Funday Times - Mahavamsa

King Kashyapa 1V entrusted the rule of the South to the Yuvaraja Kashyapa. But the ruler of the South was opposed to this appointment. So there came opposition from Prince Mihindu. He led his army to battle. The king too sent the royal army. The army of the South was defeated and they fled to the South. King Kashyapa met the father of Prince Mihindu.

2. He was the Yuvaraja Kasup. The king requested him to advise the son and ask him not to march against the king. With the king's message, he went to the South. He met his son, Prince Mihindu and advised him in every possible way. He made Prince Mihindu promise that he would not come to fight King Kashyapa. Having accomplished his task, he went back to Anuradhapura. It is not long after, that Prince Mihindu got involved in another war.

3. He had killed a number of provincial leaders due to his hot temper. This made the people angry and they began to revolt. It was no longer possible for Prince Mihindu to stay in the South. He fled to Polonnaruwa. The Buddhist priests, however, sympathized with the prince and took him to King Kashyapa. The king pardoned him. Relationships were revived. The king gave his daughter in marriage to Prince Mihindu.

4. Once again this prince became the master of the South. Meanwhile, King Kashyapa, who was in the capital city, followed the previous rulers and ruled righteously. He patronized Buddhism, built temples and donated land for their maintenance. He built dispensaries both in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. The king's Commander-in-Chief was also equally pious as the king. He too built a number of temples. As the king was leading a righteous life, the people too became more religious.

5. King Kashyapa had a secretary named Sena. According to the Chulavamsa, he and other ministers like Raksa too had built temples and repaired a number of pirivenas. About 3 ½ miles to the North of Anuradhapura, an inscription relating to this period has been discovered. That place is named Kiribath-Vehera.

6. This inscription too mentions the fact that King Kashyapa 1V built dispensaries. Another inscription found in Padaviya, states how taxes were collected from the land cultivated, using the water of the Padaviya tank. This inscription has been discovered in 1891. This righteous king, however, died in the year 914 AD., and was succeeded by the Yuvaraja Kasup. He was a well-read person and was quite an intelligent one. He came to the throne as King Kashyapa V.

7. This pious king is supposed to have reached a state called Agatha- Sovan state - one who has entered the stream and not come back. He offered the state of Yuvaraja to Dappula Adipada, who belonged to his clan. King Kashyapa V has repaired the Mirisavati Stupa. He got Abhidamma written on plates of gold. He had got a special building erected in the centre of the city and deposited the gold plates there. A colourful procession was also held to venerate it.

8. The king has given the position named Sak-Senadhipathi to his son. He was appointed to be in charge of taking the book where the Abhidamme was written, in procession round the city. This procession was to be held annually. The king wearing the royal regalia, went in the procession. The subjects too joined. King Kashyapa V is also known for the building of dispensaries and temples and donating land for their maintenance.