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ALPHABETICAL GUIDE TO SINHALESE FOLKLORE
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Asuras for exorcism. Then follows a sirasa-pâda to exorcise the evil limb by limb from head to foot. See also Valalu.
Vine. The square vine (vitis quadrangularis, hirässa) is used in the ritual of Moholupakarana-upala, which says it originated in a park of sal-trees at Kusinara, where it came from the Nagas' world; Maha-bamba placed it at the patient's feet. The Aja Magula, which also prescribes its use, says it arose from iśvara's nostril. See Aļa Magula, Divi Dos, Oddisa, Valalu, Vas.
Vira. A god overcome by Mala Raja.
Vira-bhadra. A god, son of queen Nandâ of Vadiga-rata. As Nanda was bathing in a lake, a Yaka saw her. She fainted, and he possessed her, entering her body through her nostril, and was conceived by her. Among her longings of pregnancy was a desire for human flesh, and the king, her husband, gave her bodies from a cemetery. When the ohild was born, the soothsayers declared that at the age of 7 years he would go into the forest of Oddisa and become the Yaka Vira-bhadra. He did so, but at the age of 16. He was 3 gavvas (12 miles) in height: fire came out of his mouth, eyes, ears, and nose, and 160 cobras enwreathed his body. He had 800 yakas in his train. He is exorcised by dances and offerings on a decorated stage. [V.-kavi.]
Vira-munda. A god : said in V.-alankaraya to have been born after a prophetic dream by his mother. For his youthful misbehaviour, he was sentenced to death, but escaped, and sailed to Kolamba (Colombo) in Ceylon. He came to Iriyagama and at Vil-bava constructed shrines. Soven Bandaras were under his command; ho fod demons of Ceylon, broke the legs of many Demalas (Tamils), warred against the gods of Ceylon (who were led by Kataragama Deva), and made Pattini's bangle to cease rattling. He has a red silk kerchief on his head, a red and blue cock in his right hand, and a golden sword and wand. The V-yâgaya relatos that before his birth his father, the king of Kóli, was warned by evil omens, and the queen's breasts turned black and dried up. She went from Koli-nuvara to Malala-nuvara, where she bore a son under most evil auspices. The dream (880 above) is pelated in this version also. When the boy grew up, he was driven out of Koli, and sailed on a stono raft to Yâpâpatuna (Jaffna), where he caught and beat the Sädi Tamils. He stopped the jingling of Pattini's bangle, became lord of Rakusus, and gave authority to Kalu Kumâra to kill young girls. He carries in his hand a cock. A V.-upata gives a similar account, and states that he arrived in Ceylon at Sinigama and defeated the Yakas at Iriyagama. The V-pena-kima states that he came to shore at Panigalpota, where he broke the necks of 100 elephants, visited Beligal Korale, and fought with the king of Kolamba. He is elsewhere said to be the son of the king of Koliya-nuvara, and elder brother of Ramana Kät and Tamanêrta. and later was known as Malala Raja. The V.-vadinna describes him as coming to Ceylon on & stone raft. See also Na-mal Kumara, Pattini, Tota Kadavara. He is invoked in Mal-keli-upata and (as V. Malala-s&mi) in Pattini-yaga kavi.
Vira-munda Mäti. A god invoked in Salu-salima; see Pattini.
Vira-parakrama-bahu. A king, said to have built a temple for Kanda at Ambäkka (see Devatar Banlara), and another for Gana Devi.
Vira Pattini. See Pattini. Vira-va psa Pitiya Devi. A god invoked in Dalu-mura-pidum-kavi.
