Chapter 4e - The later kings

Devānāmpiya-Tissa seems to have died without issue, for he was succeeded by four of his brothers.His four brothers ascended the throne after him in sucession at Anurādhapura and they played a great role for the progress of Buddhism in Sri-Lankā. They established new centres and in order to maintain the monks they helped properly. Mahāśiva (-247) ascended the throne after Uttiya. He ruled ten years. Then Suratissa (-237) occupied the throne. He was the younger brother of Devānāmpiya-Tissa.

He also reigned for ten years. He was outsted by Sena and Guttika (237-215 B.C.), two Tamil horse-dealers. Most probably they reigned jointly at Anurādhapura for twenty-two years.Then Asela (215-205 B.C.), the youngest (ninth) brother of King Devānāmpiya-Tissa captured the throne from the Tamils and ruled for ten years. Then Eḷāra (205-161 B.C.), a Tamil from the Coḷa country captured the throne and defeated Asela and reigned at Anurādhapura for forty-four years.

Kākavaṇṇa-Tissa, the great grand son of Mahānaga, brother of Devānāmpiya-Tissa, son of Goṭhābhaya was the ruler of Rohaṇa.He received his name on account of his dark colour. His capital was at Mahāgama. He had as wife, Devī (better known as Vihāradevi), daughter of the king of Kalyāni named Tissa, who had been cast into the sea to expiate her father’s crimes.

Their children were Duṭṭhagāmaṇī-Abhaya and Saddhātissa. Kākavaṇṇa-Tissa was very pious, and is said to have built sixty-four vihāras, sixty-four years being also the length of his reign. Among the religious edifices built by him were the Tissamahārāma, the Cittalapabbata-vihāra and the Mahānuggala cetiya. He was creamated at Tissamahārāma. The Dīpavaṃsa speaks of Kākavaṇṇa-Tissa’s daughters, Mahilā and Samantā, as being proficient in the history of the religion (Saddhammavaṃsakovida) 165.