Funday Times

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

The end of King Kassapa 11
1. The struggle for power that existed so far in Anuradhapura, came to an end. Though King Kassapa 11 was a king without even a coronation, he was a good king. Though he behaved bad in his early years, he reformed himself. He got close to his subjects. He began to have faith in the religion and offered alms and did other charitable deeds. Gradually, the bitterness, the people had towards him, vanished. They began to treat him like a good king. They began to respect him too. This helped to strengthen
the power of King Kassapa11.

2. In the meantime, King Dathopatissa, who fled to India, came back to the country. He brought a huge army from India. King Kassapa 11 faced him with the royal army. The Tamil soldiers were clever in the act of fighting. The royal army too had gained a good training by this time. Therefore both armies showed their prowess. It was a fierce battle that was fought. Many were badly wounded.

3. The fighting went on for a considerable time. However clever they were, the Tamil army retreated. The Sinhala soldiers gave up fighting, but gave chase and attacked. King Dathopatissa began to fight. It lasted only for a short while. King Dathopatissa died after a blow from King Kassapa. But there was a nephew of King Dathopatissa, who had come to support him. He was Hatthodatha.

4. That prince was also in the battle-field. He got scared, seeing his uncle die. He fled to South India. King Kassapa who won, was rejoicing in Anuradhapura. Later this king saw to a lot of development work. A number of coconut plantations were established. He patronized farming too. He repaired the main Chetiyas like Thuparama, Ruwanveli Seya and Jetavanarama.

5. He had to reconstruct the tanks and canals that needed repair. He built new temples too. He built a beautiful hall near Mirisavetiya and donated it to a Thera. He conducted the processions of all three Chetiyas. The monk Mahadhammakithi was invited to preach the dhamma. There were a number of monks living in the 'Avasa' built by King Aggabodhi 111. They were practicing the doctrine well.

6. The king got these monks to write the Tripitaka (the Three Baskets) with all details. The pinnacles of the three chetiyas were gold-plated. About 100 people who were awaiting ordination, were given robes. He donated two villages for the maintenance of the temples. This king is said to have had a number of children.

7. All his children were small. All of a sudden, the king fell ill. Day by day, his condition worsened. He did not have a child old enough to entrust the task of governing. But he had a nephew in Ruhuna. He was Mana by name. The king called him up and entrusted the task of governing to him. The king requested him to take care of his little children too. He offered alms to all the monks who lived in Anuradhapura and begged pardon for all the wrong deeds he had committed before.

8. The monks preached the dhamma to the king, who was sick, in order to console him. The king was quite pleased but his illness was not cured. He knew that his end was near. So he engaged himself fully in Dana, Sita and Bhavana - all meritorious deeds. He could not do it for long. His end drew near. Having ruled for a period of four years, the king passed away.

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