King Valagamba (103 BC – 77 BC)
Other names : Vattagamini Abhaya, Valagambahu
Father : King Saddathissa, brother of
the Great King Dutugemunu
Siblings : 1. Lajja Tissa (Lanja Tissa)
2.
Thullattana
3.
Kallata Naga
Queens : Anula Devi, Soma Devi
Dynasty : House of Vijaya
Kallata Naga’s minister, Kammaharattaka
killed him and usurped power.
Prince Valagamba killed
Kammaharattaka (Maharattaka) and ascended the throne in 103 BC.
King Valagamba adopted Kallata Naga’s
son, Mahaculika as his own and hence was known as “Pitha Raja”, “Pitha Maha
Raja”, “Pithu Raja”.
Troubled tenure...
Five months after becoming King, a
Brahmin named Tissa (also called Theeya, Theeha from Nakhulu Gama in Ruhunu Rata) rebelled against him and at the same time seven South
Indian Tamils invaded the country. King very wisely withdrew asking Tissa to
take over power but Tissa was soon defeated by the Tamil invaders.
A Jain named Giri screamed out that “the
great dark Sinhalese is fleeing” (“Maha kalu Sinhalaya panayanawo”)! Then King
was chased after by the invaders while fleeing in his chariot with Anula Devi
(mother of Mahaculika), Soma Devi and Mahaculika. Soma Devi bravely volunteered
to get off the chariot to help King flee faster. She and the Sacred Bowl Relic
of the Buddha (Pathra Dhathun Wahanse) was taken to India by two invaders.
The king was in hiding for 14 long
years during which time he tactfully gathered an army to win back the power. He
was advised, greatly helped and guided by a monk named Kuppikkala Tissa thero. It is said that the thero had supported the king and the royal retinue with the alms he collected!
This is one of the uncountable instances where the Mahasangha has protected the King and the country to defeat foreign invasions.
In 89 BC he regained power and ruled
the country for twelve years.
Great service to Buddhism
1. Inscribing the Thipitka
on palm leaves
There was a prolonged drought that
lead to a great famine that had lasted for 12 long years called “Maha
Beminithiyasaya (also called Maha Baminiyasaya). A lot of monks too died due to
this famine. At that time the Thripitaka (The three cannons of the Buddha
Dhamma) was passed down by oral tradition. Therefore an urgent need arose to
writing it in books.
The Thipitaka was thus inscribed on
palm leaves at Aluviharaya in Matale with the patronage of King Valagamba.
2. Construction of Abhayagiriya.
He built Abhayagiriya and offered it in gratitude to Kupikkala Tissa Thero who helped and guided him during his
exile. Since the thero accepted it, the
other monks in the Maha Vihara expelled him. This led to a disciple of
Kuppikala Tissa Thero to leave Mahavihara with five hundred other bhikkus
(monks) for Abhayagiriya.
Abhayagiri Viharaya comprised many
monastic premises.
Abhayagiriya had been regarded as a
prominent international education centre in the past.
3. Converted the Rock caves
at Dambulla and conferred to the Maha Sangha
King converted the caves he used to
frequent in hiding in Dambulla in to a temple and conferred to the Maha Sangha.
There he built “Soma Chethiya” in Dambulla Rock Temple in honour of his brave Queen
Soma who got off the chariot to save the King.
4. Constructed Lankaramaya in Anuradhapura.
It is said that Lankarama was built at the place where Soma Devi volunteered off the chariot to save the King. Some believe that it was previously known as Somaramaya.
5. Hindagala Cave Temple –
Galaha (Central hills)
6. Constructed Pirivenas.
Eth Pokuna – A Pond in Anuradhapura
whose underground canals are still working which was said to have been used by
the monks residing in Abhayagiriya was a construction of this King
He established stone inscriptions in
many places in the island.