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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