6

I am not prepared to say what particular tank is meant by Panda-wápi, in this passage, as I have not been able to meet with any information, either in the Mahawanso or in any other work, which would enable me to identify it with any degree of certainty. The name Panda-wápi occurs but twice in the previous part of the Mahawanso. King Mahádáṭhiko Mahá Nágo is said to have bestowed the "Panda-wápi Vihára,” i. e. the Panda Tank Vihára,' on a certain Sámanero, which proves the existence of a tank of that name so early as A. D. 8. (vide Turnour's translation of the Mahawanso, p. 214.) The next reference to Panda-wápi is in the 60th Chapter of the Mahawanso, in which it is mentioned as one of the tanks. constructed, or prepared, by King Wijaya Báhu I.,* who reigned at Polonnaruwa A. D. 1071-1126. I am, however, inclined to think that we may recognize the Panda-wápi of the Mahawanso in the modern Padavi, or Paḍavil-kulam of the Wanni district.

The reasons which have led me to form this conjecture are, first, the similarity, or rather the identity, of the names; for the Páli word 8, wápi, and the Tamil word goi, kuļam, erroneously spelt Colom, both mean 'tank' so that in fact the Páli term Punda-wápi is an equivalent for the Tamil, Panda

* As this part of the Mahawanso has not been translated into English, I annex a translation of the verses relating to works of irrigation in this reign.

"The tanks of Mahaheli, Sareheru, Mahá Danta, Kațunnaru, Panda-wapi, Kallagalla, Eraṇḍagalla, Dighawatthu, Manḍawáța, Kittaggabodhi Pabbata, Waláhassa Mahádáragalla Kumbhílasobbha, Pattapásána, and Káṇawápi, as well as many other tanks whose embankments had been in ruins, did the King build (and repair,) ever intent on the welfare of the poor. The ruler of the land having constructed embankments (to prevent inundation) in many rivers, streams, in various parts (of the Island) rendered the country abundant in food. Having also constructed the canal Tillawathu, which had been in ruins, he filled the tank of Maņihíra (Minnery) with water."-Vide 60th Chapter of the Mahawansu.

or Pandi-kulam, which may have been corrupted into Padavi or Paḍavil-kulam; secondly, the stupendous size and magnitude of the work.

Sir Emerson Tennent, who gives an interesting account of this tank in his work entitled "Christianity in Ceylon," calls it "the largest as well as the most perfect of these gigantic works in Ceylon," and speaks of it in such terms as would not be inappropriate in describing such a tank as the Sea of Parakrama" must have been.

But the most interesting account, as well as that which gives us the loftiest ideas of this gigantic work, is that contained in the Governor's Minute on the Eastern Province.

His Excellency says: "It is the most wonderful work that I have yet visited, whether we look to size, difficulties of execution, or to the time at which these difficulties were surmounted..........North of these again, about 40 miles, is Padavil-kulam, the most gigantic work of all, for the bund, which is in perfect repair, (except at the one spot where in the course of ages the waters have forced a passage between it and the natural hills which it united,) is 11 miles long, 30 feet broad at the summit, 180 feet at the base, and 70 feet high......Padavil-kulam, the greater part of which I rode or walked over, was formed by the waters of the rivers Mora-oya and Muńgunu-oya, confined to the plain, by the enormous bund which I have just described. Its construction must have occupied a million of people for 10 or 15 years."

The most satisfactory way of settling the question as to the identity of this tank, would probably be by obtaining a facsimile and translation of the inscription, to which Sir Emerson Tennent thus alludes in his note on the tanks already referred to.

I am aware of the existence of another "Great Tank" bearing the name of Pandi-kulam in the U'va district, but being situated in the Ruhunu-rata, it could, I think, be scarcely regarded as the Panda-wapi of the Mahawano, if, as I infer from the context, it was constructed during the period, when Parakrama Bahu, was Mahadi-pádo, or king of Pihiti-rata.

"On the top of the great embankment itself, and close by the breach, there stands a tall sculptured stone, with two engraved compartments, that no doubt record its history, but the Uḍaiyár informed us that the characters were Nágari, and the language Páli, or some unknown tongue which no one can now read."

I have only to add, that my object in submitting the accompanying translation is by no means to advance any hypothesis of my own on this subject, but simply to put parties competent to decide on the point in possession of the data contained in the hitherto untranslated part of the Mahawanso, and especially to aid the investigations of those gentlemen whose meritorious labours have already invested the subject with so great an interest.

CHAPTER LXVIII.

This Sovereign of lofty aspirations, who was well acquainted with foreign countries, thus thought within himself:

"In what well-governed kingdom is the administration of affairs conducted without obtaining a knowledge of its means?

"The object of my sovereignty is the advancement of the prosperity of Religion and the State, having vanquished all enemies. This kingdom, although very small, being filled with great prosperity, I shall by the superiority of my wisdom, soon bring into such a state as that it will surpass the greatness of other kingdoms.

