No. 34. — 1887.] POLONNAKUWA. 



73 



manner (as his predecessor) — and created disturbances in 

 Lanka. (The king) took into his favour His Excellency 

 Wijaya Yan, and in the kingdom which he gave His 

 Majesty was anointed and crowned, was invested with the 

 royal ornaments, and ascended the lion-throne. Considering 

 that it is right to show favour to the faithful, and since His 

 Excellency Wijaya Yan, from the time of his investiture 

 with the gold chain and thread, had protected the royal 

 person, and since he confirmed the kingdom in the possession 

 of the Kalinga family, (who had it) from days of yore, 

 and since his race and family had been faithful to the 

 Kalinga race from the time of king Wijaya— in return for 

 this fidelity 



(Notes.) 



This is probably the most valuable find of all, as, to 

 whatever king it belongs, it certainly belongs to a king of 

 whom no other similar record exists at present. I am 

 inclined, on the whole, to ascribe to it an earlier date than 

 Nissanka Malla, and to take the allusions as referring to 

 Parakrama Bahu the Great and his nephew Wijaya Bahu 

 (the second), who succeeded him, the latter being the author 

 of the inscription. (See " Mahawanso," ch. 80.) It is just 

 possible, however, that another Wijaya Bahu, of later date, 

 may be referred to, who began to reign at Dambadeniya, but 

 subsequently conquered Polonnaruwa from the Tamils. I am 

 told that there are conclusive references not only to this 

 Wijaya Bahu, but also to his general Wijaya Yan, in the 

 " Pujawaliya." I am having the reference searched for, and 

 should it be conclusive, I will communicate a further note 

 on the subject. It is a great pity that only one side of this 

 inscription is legible, but I have still some hopes of part at 

 least of the other side, for the lichen with which it was 

 densely covered in the dry weather when I was there, is said 

 to disappear partially towards the end of the rainy season 

 from similar stones ; and there is a man on the spot who will 

 be able to send me an accurate copy of so much as becomes 



