invasion of the island and the earliest interruption of the traditional Sinhala royal lineage. The ancient chronicles describe them as the sons of a South Indian horse trader, referred to as an assa-navika (“horse merchant” or “freighter”). From these commercial beginnings, the two brothers rose to become joint rulers of the kingdom.

Arrival and the Strategic Importance of Horses

Sena and Guttaka arrived in Sri Lanka during the reign of King Suratissa, the younger brother of Devanampiya Tissa and a son of King Mutasiva.

At the time, horses were not native to the island and were therefore an extremely valuable military resource. The two brothers arrived leading a group of horsemen, purportedly to engage in trade. However, the chronicles suggest that their arrival with what is described as a “great army” may in fact have been a carefully planned military expedition disguised as a commercial venture.

Rise to Power and the Fall of Suratissa

King Suratissa employed the two South Indian adventurers as mercenaries in his service. Recognizing their skill and experience with horses, he appointed them as captains of the royal cavalry and granted them positions of considerable trust within the military establishment.

Despite these privileges, Sena and Guttaka eventually betrayed their royal patron. Taking advantage of their control over the cavalry and the support of their own foreign troops, they carried out a coup around 237 BCE. During this uprising they killed King Suratissa and seized the throne of Anuradhapura, establishing themselves as joint rulers of the kingdom.

Governance and Religious Practices

Although their rise to power was violent, the principal chronicles describe the rule of Sena and Guttaka as having been conducted “justly” and “wisely.” This portrayal suggests that they largely preserved the existing administrative framework of the Sinhala kingdom and did not disrupt the established social order. Such continuity may have enabled them to govern effectively and secure a degree of acceptance among the local population.

One of the few specific undertakings attributed to their reign concerns a hydraulic and religious project. The two rulers appear to have followed a religious tradition—probably an early form of Hinduism or a South Indian belief system—that emphasized ritual purification through water. To facilitate their daily ablutions without traveling far from the royal residence, they ordered the diversion of the Kadamba-nadi (modern Malvatu Oya) so that its waters flowed close to the city of Anuradhapura.

The Fall of Sena and Guttaka

The twenty-two-year rule of Sena and Guttaka ended violently around 215 BCE. Opposition to their authority was organized by Asela, another younger brother of Devanampiya Tissa and the youngest among the nine sons of King Mutasiva.

Asela succeeded in rallying a Sinhala force and launched a campaign to reclaim the throne. In the ensuing conflict he defeated and killed both Sena and Guttaka, effectively destroying their army and restoring the Sinhala royal dynasty to Anuradhapura.

Following this victory, Asela ruled the kingdom for ten years. However, the island soon faced another major challenge when a later Tamil invasion led by Elara ushered in a new and prolonged period of foreign domination.

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:

Dipavamsa: compiled between the 3rd and 4th centuries CE, and the earliest known historical chronicle
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
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.
Pujavaliya: Written by a monk in or around 1266 during the reign of King Panditha Parakrama Bahu of Dambadeniya Kingdom
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

Blaze, L. E. (1900). A history of Ceylon for schools. Colombo: Christian Literature Society.Codrington, H. W. (1994). A short history of Ceylon. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. (Original work published 1929).
Mahanama, Geiger, W., & Bode, M. H. (1912). The Mahavamsa or the Great Chronicle of Ceylon. Translated into English by Wilhelm Geiger. For the Pali Text Society by Henry Frowde.
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.
Perera, H. R. (2008). Buddhism in Sri Lanka: A Short History (BPS Online Edition). Buddhist Publication Society – Kandy. (Original work published 1966)
Wijesekera, N. (1990). The Sinhalese. M. D. Gunasena & Co Ltd.