Yazakumar ( ; ; 1078–11??) was the titular governor of north

Arakan Arakan ( or ; , ), formerly anglicised as Aracan, is the historical geographical name for the northeastern coastal region of the Bay of Bengal, covering present-day Bangladesh and Myanmar. The region was called "Arakan" for centuries. It is ...

during the reign of his father King

Kyansittha Kyansittha (, ; also spelt as Kyanzittha or Hti-Hlaing Min; 21 July 1030 – 1112/13) was king of the Pagan dynasty of Burma (Myanmar) from 1084 to 1112/13, and is considered one of the greatest Burmese monarchs. He continued the social, econom ...

of the Pagan Dynasty of

Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...

(Burma). He is best known for the Myazedi inscription of 1113, which he donated in his father's honor. The stone inscription has scholarly significance because it allowed the deciphering of the Pyu language.

Biography

Early life

Yazakumar was born to Thanbula and Kyansittha circa 1078 at Kyaungbyu. Kyansittha was a former general of the Pagan army who had been sent to exile by his father King

Anawrahta Anawrahta Minsaw (, ; 11 May 1014 – 11 April 1077) was the founder of the Pagan Empire. Considered the father of the Burmese nation, Anawrahta turned a small principality in the dry zone of Upper Burma into the first Burmese Empire that ...

for his affair with Anawrahta's young queen Manisanda. In 1077, Anawrahta died, and Kyansittha was recalled to the capital by Saw Lu to run the kingdom. Thanbula was pregnant with Yazakumar remained at Kyaungbyu. At Pagan, Kyansittha was sent into exile again—this time to Dala (modern

Yangon Yangon, formerly romanized as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar. Yangon was the List of capitals of Myanmar, capital of Myanmar until 2005 and served as such until 2006, when the State Peace and Dev ...

) for renewing his affair with Manisanda. In 1084, Kyansittha ascended to the Pagan throne but had forgotten about his wife and child at Kyaungbyu. When Thanbula found out that Kyansittha was king, she brought their son to Pagan, along with the ring that Kyansittha had given her as proof. The king was surprised to see them. Kyansittha had already word that his grandson

Alaungsithu Alaungsithu or Sithu I ( ; also Cansu I; 1090–1167) was king of Pagan Dynasty of Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in ...

would be king because he thought he had no son. A remorseful Kyansittha made Yazakumar the titular head of north Arakan and seven hill districts.Harvey, pp. 39-40

Myazedi inscription

Though passed over for the throne, Yazakumar never showed any disappointment. He spent his life with donating his inheritance for his mother's merit. He donated many temples in honor of his parents. He commissioned the Myazedi inscription as his father lay dying in bed. The inscription dated 1113 was written in four languages: Pyu, Burmese, Mon, and

Pali Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...

, which all tell the story of Yazakumar and his father Kyansittha. The primary importance of the Myazedi inscription is that it allowed for the deciphering of the written Pyu.

References

{{authority control Pagan dynasty 11th-century Burmese people 12th-century Burmese people