Mahabharata Sinhala Today
Report: The Mahabharata in Sinhala Language and Culture
Date: October 26, 2023 Subject: Overview of the Mahabharata's translation, literary significance, and cultural presence in Sri Lanka.
The First Sinhala Translations
The earliest complete Sinhala prose translation of the Mahabharata is credited to Pandit W. F. Gunawardhana (also known as Mahagama Sekara’s predecessor in some lineages), but the most celebrated and accessible version for modern readers is the work of Prof. J. B. Disanayaka and the government-sponsored translation project under the Cultural Department in the 1960s–80s. However, the definitive Sinhala rendition for the general public remains the work of Martin Wickremasinghe (abridged) and P. B. Sannasgala. mahabharata sinhala
Part 5: The Mahabharata’s Influence on Sinhala Arts
The epic is not confined to books. The Mahabharata Sinhala aesthetic can be seen in: Report: The Mahabharata in Sinhala Language and Culture
- Kolam & Sokari Folk Drama: Traditional masked dramas in low-country Sri Lanka often borrow archetypes—the evil uncle (like Shakuni) and the righteous nephew.
- Modern Literature: Sri Lankan authors have written novels explicitly retelling the Mahabharata from a feminist perspective (focusing on Draupadi or Gandhari), set against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war, drawing parallels between Kurukshetra and the Northern battlefields.
- Dance Dramas: The Chitrasena Dance Company famously produced "Mahabharata" ballets, blending Kandyan dance with Indian mudras.
6. Influence on Sinhala Personal Names and Place Names
- Popular names: Pāṇḍu, Bhīma, Arjuna, Draupadī, Karṇa, Duryodhana, and Gītā are common Sinhala given names.
- Place names: No major toponyms directly from Mahābhārata, but some villages have shrines to “Pāṇḍava Deviyo” (Pāṇḍava deity).
5. The Mahabharata in Sri Lankan Media
The epic has transcended books to become a visual phenomenon in Sri Lanka. Kolam & Sokari Folk Drama: Traditional masked dramas
Sinhala Translations of the Gita
- Ven. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera (19th century) – one of the first to produce a comparative study of Buddhist Dhammapada and the Gita.
- Prof. D. J. Wijewardena – translated the Gita directly from Sanskrit to Sinhala with detailed notes on non-attachment (anasakti).
- Ven. Gnanananda Thero – gave sermons comparing Krishna’s counsel to Arjuna with the Buddha’s advice to King Ajatasattu.
In contemporary Sri Lanka, business leaders and yoga practitioners often keep a Sinhala Gita on their shelves, reading verses like “Karmanyeva adhikaraste…” (You have a right to action alone) as a mantra for mindful effort.
1. The Martin Wickramasinghe Influence
Though primarily a novelist, Sri Lanka’s literary giant Martin Wickramasinghe wrote essays comparing Greek epics, the Mahabharata, and Buddhist Jataka tales. His works encourage Sinhala readers to appreciate the Mahabharata as world literature.