The only narrative source for Lanka in 1200. Chapter 80 gives the chaos at Polonnaruwa after Nissanka Malla's death in 1196: the brief reigns of Virabahu, Vikramabahu II and Codaganga, the regency of Queen Lilavati (1197 to 1200) under the general Kitti, and the coronation of Sahassamalla in 1200 (his own inscription dates it to 23 August), followed by Kalyanavati, Dharmasoka, Anikanga and the Pandyan and Kalinga adventurers who ended in Magha's invasion of 1215. The chronicle was written by monks, praises pious kings, and is the frame into which the Epigraphia Zeylanica records must be fitted; its regnal lengths are the basis of all dating.
About this source
- Title
- Culavamsa
- Author
- Dhammakitti and later monks of the Mahavihara tradition
- Author's dates
- Dhammakitti active about 1200 to 1250
- Written
- the first continuation about the 13th century (chapters 37 to 79), carried on in stages to the 18th century
- Language
- Pali
- Covers
- about 300 to 1815
- Kind
- Chronicle
Geiger's English was made by Mabel Rickmers from his German. The division of chapters among authors is disputed; the account of 1196 to 1215 was probably written within a generation of the events. The Geiger volumes are from 1929 to 1930 and are in copyright in some countries; the scans here are Indian library digitisations.
Where to read it
Editions
- W. Geiger (ed.), Culavamsa, Pali text, Pali Text Society, 2 vols (1925 to 1927); not located online in this task (not freely online)
Translations
- W. Geiger (tr.), Culavamsa, being the more recent part of the Mahavamsa, part 1 (Pali Text Society, 1929), English from Geiger's German
- W. Geiger (tr.), Culavamsa, part 2 (1930), English; chapter 80 on the years 1196 to 1215 is in this part
- Another scan of part 1 (Digital Library of India)
- Another scan of part 2 (Digital Library of India)
- W. Geiger (tr.), The Mahavamsa or the Great Chronicle of Ceylon (Pali Text Society, 1912), English; the earlier chronicle to which the Culavamsa is the sequel