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This
article is part of a continuing series on the ‘Mahavamsa’,
the recorded chronicle of Sri Lankan history.
Warriors Kajjadeva, Phussadeva and Labhiya-Vasabha
 It
was 305 BC. There was a village called Meedeniya in the Southern
Province. There lived a chief named Abhaya. He was very wealthy.
He had seven sons, of whom one was lame in one leg. He was called
Kajjadeva. When he grew up to be a youth, he proved to be very
strong. Even though lame in one leg, he could run fast. Occasionally
he went to the forest with the village lads. He chased wild buffaloes,
grabbed then by their legs and put them down. He was a clever
wrestler too. However, he was very helpful to the villagers.- When news
of Kajjadeva’s brave deeds reached the ears of the king,
he summoned his parents to Magama. They were given valuable gifts.
King Kavan-Tissa praised Kajjadeva and added that he was more
suited for the king’s service. The parents were requested
to give their son over to the king’s service and be proud
of him. The parents agreed and sent the son to Magama. Kajjadeva
was then sent to serve Prince Gemunu.
- During this
time, in the village of Godigamuwa, near Situlpauva, lived the
village chieftain named Uthpala. He had a son who was born under
the’Phusa nekata’ and so the child was named Phussadeva.
Growing up amidst the love and care of his parents, he reached
the age of seven, when he could accompany the village boys to
the temple. One day, after attending to the rituals in the temple,
he walked towards the Bodhi. He saw a conch shell there. He took
it to his hands and blew it a little.
The sound of the conch, spread like thunder. The village children
who were close by fainted, hearing this thundering noise. The
animals were frightened. Being quite alarmed, the villagers ran
towards the temple. Seeing Phussadeva still blowing the conch,
they appealed to him top stop it. He did so. As he made the people
run about in madness with his blowing of the conch, he was named
Unmada-Phussadeva. (Unmada means mad).- This incident,
however, made Phussadeva very popular among the villagers. When
he was about 12 years old, his father wanted to train him in archery.
Within a very short period, he mastered this art. He was further
trained in the use of arms of the day and even horse-riding.
- In the meantime,
messengers of King Kavan-Tissa had gathered all information about
Phussadeva. When they kept the king informed, he summoned Uthpala
to Magama. When the king informed him of the purpose of his invitation,
Uthpala agreed to give his son to the king’s service, so
that he could help to free the country from the enemies. Phussadeva
was accordingly sent ot Magama, where he was given further military
training.
Vasabha, was a contemporary of Phussadeve. His father too was
a village chief. As a baby, Vasabha was so pretty, that everybody
carried him and petted him. He grew up to be a handsome youth
and was later named Labhiya-Vasabha.- When Labhiya-Vasabha
was about 20 years of age, he possessed extra-ordinary strength.
At this time, the village, in which he lived, was badly in need
of a tank, to solve the water problem. Labhiya-Vasabha was determined
to build a tank. He cleared a suitable area and built a tank,
within a very short period. When King Kavan-Tissa heard this,
he wanted to see the tank. When he arrived at the spot, he was
so surprised, he thought Labhiya-Vasabha should definitely join
the king’s service. After obtaining his parents’ permission,
he was taken to Magama and enrolled as a warrior.
By Halaliya Karunathilake
Edited and translated by Kamala Silva
Illustrated by
Saman Kalubowila |
