இலண்டன் சைவ மாநாடு (சிறப்புமலர்)
7வது சைவ மாநாடு இலண்டன் 2004
(5th century B.C) who succeeded Vijaya objects depicting the phallic symbol along
bore the name Girikanda Siva (M.V.X. 29).
Even Devanampiya Tissa's father was Muta
Siva (M.V.XI .1). Some of the brothers of
Devanampiya Tissa had personal names of
Siva. (Paranavitana, S 1959). Dhatuvamsa
says that the ruling princes of Kalyani and
Seru (Seruvilla) in the second century B.C
bore the name Siva (Paranavitana, S 1959:
148:149). Siva also figures as a personal
name of the donors in the Brahmi
inscriptions numbering eighty. This name
has been used here singly, with prefixes
such as 'Maha'. 'Cuda', Kala' and with
suffixes such as 'Bhutiya' and 'Guta'. The
form 'Visadeva' occurs in three inscriptions.
Paranavitana has translated this as a
reference to a person who honours all the
gods. However, Ellawala (1969: 158) had
taken this to mean Siva, the higher God.
There is also a solitary reference to
*Sivanagara' (which means the town of
Siva) in these inscriptions (Paranavithana,
S.1970:796a). The use of the name Siva
is also corroborated by the numismatic
evidence, along with the literary, and
epigraphical evidences mentioned above. A
coin with a legend Siva has been discovered
at Kantarodai. (Krishnarajah, 1998:51-52).
A few coins with the name of Siva have also
been reported from southern Sri Lanka
(Bopearachchi, Osmand and Wickrema
singhe, Rajah 1999: A 13, 14).
with the female figurines discovered in
many parts of the island testify to the
prevalence of this cult (Deraniyagala, P.E.P.
1960:61; Deraniyagala, S 1972 ). Perhaps it
should be added that these phallic symbols
are the survivals of the early phase of
this cult. During the early phase these
represented only the symbols of the
formless almighty in the form of a lump of
wood, clay and stone. It is during the later
stage only the arga or base was added.
Linga is also represented in the ancient
coins. This form appears in the Laksmi type
of coins (2nd century B.C.). The reverse of
the coin includes the svastika, a bull to its
left and the linga (Pushparatnam, P. 1998:
1-13). In a few coins purnakumbha appears
in place of linga. It is even suggested that
the linga and purnakumbha symbolically
represent the same.
III
Sivas Coins in Southern Sri Lanka
There are also literary, sculptural and
numismatic evidence for the worship of
Siva in aniconic form (Linga worship/
phallic cult). The occurrence of the name
'Sivikasala' in Mahavamsa dating back to
the time of Pandukabhaya (4th century B.C)
had been taken as a reference to this cult
(Paranavitana, S 1929). The terracotta
40
IV
Evidence From Mahavamsa
The cult of Siva in the Theriomorphic
form is also evident from the study of
Brahmi inscriptions and coins. There are
also references to Vahana (vehicle) of Siva
as indicated by the forms such as Nadika
and Vasaba/Vahaba both mean bull in these
inscriptions. It may be recounted here that
there was also a king by the name of
Vasabha (Bull) who reigned during the 2nd
century B.C. Nandipada also occurs as a
symbol in the same inscription where a
person who bore the name Nadika
(Paranavithana,S.1970:498) is referred to.
Both Nandi and Nandipada are found in the
earliest coins of Sri Lanka, namely punch
marked coins (Codrington, H.W. 1924:
16-24). Coins with Bull symbols have been
reported from various parts of Sri Lanka
such as Kantarodai, Matottam (Seyone,
K.XV. 1998 26-30), Vallipuram and
7
வது
சைவ
மாநாடு
இலண்டன்
2004
(
5th
century
B.C
)
who
succeeded
Vijaya
objects
depicting
the
phallic
symbol
along
bore
the
name
Girikanda
Siva
(
M.V.X.
29
)
.
Even
Devanampiya
Tissa's
father
was
Muta
Siva
(
M.V.XI
.1
)
.
Some
of
the
brothers
of
Devanampiya
Tissa
had
personal
names
of
Siva
.
(
Paranavitana
S
1959
)
.
Dhatuvamsa
says
that
the
ruling
princes
of
Kalyani
and
Seru
(
Seruvilla
)
in
the
second
century
B.C
bore
the
name
Siva
(
Paranavitana
S
1959
:
148
:
149
)
.
