Sinhabahu

Sinhabahu
Spouse	Sinhasivali (sister)
Issue	Vijaya, Sumitta
Mother	Suppadevi

Sinhabahu depicted of the Flags of Sri Lanka

Sinhabahu (Sinha = Lion, Bahu = Arm) is a legendary king of ancient India, mentioned in Sri Lankan texts. He was father of Vijaya of Sri Lanka and king of Sinhapura. He was the son of Suppadevi, a Vanga Kingdom princess. According to the Mahavamsa's Legend (the chronicled history of Sri Lanka), Sinhabahu's father was a lion and his mother a princess of Vanga, who was kidnapped by the lion. His hands and feet were like a lion's paws.

When Sinhabahu was sixteen, he escaped his father lions prison with his mother and sister Sinhasivalee, and arrived in the capital of Vanga. He later killed his father for a reward and was offered the throne of Vanga.

He refused the throne, instead founding the city of Sinhapura, in the country of Láta. He lived there with his sister Sinhasivalee, whom he made his consort. They had thirty-two children, of whom Vijaya was the eldest and Sumitta the second.

See also

• Incest in folklore

External links

• The Mahavamsa, Sinhabahu
• The story of the Sinhalese
• King Vijaya