STORY OF KING PANDUKABHAYA

Pandukabhaya was one of the great kings of ancient Ceylon. It is said that he ruled our island for seventy years. But he did not spend his childhood in a palace, like other princes and princesses.

Before he was born, an astrologer said, “The child will kill his uncles when he grows up.”

When they heard this, some of his mother’s brothers said, “We will kill the baby when it is born.”

So even before Pandukabhaya was born his mother, princess Chithra, knew that her brothers would try to kill him. When he was born princess Chithra summoned a woman servant whom she trusted. She told her that an astrologer had said that the boy would kill his uncles when he grew up. She also told her that the boy’s uncles had said that they would kill the baby when he was born. The princess knew that plans were being made to kill him. She said “We must save him. We cannot let him die.”

Princess Chithra told the woman what to do. She asked her to take the baby secretly to a man who lived in a remote village. The princess gave the woman a thousand pieces of gold to be given to the man. The woman took the glad, placed the baby in a basket and set out with him journey.

While Pandukabhaya was being carried through the forest he did not utter a sound. This was lucky because his uncles happened to be out hunting in the forest. They saw the woman and asked her “Where are you going and what is in your basket?”

“I am going to visit my daughter.” She replied. “and there are sweets and cakes for her in my basket.”

“Take them out,” said the princes to their servants.

The woman began to tremble while the basket was being untied. But suddenly a wild boar appeared. While the animal was being chased by the princes, the woman was able to escape with the baby. Though she did not know it, the little prince was being protected by two yakkhas. The boar had been sent by Chitta and Kalavela.

The woman reached the remote village and gave the boy to the man and his wife. She told them that the princes had met her and had asked her where she was going. She also said that they had asked her what was in her basket. “And what did you tell them?” asked the man and his wife.

The woman replied that she had told them that she was going to visit her daughter and that there were sweets and cakes for her in the basket. The princes had then asked their servant to take them out of the basket but she and the baby had somehow been saved from death.

The little prince Pandukabhaya spent his childhood in the village. While he was being brought up there, his uncles plotted again and again to kill him. But each time he was saved somehow. One day, when he was sixteen years old a woman came to meet the man and his wife. She said “Princess Chithra has sent you a message. Prince Pandukabhaya has to go to a Brahmin Pandula. I have brought a servant and a thousand pieces of gold for the prince.”

The man called Pandukabhaya to him and told him that his mother has sent a message. She wanted him to go to a Brahmin named Pandula. The man also told the prince that his mother had sent him a servant and a thousand pices of gold.

The Brahmin Pandula was a wise and learned man. When he saw Pandukabhaya he told him that he would soon be a king and would rule the land for seventy years. Pandukabhaya lived with the Brahmin and learnt everything that a prince must know. He then thanked his teacher and left him and set out to fight his uncles. Finally he collected an army, defeated and killed his wicked uncles and became King of Lanka.