"Conferring appointments on my officers, whose advancement is identical with my own, according to their respective merits rewarding them with honors and wealth; causing my own people to settle in various parts within my dominions, from the mountain Samanta-kúța (Adam's Peak) as far as the sea coast, the cultivation of grain should be carried on in as many ways as possible."

Having thus reflected, the King thus addressed his officers:

"In my kingdom are many paddy fields cultivated by means of rain water, but few indeed are those which are cultivated by means of perennial streams and great tanks.

"By rocks, and by many thick forests, by great marshes is the land covered.

In such a country, let not even a small quantity of water obtained by rain, go to the sea, without benefiting man.

"Paddy fields should be formed in every place, excluding those only that produce gems, gold, and other precious things.

"It does not become persons in our situation to live enjoying our own ease, and unmindful of the interests of the people. And ye all, be ye not discouraged, when a necessary, but a dfficult work is on hand. Regard it not indeed as a work of difficulty, but following my advice accomplish it, without opposing my instructions."

The highly renowned Monarch then ordered the construction of the great embankment celebrated under the name of Koṭṭha-baddha, which had long been swept away by the action of the river, leaving behind nothing but the name, and which indeed had baffled the attempts of former Kings to keep in repair.

Whereupon the ministers, one and all, represented in various ways the extreme difficulty of the work, and the instability of it, even if it could be accomplished.

The King rejecting their counsels, remarked :-" What is there that cannot be done in this world by men of perseverance? Is not the tradition still current that Ráma built a bridge over the great ocean itself, by means of monkeys ??

"If I am destined by fortune, to reduce this Island under one regal canopy, and to promote the welfare of the State and Religion, then, indeed, will the commencement of the work see the accomplishment of it also." Thus did he of great courage inspire his ministers with courage.

Before the construction of the embankment, however, the profoundly wise ruler of the land made, from the mouth of the embankment, as far as the country of Ratthakara, a great canal of great breadth and strength, and of many pórisas † in depth.

The Protector of the land, having assembled a great many stone cutters, workers in metal, iron-smiths and gold-smiths in the country, and having

• In reference to the fable in the Rámáyana, that Ráma, the conqueror of Ráwana, in crossing over from India to Ceylon, caused a bridge to be built over the sea, by his army of Wánaras or monkeys. The reef of sunken rocks which extends across the Gulf of Mannár from Rámisseram on the coast of Coromandel to Talaimannar on the coast of Ceylon, is supposed to be the remains of this bridge.

The measure of a man's reach.......Equal to the height, to which he reaches, when elevating both arms with fingers extended." (See Colebrook's Amarakosha, p. 160.)

employed them in the work of cutting stones, got made by them an embankment of great stability and solidity, having the interstices of the stones invisible, like one continued sheet of rock, and having the work of plastering complete.

On the summit of the great embankment, the pious Rájá placed a Bỏ tree, an image house, and likewise a dágaba.

The King, by means of this canal, so directed the course of the stream as to make it discharge itself into the sea.

Having cleared the great jungle on both sides of the canal, he formed paddy fields of many thousands of Wáhas of extent and converted the place in truth into a Koṭṭhabaddha, according to the literal meaning of the term, from the fact of its having Koṭṭhabaddhas, perpetual granaries,' from the two Páli words kottha, 'granary,' and abaddha, · perpetual.'

0

Thereafter the King having dammed up the mouths of the rivers Sankhawaḍdhamáná, and Kumbhilawána, as far as the Sukara Nijjhara† (literally 'hog-cascade,' or 'stream,'); and there too, having made a canal and conducting the water into the tank of Mahádȧragalla, thoroughly repairing, at the same time, the breaches thereof, including the clearing of the water-courses, (thus) brought it into a larger body of water than it had before, and having formed paddy fields from this place as far as the Súkara Nijjhara, collected paddy.

This is no doubt the Kotta-villa of Brook. The Sinhalese word, ce, villa, and the Páli word DD, baddha, both mean embankment' "From Kotta-vella to Dástota, a distance of 9 miles, the country is one of the most delightful I ever recollect seeing on this Island, nearly the whole distance a carriage might drive; there are strong marks of the plains and parts of the open country having been cultivated, it abounds in tanks and ravines to facilitate irrigation, all of which are neglected and broken. The reason the inhabitants assign for this, is want of people, and money to keep them in order. (Route from Matale to Trincomalie, by way of the Ambap-ganga, by R. Brook, Esq.)

# Instead of " යාව සූකර නිජබීරං as far as the Súkara Nijjhara" some MSS. read “6," "the place Súkara Nijjhara." If this be the correct reading, the whole passage might be thus translated "Thereafter the King having dammed up, at the junctions of the rivers Sankhawaḍdharaána, and Kumbhílawána, the place called Súkara Nijjhara, &c."