இலண்டன் சைவ மாநாடு (சிறப்புமலர்)
7வது சைவ மாநாடு இலண்டன் 2004
Saivism in Early Sri Lanka-A Historical Perspective
Prof. S K. Sitrampalam
Professor of History and Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies
University of Jaffna
I
Sir John Marshall while referring to his
excavations at the Indus Valley Civilization,
(which existed around 3000 B.C) the
progenitor of the South Asian Civilization
observed that "among the many revelations
that Mohenjodaro and Harappa have had
in store for us, none perhaps is more
remarkable than this discovery that Saivism
has a history going back to the Chalcolithic
age or perhaps even further still and that it
thus takes its place as the most ancient
living faith in the world". Although the
above statement by Marshall some eight
decades ago is still valid, the subsequent
excavations in the sites of the Indus Valley
civilization pushed back the roots of
Saivism
some many more thousand
years in the Pre Indus Valley cultures; The
developments during the post Indus Valley
civilization in India led to the emergence of
Puranic cults, with Siva, Vishnu and
fined to Buddhism only. Referring to
Brahmi inscriptions, Paranavitana (1929:
320) who himself was a pioneer in the study
of
Brahma as supreme beings. Of these, the
cult of Siva became more popular by
accomodating the other cults of Hinduism
such as the cult of Sakti, Muruka and
Ganesa. This is true in the case of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka observed that as it takes some
the Pre Buddhist religious beliefs of
time after the introduction of a new religion
for the people to adopt personal names
as well. Today when we speak of Saivism, suggestive of the changed atmosphere, those
it includes the above mentioned cults
assimilated into Saivism when Buddhism
was introduced to Sri Lanka around 3rd
century B.C.
found in the earliest Brahmi inscriptions
may be taken as evidence for the Pre
Buddhist religious conditions. Perhaps
these names, when correlated with
other evidences from both literary and
archaeological sources, especially coins
throw welcome light on Pre Buddhist
Saivism in Sri Lanka. However, the present
paper dwells only on the cult of Siva
prevalent during the Pre Christian era.
With the introduction of Buddhism in
Sri Lanka the literary activity was centred
around Buddhism. In the eyes of the
authors of the Buddhist chronicles namely
Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa which came
to be written around 7th/8th centuries
respectively after the introduction of
Buddhism, the only true faith is Buddhism.
Non Buddhists were depicted as people
39
of false faith. As a result
many of the Pre Buddhist
Hindu cults were dumped under the title
of Yaksa cults in a derogatory manner
without knowing their true significance.
Unfortunately the data from the Tamil
chronicles such as Yalppana Vaipavamalai
which are dated to medieval times are
meagre. However the recent epigraphical
data in the form of Brahmi inscriptions
dating back to Pre Christian times that
record the donations to Buddhism by the
new converts is significant for our study.
The perusal of these inscriptions shows the
Pre Buddhist religious affinities of the
inhabitants of the island. Unfortunately no
further details of the religious practice are
evident because the very nature and scope of
these sources have been restricted and con-
II
The form 'Siva' occurs in the Pali literary
sources. One of the sons of Panduvasudeva
7
வது
சைவ
மாநாடு
இலண்டன்
2004
Saivism
in
Early
Sri
Lanka
-
A
Historical
Perspective
Prof.
S
K.
Sitrampalam
Professor
of
History
and
Dean
Faculty
of
Graduate
Studies
University
of
Jaffna
I
Sir
John
Marshall
while
referring
to
his
excavations
at
the
Indus
Valley
Civilization
(
which
existed
around
3000
B.C
)
the
progenitor
of
the
South
Asian
Civilization
observed
that
among
the
many
revelations
that
Mohenjodaro
and
Harappa
have
had
in
store
for
us
none
perhaps
is
more
remarkable
than
this
discovery
that
Saivism
has
a
history
going
back
to
the
Chalcolithic
age
or
perhaps
even
further
still
and
that
it
thus
takes
its
place
as
the
most
ancient
living
faith
in
the
world
.
Although
the
above
statement
by
Marshall
some
eight
decades
ago
is
still
valid
the
subsequent
excavations
in
the
sites
of
the
Indus
Valley
civilization
pushed
back
the
roots
of
Saivism
some
many
more
thousand
years
in
the
Pre
Indus
Valley
cultures
;
The
developments
during
the
post
Indus
Valley
civilization
in
India
led
to
the
emergence
of
Puranic
cults
with
Siva
Vishnu
and
fined
to
Buddhism
only
.
Referring
to
Brahmi
inscriptions
Paranavitana
(
1929
:
320
)
who
himself
was
a
pioneer
in
the
study
of
Brahma
as
supreme
beings
.
Of
these
the
cult
of
Siva
became
more
popular
by
accomodating
the
other
cults
of
Hinduism
such
as
the
cult
of
Sakti
Muruka
and
Ganesa
.
This
is
true
in
the
case
of
Sri
Lanka
Sri
Lanka
observed
that
as
it
takes
some
the
Pre
Buddhist
religious
beliefs
of
time
after
the
introduction
of
a
new
religion
for
the
people
to
adopt
personal
names
as
well
.
Today
when
we
speak
of
Saivism
suggestive
of
the
changed
atmosphere
those
it
includes
the
above
mentioned
cults
assimilated
into
Saivism
when
Buddhism
was
introduced
to
Sri
Lanka
around
3rd
century
B.C.
found
in
the
earliest
Brahmi
inscriptions
may
be
taken
as
evidence
for
the
Pre
Buddhist
religious
conditions
.
Perhaps
these
names
when
correlated
with
other
evidences
from
both
literary
and
archaeological
sources
especially
coins
throw
welcome
light
on
Pre
Buddhist
Saivism
in
Sri
Lanka
.
However
the
present
paper
dwells
only
on
the
cult
of
Siva
prevalent
during
the
Pre
Christian
era
.
With
the
introduction
of
Buddhism
in
Sri
Lanka
the
literary
activity
was
centred
around
Buddhism
.
In
the
eyes
of
the
authors
of
the
Buddhist
chronicles
namely
Dipavamsa
and
Mahavamsa
which
came
to
be
written
around
7th
/
8th
centuries
respectively
after
the
introduction
of
Buddhism
the
only
true
faith
is
Buddhism
.
Non
Buddhists
were
depicted
as
people
39
of
false
faith
.
As
a
result
many
of
the
Pre
Buddhist
Hindu
cults
were
dumped
under
the
title
of
Yaksa
cults
in
a
derogatory
manner
without
knowing
their
true
significance
.
Unfortunately
the
data
from
the
Tamil
chronicles
such
as
Yalppana
Vaipavamalai
which
are
dated
to
medieval
times
are
meagre
.
However
the
recent
epigraphical
data
in
the
form
of
Brahmi
inscriptions
dating
back
to
Pre
Christian
times
that
record
the
donations
to
Buddhism
by
the
new
converts
is
significant
for
our
study
.
The
perusal
of
these
inscriptions
shows
the
Pre
Buddhist
religious
affinities
of
the
inhabitants
of
the
island
.
Unfortunately
no
further
details
of
the
religious
practice
are
evident
because
the
very
nature
and
scope
of
these
sources
have
been
restricted
and
con
II
The
form
'
Siva
'
occurs
in
the
Pali
literary
sources
.
One
of
the
sons
of
Panduvasudeva