| The
conflict between father and son |
1. Prince Udaya is also known as Dappula. But there was another
Dappula in the South. Not long after Udaya Dappula was made the
'Yuva-raja.’ King Mahinda passed away. This happened in 797AD.,
and then the 'Yuva-raja' became king as Udaya 1. He had a very attractive
queen by the name Senaa. The king was very fond of her. The king's
son by this queen was made the 'Yuva-raja'.
2. King Udaya 1 gave positions to those who really deserved them.
He adopted a fatherly attitude towards his subjects. Once when the
king went to Minneriya on some business, there arose a rebellion
in a frontier province. The king summoned his Commander-in-Chief
and his eldest son and ordered them to quell the rebellion immediately.
When they both went there, rebels who were fighting against the
king joined them. They spoke agains King Udaya.
3. The son and the commander who went to fight against the rebels
both began to believe in what they heard about the king. They too
turned against the king. They quietly planned to overthrow the king
and wrest power for themselves. So they went to fight the king.
The king was not at all afraid. He advanced with his army. Both
armies met near the tank 'Duratis.’ Here a severe battle was fought.
The king won the battle and got his son and the commander both killed.
Later on, he took whatever wealth both of them possessed.
4. The king took revenge on all those who opposed him. Later he
went to Polonnaruwa to spend a few days by way of relaxation. At
this time, there was a leader named 'Dathasiva' in the South. He
had a son named Mahinda. There was a quarrel between the father
and the son. The son, Prince Mahinda was disgusted with the father
and went to meet King Udaya. The king welcomed him very warmly and
provided lodging for him.
5. Prince Mahinda accepted the power of King Udaya. But the king
suspected his movements and tried to keep tabs on him. Before long,
the king realized that this prince was good-natured and skilled
in warfare too. King Udaya's daughter was named Deva. The king had
observed this princess talking to Prince Mahinda very often. He
knew there was some friendship but the king did not want to stop
it.
6. Prince Mahinda was an all-rounder. The king did not want to antagonize
him. As years passed by, King Udaya thought of making this prince
from the South, his son-in-law. He questioned both his daughter
and Prince Mahinda about the matter. Both of them were only too
willing. The wedding of Princess Deva and Prince Mahinda was solemnised
and a big function held.
7. The king gave a very powerful army and sent the couple to the
South. The father of Prince Mahinda who was ruling in the South,
got to know that his son was coming. He also took an army and marched
forward. The battle between father and son took place. The father,
Dathasiva, lost in the battle. The son allowed the father to flee
and never gave chase. Dathasiva fled to India. Prince Mahinda brought
entire Ruhuna under his control.
8. Prince Mahinda's task was made easy because his father-in-law
was the king of Anuradhapura. So, there was no pressure, whatsoever
from the North. Before long, Prince Mahinda became the sole ruler
of the South. King Udaya 1 on his part built a number of temples.
He made halls for the use of the blind and other physically handicapped
people. He got the rules of the day written down in books. He wanted
them to be preserved for the reference of the future generations.
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