Sovereigns of Sri Lanka: King Silakala [522-535 CE]

King Silakala, also referred to as Ambasmanera, Salamevan (Silameghavanna), ‘Ambaherana Salamevan‘ or Lamani Akbo in various sources, ascended to the throne after defeating King Upatissa II in a series of battles. Silakala was married to Upatissa’s daughter.

Silakala is thought to be the son of Silakala Sr., a former priest in India who brought the Hair Relic of the Buddha to Sri Lanka during the reign of King Moggallana.

In the 12th year of his reign, a merchant named Purna returned to Sri Lanka from the city of Baranes (modern-day Varanasi) with a sacred book called the “Dhamma Dhathu.” While the Culavamsa does not elaborate on the content of the text, the Nikaya Sangrahaya identifies it as a treatise on the Vaithulyavada doctrine. King Silakala, without fully understanding its teachings, became an ardent devotee of Vaithulyavada. He held the book in high esteem, initiated annual festivals in its honor, and showcased it at the Jethavanarama Monastery. This Vaithulyavada heresy, which had been dormant for many years, gained prominence during Silakala’s reign.

King Silakala had three sons. His eldest, Moggallana, was given the eastern province and conferred the title of Adipada. His second son, Dathapabhuti, governed Dakkhinadesa, the southern region of Anuradhapura, and was honored with the title Malayaraja. The youngest son, Upatissa, was his favorite and remained in the royal palace.

Upon the king’s death, the second son Dathapabhuti, who was ruling the eastern province, seized the opportunity to claim the throne.

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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