Mahasona – the Great Cemetery Demon
He lived in 2030 (Buddhist time) and was the king of Polonaruva. He was a great warrior but fell in love with the famous warrior Gotembara’s, wife. Gotembara was the General for a neighbouring kingdom. Gotembara organised a great feast to celebrate a victory he had had over the Tamil king but did not invite Mahasona who arrived with an enormous army as he hoped to see his love. She fell ill, afflicted by demon sickness. Gotembara heard that she had committed adultery with Mahasona and challenged Mahasohona to a duel.
He was warned by his companions of the danger but on the day of the duel turned up alone and unarmed to face Mahasona who was fully armed and with his army.
The spectators believed that Gotembara would be killed immediately but he took a huge leap into the air and kicked off Mahasona’s head. Mahasona’s people lamented him and prepared for his funeral. One of his friends (Saturn) heard of his death and set off to attend the funeral. On the way he met with a wolf and cut off its head. He carried the wolf’s head with him and placed it on the body of Mahasona whilst reciting a special mantra. Mahasona then came back to life as a demon.
He has a human body and wolf’s head and frequents cemeteries where he attacks people at funerals and digs up and eats corpses. He causes illnesses to them but is forbidden to kill them and must free them from their afflictions when they make the appropriate offerings – rice cooked in yellow root with the blood of a cock. He loves flesh and for this reason people are often fearful of eating animal flesh as this is believed to attract Mahasona to attack them. He also haunts crossroads and is believed to be especially active at night, hence people avoid cemeteries and crossroads and will be reluctant to rest eating at crossroads as this is believed to attract Mahasona.
Mahasona dancing during a Devil Dance to cure a patient whose illness is diagnosed as caused by Mahasona (see section on Dances)
Clay Picture depicting Mahasona (see Clay Picture section)
