Paladins of King Dutugemunu

By Amal HEWAVISSENTI

The ten great generals in Prince Dutugemunu’s army have recognisably registered their mark of reputation in the historic battle to regain custody of Anuradhapura Kingdom. Yet, no scholarly research has been launched into the lives of these stalwarts who distinguished themselves in supporting Dutugemunu’s mission to bring the kingdom back to the hands of the Sinhala dynasty.

Scattered references to the life and work of these ten paladins (dasa maha yodha) are found in the Mahavamsa, Rasavahini and cave inscriptions recently deciphered. Historical accounts refer to these paladins as “Yodha” which is often defined as a “strong man engaged in military operations”. These “Yodhas” who were the generals in charge of ten regiments of King Dutugemunu’s army were referred to as “Shenapathi” in inscriptions.

Most obviously, they supported the King in his legendary battle of Vijithapura to drive off South Indian invaders. Scholars entertain an informed guess that his army might have been divided into ten regiments and these ‘yodhas’ were in charge of each. Apart from that, they played a momentous role in the construction of Ruwanweli dagoba. Manifestly, he may have relied more on the physical strength and tactfulness of the yodhas than on the use of weapons in decisive battles.

Velusumana

He was born in the village of Kutimbiyangana of Giri Janapada. As historical evidence has it, he was brought up by a friend of his father named Sumana Giribojaka who was a provincial chieftain. Much less however is known about his parents and his childhood and it is guessed that he was brought up by his father’s friends, Vela and Sumana Giribojaka.

As a young man he had proved his physical prowess and surprising capacity to ride a horse which was extremely aggressive to strangers. Popular legend has it that the intractable horse had let him mount on his back by letting out a neigh of friendly surrender. King Kavantissa, who was highly impressed by the astounding display of horsemanship by Velusumana, brought him into the royal service even before prince Dutugemunu was born. Velusumana risked his life in his dramatic bid to fulfill Viharamahadevi’s pregnancy longing to have water and lotuses from Thisaweva within King Elara’s kingdom in Anuradhapura.

Even by a spectacular show of horsemanship, Velusumana managed to become a close confidante of King Elara of Anuradhapura and win the best horse from the King’s stable. After some time Velusumana felt that conditions were ripe for completing his mission of bringing water and lotuses from Thisavewa. He went before King Elara and proclaimed that he was a general of Kavantissa and took flight on horseback. It is said that he killed all of Elara’s soldiers who were trying to hunt him down. Even before Dutugemunu was born, Velusumana had been a prominent figure who stayed poised to fight tooth and nail for the sovereignty of Sri Lanka.

Nandimithra

The accounts of the life of Nandimithra in historical literature are with slight polarities from each. The Rasavahini states that this strong man was born of a woman who was a sister of a general named Miththa employed in King Elara’s army. His native place was a village called Citta Pabbatha and he was brought-up by his uncle in Anuradhapura. As a boy of twelve years, he developed rebellious attitudes against South Indian invaders who were spoiling the sacred sites in Anuradhapura.

Nandimithra, who violently attacked the disrespectful invaders in Anuradhapura, soon realised the danger of his actions and immediately took flight to the kingdom of Rohana. By this time, King Kavantissa was revamping his forces against Elara and Prince Dutugemunu recruited the paladin to his service. It is said that Dutugemunu was interested in the dexterity the Yodha weilded a sword.

History records an interesting event connected to Nandimithra. Dutugemunu who was bent on testing Nandimithra’s strength to its limits, directed a provoked and intoxicated tusker towards Nandimithra. He quickly held the two tusks of the tusker (Kandula) and pushed the tusker back with a violent movement which made the animal recoil in fear and fury. However, King Dutugemunu rewarded the Yodha with gold, gems and lands for the enormous role he played in demolishing the fortress of Elara in Vijithapura.

Suranimala

According to historical chronicles, Suranimala was born in the village of Khandaka Vittika of Kottivala Janapada and was the youngest of seven children by a wealthy man called “Sangha”. Nothing is stated about his mother though. He was himself decorated for valour in the battlefield and performed his best to realise Dutugemunu’s dream to re-establish prosperity in Sri Lanka and to vanquish the South Indian conquerors. The Sinhala forces proceeded to the fortress of Vijithapura by destroying the enemy and Suranimala broke open the walls and doors of the fortress of Vijithapura which was thought to be highly impregnable.

On one occasion, Suranimala personally defended Prince Dutugemunu with his experienced fighting. Suranimala was successful in diplomatically attracting a stalwart of Dighajantu, an invader to him and killing him to protect the life of the prince in battle. When the King brought the whole country under unification he promoted Suranimala and Theraputtabhaya.

Mahasona

Though he was a powerful general in King Dutugemunu’s army, details of his life and heroism are covered in a blanket of obscurity. Born in a village called Kutumbarikannika of Rohana Kingdom, he capitalised on the unlimited strength that he inherited from his father Tissa. He is often exaggeratedly illustrated to be a young man who could uproot massive palm trees. When we remove the threads of exaggeration from the events of his life we can conclude that he was a man of unusual strength and Dutugemunu harboured no second thoughts in combining Mahasona to his army.

An inscription discovered in Puliyankadawala of Anuradhapura mentions Mahasona’s donations of a cave to Buddhist monks.

The inscription corroborates Mahasona’s place in history. It reads “Parumaka shonaha lene Gamika Thisaha lene.....”. Further move, this paladin constructed huge tanks and promoted agriculture in Rohana Kingdom under the surveillance of Dutugemunu. Like other paladins Mahasona too broke open the gigantic wall of the fortress of Vijithapura and engaged in a solitary fight with the enemy forces within. King Kavantissa granted wealth and land to Mahasona’s farther in return for Mahasona being handed over to royal service.

Gotaimbara - the short, robust paladin

The popular tradition ascribes unusual strength to this Paladin of King Dutugemunu. He is generally illustrated to be a highly sturdy and short man who used to capture running deer and hurl them on” Imburu” trees. Legends in Buddhist literature state his birth place as” Nichchela Vitthika” in Walawe river valley. Opinion varies on the precise location of this village in the current map. Prof. Senarath Paranavithana and Henry Parker identify the epigraphical reference of “Aimara” to denote the paladin Gotaimbara.

Gotaimbara Yodha appeared before Prince Dutugemunu in response to his proclamation for “Yodhas” to assemble for the organisation of the battle which was to be fought against Elara’s forces. On the way to the palace of Prince Dutugemunu, Gotaimbara was punished by Theraputtabhaya thera as he was enjoying the coconut drinks and playing havoc with his fellowmen in the temple premises. He rendered no less support than other Yodhas in Prince Dutugemunu’s national mission to unify Sri Lanka. In the historic battle of Vijithapura, his task was to encourage the tusker Kandula to attack and demolish the highly fortified walls of Vijithapura Fortress.

Historical sources quote an interesting event associated with Gotaimbara who was engaged in fierce fighting with the hostile enemy forces. Mahathiththa, a great warrior of King Elara, found that he could offer no more resistance to Gotaimbara’s aggressive fighting and tried to hide among the giant roots sinking into the lake of Mahachatta. However, Gotaimbara confronted him with ferocious violence, decapitated him and brought his head to the King.

More over, paladin Gotaimbara is noted for uprooting a monstrous bamboo bush which remained otherwise irremovable.

His famous fight with Ritigala Jayasena, in which he kicked Jayasena’s head down, manifestly suggests Gotaimbara’s fighting capabilities not to mention the elements of exaggeration in these reports. Legend has it that he retired to Nagadipa in order to live as a monk.