The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c32.58

v1.c32.58

Khallāṭanāga’s son Mahāchūli Mahātissa⁵ then reigned righteously for 14 years. He was followed by Vaṭṭa-Gāmaṇī’s son Choranāga, who had previously been an outlaw, and now ruled impiously for 12 years (c. 3 B.C.–9 A.D.). He was then poisoned by his queen Anulā. The next king was Mahāchūli’s son Tissa⁶, who after a reign of 3 years (c. 9–12 A.D.) was poisoned by Anulā, who raised to the throne Siva, one of the guards of the palace. Siva reigned for 14 months with Anulā as his queen, after which she transferred her affections to a Tamil named Vaṭuka, and poisoned Siva. When she had reigned with Vaṭuka for 14 months, she wearied of him and poisoned him, choosing for her new consort a wood-carrier (*dāru-bhatika*) named Tissa. After 13 months she poisoned him also, and elevated a Tamil chaplain named Niliya, but 6 months later removed him in the same manner, and reigned alone for 4 months. Mahāchūli's second son, Kuṭakaṇṇa Tissa¹, who had fled from the court and taken orders in the Church, now raised an army, overthrew and killed Anulā, and reigned with justice and piety for 22 years (c. 16–38 A.D.).