Siva
also
figures
as
a
personal
name
of
the
donors
in
the
Brahmi
inscriptions
numbering
eighty
.
This
name
has
been
used
here
singly
with
prefixes
such
as
'
Maha
'
.
'
Cuda
'
Kala
'
and
with
suffixes
such
as
'
Bhutiya
'
and
'
Guta
'
.
The
form
'
Visadeva
'
occurs
in
three
inscriptions
.
Paranavitana
has
translated
this
as
a
reference
to
a
person
who
honours
all
the
gods
.
However
Ellawala
(
1969
:
158
)
had
taken
this
to
mean
Siva
the
higher
God
.
There
is
also
a
solitary
reference
to
*
Sivanagara
'
(
which
means
the
town
of
Siva
)
in
these
inscriptions
(
Paranavithana
S.1970
:
796a
)
.
The
use
of
the
name
Siva
is
also
corroborated
by
the
numismatic
evidence
along
with
the
literary
and
epigraphical
evidences
mentioned
above
.
A
coin
with
a
legend
Siva
has
been
discovered
at
Kantarodai
.
(
Krishnarajah
1998
:
51-52
)
.
A
few
coins
with
the
name
of
Siva
have
also
been
reported
from
southern
Sri
Lanka
(
Bopearachchi
Osmand
and
Wickrema
singhe
Rajah
1999
:
A
13
14
)
.
with
the
female
figurines
discovered
in
many
parts
of
the
island
testify
to
the
prevalence
of
this
cult
(
Deraniyagala
P.E.P.
1960
:
61
;
Deraniyagala
S
1972
)
.
Perhaps
it
should
be
added
that
these
phallic
symbols
are
the
survivals
of
the
early
phase
of
this
cult
.
During
the
early
phase
these
represented
only
the
symbols
of
the
formless
almighty
in
the
form
of
a
lump
of
wood
clay
and
stone
.
It
is
during
the
later
stage
only
the
arga
or
base
was
added
.
Linga
is
also
represented
in
the
ancient
coins
.
This
form
appears
in
the
Laksmi
type
of
coins
(
2nd
century
B.C.
)
.
The
reverse
of
the
coin
includes
the
svastika
a
bull
to
its
left
and
the
linga
(
Pushparatnam
P.
1998
:
1-13
)
.
In
a
few
coins
purnakumbha
appears
in
place
of
linga
.
It
is
even
suggested
that
the
linga
and
purnakumbha
symbolically
represent
the
same
.
III
Sivas
Coins
in
Southern
Sri
Lanka
There
are
also
literary
sculptural
and
numismatic
evidence
for
the
worship
of
Siva
in
aniconic
form
(
Linga
worship
/
phallic
cult
)
.
The
occurrence
of
the
name
'
Sivikasala
'
in
Mahavamsa
dating
back
to
the
time
of
Pandukabhaya
(
4th
century
B.C
)
had
been
taken
as
a
reference
to
this
cult
(
Paranavitana
S
1929
)
.
The
terracotta
40
IV
Evidence
From
Mahavamsa
The
cult
of
Siva
in
the
Theriomorphic
form
is
also
evident
from
the
study
of
Brahmi
inscriptions
and
coins
.
There
are
also
references
to
Vahana
(
vehicle
)
of
Siva
as
indicated
by
the
forms
such
as
Nadika
and
Vasaba
/
Vahaba
both
mean
bull
in
these
inscriptions
.
It
may
be
recounted
here
that
there
was
also
a
king
by
the
name
of
Vasabha
(
Bull
)
who
reigned
during
the
2nd
century
B.C.
Nandipada
also
occurs
as
a
symbol
in
the
same
inscription
where
a
person
who
bore
the
name
Nadika
(
Paranavithana
S.1970
:
498
)
is
referred
to
.
Both
Nandi
and
Nandipada
are
found
in
the
earliest
coins
of
Sri
Lanka
namely
punch
marked
coins
(
Codrington
H.W.
1924
:
16-24
)
.
Coins
with
Bull
symbols
have
been
reported
from
various
parts
of
Sri
Lanka
such
as
Kantarodai
Matottam
(
Seyone
K.XV.
1998
26-30
)
Vallipuram
and