78 



JOUKNAL, K.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. X. 



NOTE BY Me. W. P. RANASLNHA. 



In the " Mahawansa " we do not find a king of Ceylon by the name 

 of Nissarika Malla. He is called there Kirti Nissarika, and is said to 

 have been a prince of the Kaliriga race, who reigned nine years, from 

 1200 to 1209 a.d. His works are highly but laconically spoken of by 

 the historian. 



It is only from his numerous inscriptions that we learn who his 

 parents were, the names of his queens, and a detailed account of his 

 numerous works. 



In the " G-alpota " (stone book) he is said to have weighed himself T 

 his chief queens Kaliriga Subhadra Maha Devi and Gariga-vagsi 

 Kalyana Maha Devi, his son, and his daughter in a balance every year, 

 and to have distributed five times their weight in alms amongst tho 

 priests, the Brahmanas, the blind, the lame, and other destitute and 

 friendless people. 



Mr. Burrows, in his Paper read at the Royal Asiatic Society's 

 Meeting, says Ganga-vansa is a mistake. It would mean, says 

 he, the Dhoby caste or the Paduwa caste. He therefore suggests 

 Gaha-vansa. With due deference to Mr. Burrows, I think otherwise. 

 Gaha-vansa would mean " the Tree-race," from gaha, " tree," and 

 vaiisa, " race " ; or House-race, from gaha (Sanskrit griha), a 

 house. 



It appears from the same inscription that Nissarika Malla sent an 

 embassy to the Kaliriga country, and caused many princesses of the 

 S6ma (Lunar) and Surya (Solar) races to be brought hither. One of 

 his queens, Kaliriga Subhadra Maha Devi, may have come from Kaliriga 

 the Northern Circars. The name Kalinga, which the king himself 

 bore, seems to warrant such a conclusion. 



The question is whether the name Ganga-vansa Kalyana Maha Devi, 

 as it appears in the inscription, is correct or incorrect. 



In this investigation it is necessary to understand what Ganga 

 really means. 



In the " Yishnu Purana," page 169, it is said that the " capital of 

 Brahma is enclosed by the river Gariga, which, issuing from the foot 

 of Vishnu and washing the lunar orb, falls here from the skies." 

 According to the " Ramayana," the Gariga came down from the sky at the 

 prayer of Bhagiratha, but lest it should destroy the earth by the shock, 

 he, on the advice of Yishnu, prayed Siva to receive it on his head, and 

 then to let it fall gently on the earth ; and it was thus allowed to come 



