Funday Times

Elara, a just and fair king

1. Asela was a righteous king. He resorted to arms only to save Anuradhapura from the enemy. The Cholas were cruel rulers. They harassed the people and plundered the wealth of the country. They were least interested in a proper administration of the country. This situation prompted Asela to get the army back into form. He was disturbed when South Indians, mostly spies, visited Anuradhapura even when he was ruling. The enemy was marking time till there was a break down in the security situation of the country.

2. Although Asela was able to revive the army, its power did not last long. As the people were turning more towards religion, the army too relaxed. There was no proper security maintained. The country was open to an enemy invasion, any moment. After studying the prevailing situation in Lanka, Elara who had mastered the art of war-fare, collected a powerful army and invaded Lanka.

3. These South Indian invaders attacked Anuradhapura. Though Asela, along with his army, faced the enemy, they were no match for the South Indian soldiers. Asela's army faced defeat and the king himself was killed in battle. Elara seized power in Anuradhapura. He became king. Thus the Sinhala nation fell under Chola rule.

4. Kign Elara, though a foreign ruler, is well known for justice and fair-play. Mahavamsa makes a number of references to prove this fact. In one episode, it is said that at the head of the king's bed, a bell was hung up, with a long rope leading far out of the bedroom. This was intended to be used by anyone who desired a fair judgment in any crisis. When the rope was pulled, the bell rings and the king being thus notified, would hold an inquiry and mete out justice.

5. King Elara had only one son and one daughter. The son was a little playful. Once this son was travelling by cart to Tissa tank. Accidentally, the cart wheel ran over the neck of a young calf who was lying on the road, with the mother cow. The calf died and the mother was in agony. The cow ran to the palace, held the rope in his mouth and pulled it, till the bell rang. When the king came out, the cow groaned in pain. The king called one of his men and asked him to find out what really had happened. He kept the king informed.

6. The king made no exception even to his only son. He ordered the same cart-wheel to be pulled on his son's neck, till it severed from his body. The Mahavamsa records another incident where the king met justice. A snake had devoured the young of a bird, who was in a nest upon a palm tree. The story goes to say, that however much the mother cried, the snake would not leave the place. So the bird flew to the palace, grabbed the rope with its beak and rang the bell. When the king came out, the bird expressed her grief. The king sent his men to find out what had happened.

7. The king ordered the snake to be brought to him and when its body had been cut open, the young bird taken out, the snake was nailed to the tree. How far these stories are true is a different matter. They only go to emphasise how just a king Elara had been. There is another reference where the king had punished himself. It goes like this. Once when the king was traveling by cart, The yoke of the cart caused a slight damage to a 'stupa'. When his ministers informed him about this, he was very sad and had slept on the road and had asked his ministers to pull the same cart over him. Then the ministers told the king, that the Buddha did not advocate that type of punishment. The alternative punishment was for him to repair the stupa. It is said that Elara spent 15 thousand gold coins and repaired that stupa.

8. Although King Elara was such a fair ruler, his ministers were corrupt. They plundered Buddhist places of worship and ruined the buildings. The king was unable to stop this movement of violence. The Bikkhus who lived in Anuradhapura, started migrating to the south (Ruhuna). The temples in Anuradhapura were abandoned. King Elara's attempts to keep back the monks failed.

By Halaliye Karunathilaka
Edited and translated by Kamala Silva
Illustrated by Saman Kalubowila

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