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Pioneer insights to Sri Pada - Part II

Continued from last week

Lawry quotes the historican Emersent Tennet as follows:

In Oriental tradition Alexander the Great is said to have visited Ceylon in company with the philosopher Bolinus. A person poem describes his voyage and his devotions at the footmark of Adam, for reaching which he and Bolinus causes steps to be hewn in the rock and the ascent secured by rivets and chains.

(Emerson Tennent, I., p. 605)

Lawrie also refers to Mahavamsa, the historical chronicle to indicate the royal patronage rendered in the past to the sacred abode. Following are a series of notes from the sources:

1. The chief of the devas, Samana, of the Samantakuta mountain, having acquired the sanctification of sotapatti, supplicated of the deity worthy of offerings, for something worthy of worship. The vanquisher, out of compassion to living beings, passing his hand over his head, bestowed on him a handful of his pure blue locks from the growing hair of his head. (Mahawansa, p. 5)

2. It is recorded of King Vijaya Bahu I (1065-1120 A.D.) that he said, “Let no man endure hardship who goeth along the difficult/pathway to make obeisance at the footprint of the Chief of Sages on the Samanta-kuta rock.”

He caused the village Gilimalaya, that abounded in rice fields, and other land to be granted, wherewith to supply the, with food. And on the Kadaligama and the Huva pathway he built resting-places, and gave lands unto them each by each, and caused it to be inscribed on a stone pillar, saying “Let no lord of the land that cometh hereafter take them away.” (Mahawansa, p. 111)

3. Parakkama Bahu I, the Great (1164-1197 A.D.) - “Afterwards this eminent king with his four-fold army proceeded to Samantakuta, the crest-jewel of mountains, and there worshipped the footprint of him who is the God of Gods.... And, being moved thereto by faith, he gave unto that famous shrine a district that extended about ten leagues around that noble hill, and contained many gems, and was full of people, both men and women. And afterwards he again offered there unto jewels and ornaments.” (p. 293)

4. Rajanna, the great minister of King Parakkama Bahu, “caused a stately image to be made of the God Samana..... And then, as he was desirous of going .... to Samantakuta, he proceeded and went to the village Bodhitala, from which place he began the work of building bridges. And nigh unto the mouth of the Khajjota


The lineage of local kings have believed that the pilgrimage to the Sacred Mount be reckoned as an act of sanctity

river he built a bridge of about 35 cubits in length, and another of 30 cubits in length across the same river.

Likewise also at Ullapanagama he built one of 36 cubits in length, and at Ambagama a great bridge of 34 cubits in length.... He caused the great forest to be hewn down and a public path made; and then he went to Samantakuta and worshipped the footprint there, and set up an image of the God on the ground within the courtyard of the shrine, and built an open hall over the sacred foot. He also caused a wall to be built around it, and as he was a man of great forethought he fastened the open hall with great chains to posts of iron, and so made it firm.

Then again he honoured the sacred foot with a feast of lamps and the like, which continued for three days. And he bore a lamp of perfumed oil even on his own head, and, on behalf of his master the great king, walked round the sacred foot, bowing there unto frequently as he did so, and kept the lamp burning so that it went not out for the whole night.

And all these things, in due order from the beginning, did he cause to be inscribed on a stone pillar of great height which he set up there with joy, as if he were raising a pillar of glory to Parakkama Bahu, the great king of kings. And afterwards, when his purpose had been fulfilled, he informed all these things to the king by the mouth of a messenger.” (p. 294).

The lineage of local kings have believed that the pilgrimage to the Sacred Mount be reckoned as an act of sanctity. He following notes reveal this factor.

King Vira Vikkama (1542 A.D.):- “And the ruler of men went to Samantakuta in one day and worshipped the sacred shrine there, after he had poured one hundred pots of oil into the lamp, the circumference whereof was fifteen cubits and the height five cubits. And as he had set his heart on the noble road that leadeth to deliverance, he repaired the difficult highway to the Peak; and for the comfort of the pilgrims that passed and repassed it, he caused steps to be built thereon of seven hundred and eighty stone” (Mahawansa, p. 324).

King Raja Sinha (1581-1592) “became a worshipper of Siva. And he placed the ascetics of sin and heresy at Samanakuta, so that they might take up the profits arising there from” (pp. 325, 326).

To be continued next week

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