 |
||||
| This
article is part of a continuing series on the ‘Mahavamsa’,
the recorded chronicle of Sri Lankan history. 2. Though the king lived in fear and suspicion, he was very happy to see the monk, as it was some time since he last saw him. He soon prepared a seat for him and received him respectfully. Then he inquired about the latest news from Anuradhapura. “Still the situation is not favourable for us. It is not safe to go anywhere there. We have to lie low for some time. Till then, we can organize an army. I’ll send a few more youth, in a day or two. You could train them”, said the priest. 3. “I can hold on Reverend Sir. But I feel our security is at stake now. I have a feeling that Sinhala spies of the Tamil rulers, live in this village”, said the king. “You need not live in fear. I have already employed people to spy on them. You be calm. Besides, no one here knows your true identity. You can be certain that I am the only one who is in the know of it. As such the secret will never leak”, said the priest. 4. “I have complete trust in you. I know you take good care of all of us. I shall never deviate from the path you have set for me. Why should I be scared? The more we delay the weaker will be the power of the Tamil rulers. The people will begin to reject them. The youth who may get disgusted of their rules are sure to join our ranks. Is it not so Reverend?”, asked the king. 5. The priest then wanted to know whether the training of the youth was going on smoothly. The king told him that the youth he had recruited were very clever. The priest was glad to hear it. The priest then added, “They love the nation and the country. They are people on whom you can rely”. The priest then said that the purpose of his visit was to give him some good news. The king was impatient to hear it. The priest then said, “Your forecast has come true. Now the Tamil commanders are fighting among themselves for positions and prominence. But their army is not yet divided. That too may happen gradually. Let us be patient till then”. So saying, he went back to the temple. Realising the gravity of what the king said about the spies, Rev. Maha-Tissa went back with a heavy heart. He contemplated on it and arrived at a solution. He went back to Matuvelanga. When the king inquired whether he was back so soon with some good news, he said, “No, I came to change your place of abode. It is not safe for you to stay in one place for long”, said the priest. 8. The king then admitted that he too had a feeling of insecurity. The king and his party then got ready to leave. Rev. Maha-Tissa then took them to the house of Thanasiva, who happened to be a provincial ruler. He was a close associate of the priest. The priest however, took care not to reveal the identity of the king. Thanasiva too did not bother to ask who they were, as they were brought there by Rev. Maha-Tissa, in whom he had a lot of faith and respect. By
Halaliye Karunathilake |
||||
Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
1.
One day, the priest Maha-Tissa went to meet King Valagamba. He wanted
to keep the king informed of the secret news he had got from the
spies of Anuradhapura. The king was staying in the village of Matuvelanga.
In this village, there were a lot of Sinhala people, who were supporting
the Tamils, with the intention of gaining positions under them.
If by any chance, they were to recognize the king, they would inform
the Tamil commanders. Thus this was not a safe place for the king
to live.
