The Royal Potgul Tradition in the Rajarata Civilization and the Dambadeniya Period: a Study of Scholarly and Administrative Practices in Medieval Sri Lanka

Abstract

This study examines the institutional frameworks and socio-cultural significance of royal Potgul in medieval Sri Lanka during the Rajarata Civilization and the Dambadeniya period. Positioned near royal palaces, these repositories functioned as intellectual and administrative hubs, facilitating knowledge production, literary preservation and bureaucratic governance, there by shaping the era’s intellectual and administrative paradigms. The earliest evidence of Potgul traditions is traced to the reign of King Dutugemunu with the authorship of Pin Poth documented in the MaraṇaMañcaka chronicle. These texts, recited during Buddhist funerary rites, were systematically preserved in Potgul, reflecting their role under Buddhist doctrinal influence. Royal scribes affiliated with these institutions produced seminal works such as the Sārārtha Saṅgrahaya, Jānakīharaṇa and Dampiya Aṭuvā Gæṭapadaya, illustrating the repositories’ capacity to house religious, linguistic and literary resources essential for advanced scholarship. Beyond Buddhist texts, Potgul archived Hindu Vedic scriptures, Kautilya’s Arthashastra, legal codes like the Manusmṛti, underscoring their syncretic scholarly traditions. Historical records emphasized their administrative utility. King Dappula II archived judicial rulings for posterity, while Vijayabahu I commissioned the Dhammasaṅgaṇī Prakaraṇa within a Potgul. Parakramabahu I’s dissemination of the Arthashastra to military commanders highlighted their strategic governance role. Archaeological evidence near Dambadeniya, including temple remnants in Sirigala and the site termed Potgul Kanda, corroborated their existence. Scholarly accounts, such as those by Ven. Sumaṅ galajoti Thero, affirmed the enduring legacy of these institutions in safeguarding state documents. The establishment of Potgul Kanda under monastic custodian Vācissara Thero further underscored their role in preserving administrative records. Monarchs like Parākramabāhu II utilized Potgul resources to compose works such as the Kavisilumiṇa, demonstrating their centrality to intellectual endeavors. In conclusion, royal Potgul were institutionalized centers of erudition and administration, synthesizing Buddhist and Hindu scholarly traditions. They enabled knowledge production, legal codification and military strategy, underpinning the cultural and bureaucratic achievements of Sri Lanka’s medieval kingdoms. Their legacy, preserved through textual, epigraphic and archaeological evidence, underscores their enduring socio-cultural significance as pillars of medieval Sri Lankan governance and scholarship.