Funday Times

This article is part of a continuing series on the ‘Mahavamsa’, the recorded chronicle of Sri Lankan history

The rule of King Kuda-Parinda
1. Within a very short period of training, Prince Dhatusena displayed his bravery in archery. One day he shot an arrow at a mango on top of a tree and dropped it, at once, making even his teacher look surprised. On another day, he threw the javelin, aiming directly at a target. Rev. Mahanama, silently watched these acts of bravery and was quite pleased.

2. One day, the teacher and the prince got on two horses and rode them. Before long, both horses ran as fast as lightning. But it was the horse on which the prince rode that won, in the end and that with a big margin. The path was not clear as the horses had to jump over bushes and big stores. Wining all these obstacles, the prince was able to win - with a big lead. By this time, Prince Dhatusena possessed all the requirements to qualify to be a ruler.

3. Meanwhile, the Tamil king Pandu, who ruled Anuradhapura for five years, died, making room for his son Parinda, to be the next king. . This was is 434AD. His rule lasted only three years. On his demise, his younger brother Kuda-Parinda, came to the throne, in 437AD. By this time Prince Dhatusena was busy building up his army.

4. Rev. Mahanama, supported Prince Dhatusena in every possible way. There is a school of thought which believes that it was during this period that Rev. Mahanama wrote the Mahavamsa. It is further mentioned that he included detailed descriptions of the Kings who fought the Tamils, with the idea of fostering the national feelings of the Sinhala Youth of the time. This of course is a theory of certain scholars of history.

5. However, there were many in Anuradhapura, who were loyal to Prince Dhatusena They secretly supported him. When King Kuda-Parinda got to know this, he became very angry. He ordered all such supporters to be killed. Their houses and properties were all destroyed. This king, Kuda-Parinda had a good queen named Saba. She had donated lands to a buddist shrine.

6. This fact is mentioned in an inscription found near the Abhayagiri temple. That inscription has revealed a lot of facts, not included in our chronicles. This queen has passed an honorary degree - 'Budadas', by name. This degree and the fact that she had donated land to a temple, proves that she was a Buddhist.

7. There is mention of a donation to a temple made by even the king, himself. We also have to accept the fact that there were a number of colonies in and around Anuradhapura where Tamils were predominant. Scholars believe that these people who were originally Tamil in nationality learned the Sinhalese language, embraced Buddhism and followed the Sinhala way of living. This may be the reason why Kuda-Parinda is referred to as Buddha-Parinda, in certain places.

8. King Kuda-Parinda ruled Anuradhapura for a period of about 16 years. He died in the year 452AD. After him, another Tamil-Thirithasa, by name, became king. It is against this Tamil ruler that Prince Dhatusena waged war and continued fighting for about two months.

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