Sinhabahu (Sinha =
Lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...
, Bahu = Arm) is a legendary king of ancient India, mentioned in Sri Lankan texts. He was father of
Vijaya
Vijaya may refer to:
Places
* Vijaya (Champa), a city-state and former capital of the historic Champa in what is now Vietnam
* Vijayawada, a city in Andhra Pradesh, India
People
* Prince Vijaya of Sri Lanka (fl. 543–505 BC), earliest recorde ...
of
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
and king of
Sinhapura. He was the son of Suppadevi, a
Vanga Kingdom
Vaṅga was an ancient kingdom and geopolitical division within the Ganges delta in the Indian subcontinent. The kingdom is one of the namesakes of the Bengal region. It was located in eastern and southern Bengal. Vanga features prominently in ...
princess.
According to the
Mahavamsa's Legend (the chronicled history of
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
), Sinhabahu's father was a lion and his mother a princess of Vanga, who was to decide to leave the kingdom alone to 'maghada". She traveled towards mhagada with traders.
When the traders arrived at "lata" land a lion appeared and chased them. All the peoples ran away. Lion saw the princess and he immediately liked her. The lion came near the princess but the princess was unafraid because she remembers the predictions about her and a lion. The lion takes her to a cave. There she births two children, a boy named
inhabahuand girl named
inhaseevali
When Sinhabahu is sixteen, he asks his mother why their father is different from them. She reveals their story. He asks, “Why don’t we live with humans?” She explains that the lion has sealed the cave with a stone, therefore they could not leave. He escapes the cave with his mother and sister, and arrives at the capital of Vanga.
After hunting, the lion returns to the cave and finds his family gone. The lion feels sad because he loves them. He begins searching for them, going from village to village. Where he goes the villagers are afraid of the lion and desert the settlements. The villagers report to the king what the lion is doing. The king cannot find anyone to kill the lion. He then announced a reward for anyone who could accomplish the task. Sinhabahu offers twice to kill the lion, but his mother will not allow it. On the third offer the king accepts.
Sinhabahu shot arrows at the lion. Initially, the lion was not angry because he loves Sinhabahu. However, after two arrows, the lion became enraged. The next arrow took the lion’s life. Sinhabahu then went to the king, only to find that the king had died. The highest authorities recognized Sinhabahu’s strength and his royal lineage through his mother, so they decided to make him the next king.
He refuses the throne, instead founding the city of
Sinhapura, in the country of Láta. He lived there with his sister Sinhasivalee, whom he made his consort. They had thirty-two children, of whom Vijaya was the eldest and Sumitta the next youngest child.
Sinhabahu Drama
The tale of Sinhabahu was greatly popularised by playwright
Ediriweera Sarachchandra
Veditantirige Ediriweera Ranjitha Sarachchandra (born Veditantirige Eustace Reginold de Silva; 3 June 1914 – 16 August 1996), popularly known as Ediriweera Sarachchandra ), was a Sri Lankan playwright, novelist, poet, literary critic, essayist ...
, under the title 'Sinhabahu', which was adapted from the legend in the
Mahawamsa.
See also
*
Incest in folklore
References
Mahavamsa [page 116 - 120/nowiki>">age 116 - 120
">Mahavamsa [page 116 - 120
/nowiki>
External links
The Mahavamsa, Sinhabahu
The story of the Sinhalese
* Prince Vijaya">King Vijaya
Mahavamsa [page 116 - 120
/nowiki> Full Story]
Pre Anuradhapura period
Sri Lankan mythology
{{SriLanka-hist-stub
Mythological lions