The Story
Vijaya, who is recognised as the first king of Sri Lanka, did not have a son eligible for the crown, therefore, he intended to offer it to his brother, Sumitta. He sent an invitation to Sumitta but died shortly afterward. However, Sumitta had already become the king of Singhapura after Singhabahu, and therefore could not come to Sri Lanka. Instead, he sent one of his three sons, Panduvasdeva.
Panduvasdeva arrived in Sri Lanka disguised as a paribbājaka. He reached Upatissa village safely and became the king. However, he could not undergo a formal coronation because he was not yet married.
Amithodana, the younger brother of Suddhodana, had a son named Pandu Shakya. Having foreseen destructive events affecting the Shakya lineage, he chose to live in hiding. He later sent his beautiful daughter, Baddakachchāyanā, along with a few family members, in a vessel, and they eventually arrived in Sri Lanka. Upon arrival, they appeared in the guise of paribbājakas and met King Panduvasdeva.
The king married Baddakachchayānā, and a formal coronation was subsequently held.
Postscript – Interpretation
This story appears in Chapter 8 of the Mahavamsa. According to the chronicle, Vijaya did not have a son due to the curse of Kuweni when she left him. Similar incidents, in which kings in the Sinhala lineage did not have sons, were often attributed to Kuweni’s curse. However, such stories, although passed down through generations, are just myths that create an extraordinary and mysterious power around a local community.
Vijaya, considered the first king of Indo-Aryan origin in Sri Lanka, is believed to have regretted the absence of a legitimate heir at the end of his life. Although he had a son with a local woman, Kuweni, none of the ministers recognized his son as a legitimate heir. This reflects the influence of Brahmanical concepts even in early Sri Lankan society, particularly the emphasis on lineage purity.
As a result, local tribes such as the Yakkha and Naga were marginalized by the Indo-Aryan settlers. This is evident even 500 years later, at the time these incidents were recorded in writing, where it is mentioned that Gautama Buddha arrived and chased away the Yakkha tribe. Fundamentally, Gautama Buddha demonstrated compassion, equality, and equity not only towards human beings but also towards animals. Therefore, such a great person being involved against a human group cannot be expected. Moreover, according to historians, no archaeological evidence has yet been found to support the Buddha’s arrival for such an incident. Therefore, this reveals the continuation of mistreatment towards local tribes by people of Aryan origin, even in literature.
This led to continuous resistance from indigenous communities, which is evident when reading these ancient scripts carefully. Historical interpretations by many scholars suggest that several regions of the island remained under the control of these local groups, who continued to pose a challenge to the newcomers.
It is also suggested that migrants from India sometimes arrived disguised as paribbājakas to avoid being attacked by local populations. This applied not only to men but also to women. This perspective implies that local inhabitants may have been more socially organized and culturally advanced than portrayed in the Mahavamsa, particularly in their respectful treatment of religious figures.
According to the Mahavamsa, the Sinhabahu lineage (Singhawanshaya) was the first Sinhala royal dynasty. Later, it became connected with the Shakya lineage—the clan to which Gautama Buddha belonged. However, Indian historical sources, and even the Tripitaka, reveal that the Shakyas were not a major royal dynasty but rather a regional clan in Magadha.
The connection between the Sri Lankan royal lineage and the Shakyas was recorded more than 500 years after the events. This raises the possibility that such links were emphasized to associate Sri Lankan kings with the Buddha’s lineage, thereby enhancing their legitimacy and prestige. Alternatively, these accounts may have originated from oral traditions. However, it is evident that various groups of Aryan invaders were present in early Sri Lankan history and were involved in ruling, although they did not belong to any established Indian royal bloodlines at that time.
Furthermore, although Baddakachchāyanā is described as a Shakya princess living close to the time of the Buddha, it is notable that Buddhism was not introduced to Sri Lanka until the arrival of Mahinda Thera. This creates an interesting historical question.
Overall, the Mahavamsa presents the development of Sri Lanka’s royal lineage as a gradual and divinely guided process, necessary for establishing a strong and enduring kingdom. However, throughout this period, Indo-Aryan rule appears to have been consistently challenged by indigenous communities.
These dynamics continued until the reign of King Pandukabhaya, who is believed to have had both Aryan and local ancestry and is associated with the emergence of the Surya lineage.
By Dr. Shamila Rathnayake – Palmerston North
