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ALPHABETICAL GUIDE TO SINHALESE FOLKLORE
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Odḍisa, son of Velabi Hanumanta Yakini in Uturu-kuru; as Raja Oddisa, or Gopalu Odḍisa, son of queen Vajrapati Gopalu Yakini. In this last birth he was conceived from the pollen of a water-lily which the queen smelt. She fell senseless on the bank, and was restored by Maha-bamba and the Ṛsis, sent by Säkra. She then felt a desire to have cobras to carry about on her person, which was accordingly done. 1,000 of her ladies bore sons when she gave birth to Oddisa; and at the age of 16 years they all became Yakas. After living with his 4 wives in the woods and feeding on snake-poison, he wandered about, and in the north made a temple with 4 doors on an anthill 4 gavas high, where the two cobras that lived there coiled themselves round him. At Sâgalpura by a vision he caused the king to fall sick; he was healed by offering to Oddisa a pestle, a leopard's skull, ash-melons, crinum plants, hirässa vine, cocoanuts, and hondala (a poisonous wild gourd, the Modecca tuberosa?) on a mat, followed by offerings of fowls, peafowls, food, money, flowers, and betel. The king was then seated and sprinkled with water and the evil influence exorcised. Oddisa smote king Panduvas with sickness; then by Säkra's advice Râhu brought the Mala Raja, and he was healed by Vali Yakas. Oddisa appeared to Panduvas clothed in a leopard's skin and riding on a golden bull, with matted hair, a Vadiga sword in his right hand and flame in his left, chank rings in his ears and cobras round his body. [O.-upata, Pala-väladâne, Vas-harané.] One version of the legend, in an O-upata, says that a noble named Khadirangâra was bringing alms to a Pase (Pacceka) Buddha, when Mâra put in his way a pit of fire. He sprang unharmed through the fire, which turned into lotus-flowers, and Måra foretold that he would become a Buddha. A rich man, who was a minister of Khadirangâra, prayed that he might become a Rsi, and accordingly at the beginning of this age he was born as Oddisa, and Khadirangára as Maha-sammata. The latter's wife Mänikpâla having been bewitched by Mâra, Oddisa Rşi cured her, Visnu in the form of a humble-bee having brought him. He is also styled Sulu O., Nâga O., Raja O., Deva O., Demala O., Gurula O., and Sat-jammê O. An O.-yadinna states that he was son of Panduhasta, king of the Oddi and Vadiga land. He had cobras all over his body, carried a golden sword and fire-oven, rode on an elephant, and was attended by 8 Yakinis and an escort. At Uruvêla he committed adultery, and Vêda Ṛşi lamented his sin. He became friendly with Mâra, and was connected with Hûniyan. His spells are exorcised by tying 108 creepers on the sufferer's arm. An O.-kavi describes him as riding through the sky on horseback, with the Sun in his right ear and the Moon in his left, and destroying the world of men. Säkra came to him disguised as an old man, and made sacrifice. He carries a sandal club, staff, and sword. Offerings are made to him on a seven-staged altar, the floor of which is divided into 36 compartments. One O.-kavi, treating of Odḍisa's healing of Mahasammata, says that he was the son of a Pandi king and brother of Hûniyan Yaka; he wears a red robe, and rides a black bull or a horse; his golden ant-hill and Vadiga sword are mentioned. An O.-yâdinna says that as a yaka he wears a moustache curling upwards and a beard hanging downwards; his eyes emitted fire, his ears smoke, his nostrils water, and his breath was a poisonous vapour; on his breast is the figure of a Rakusu. For the representation of O. in the Rakusu-bali, see Rakusu. The Raja-oḍdisa-kavi and O.-yâgaya describe his rites to heal Maha-sammata. For the various rites said to have been used by O. to heal Buddha, Maha-sammata, Mänikpâla, and the queen of Vadiga-pura, and to annul the spells of the Valiga casket, see Buddha, Limes, Maha-sammata, Mal-sarâ Raja, Mänikpâla, Rose-water, Torch, Turmeric, Vidi. He is invoked as Vadiga Rai in Tira-hata-mangalê (see Curtain). See also Gurulu, Hat Adiya, Hûniyan Yaka, Panduvas, Pattini, Sanni Yaku.
