Sinhalese people in Sri Lanka worship their own pantheon of gods and goddesses apart from the Hindu pantheon. "Śrī Deḍimuṇḍa Deviyo" is one such god. He is also known as "Alutnuvara Devatā Baṇḍāra", "Meṇik Baṇḍāra", "Ūve Baṇḍāra" and "Kīrti Baṇḍāra". His father was a Yakṣa army commander called "Pūrṇaka", while his mother was "Erandatī", a Nāga princess. He was born in the "Talagiri" mountain. Because of his lineage, he has well connected to both "Yakṣa" and "Nāga" clans. Though, his aboard was founded in "Rājagiri" cave located in Dambadeniya, later he started to roam Visidāgama, Navagamuva, Kosgama, Sabaragamuva, Alut Nuvara, Hunnasgiriya and Uḍukinda. It is believed that he presently visits two main temples, "Alut Nuvara Deḍimuṇḍa" temple and "Kotte Rajamahā Vihāra Deḍimuṇḍa" temple. In folk beliefs, his help is asked for evil possessions, diseases, epidemics, conflicts, etc. A legend is associated with him. The first half of the legend describes how he defeated the "Māra" and the rest, which bestowed him with the task to protect the "Buddha Sāsana" in Sri Lanka. At the enlightenment of Gautama Buddha, "Māra" and his vast army came to defeat Prince Siddhartha and prevent him becoming the Buddha. At that time, Śrī Deḍimuṇḍa Deviyo has been sent to defeat the "Māra" and his men by God "Vaiśravaṇa". The legend says that, there he not only destroyed the "Māra"'s aboard situated at "Mahā Meru", but has also been granted to protect the "Buddha Sāsana" in Sri Lanka for 5,500 years by Gautama Buddha. Later, this grant was bestowed again and again by gods, such as "Viṣṇu", "Śakra", "Vaiśravaṇa" and "Skandha Kumāra". The latter half describes, his survival from a shipwreck while returning to Sri Lanka and his miracle of giving life to the pregnant queen and her baby from the cremated ashes. The child was named as "Dāpulu", denoting born from the ashes.
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Worshipping Deḍimuṇḍa Deviyo
Be clean and observe Buddhist "Tisaraņa"and "Pañca Śīla". Then, recite Buddhist "Pirit" followed by the "Stotra" for Deḍimuṇḍa Deviyo. Lastly, give merits to Deḍimuṇḍa Deviyo. Doing this regularly at home, his blessings can be received.
Deḍimuṇḍa Stotra
yakṣeṣvara bandhana kṛta mahā śaila bhinnam
kīrtiṣvara jagadīṣvara bhāṣaṇa pravīṇam
mantrīṣvara mantra yantra tantra bhāra dhāram
Devata Baṇḍāra deva āsana praviṣṭam
kalhāra puṣpeca dantā nakhāya
padma mukhā gandha suvaṇṇakāya
hema latā dhāraṇa hasta kāya
Baṇḍāra Devendra namo namāya
mālā suvarṇa deham dhārāya
odāta nīlam dhara śāṭakāya
bhānu kālāśa candrayamāna
Baṇḍāra Devendra namo namāya
Deḍimuṇḍa Deva Śāntiya
Lankā mahī madhyama pālanāya
kailāsa mandīra nivāsanāya
ramyāya divyāya rucira buddhāya
śrī śānti saukhyāya nityādāya
aṣṭā daśa bhāṣaṇa jānanāya
deśā daśā kīrti prakīrtitāya
adhyātmikā bāhira śuddhi kāya
śrī kīrti tejāyuṣa dadāya
yakṣā nārānam mati vipukāya
darpāya bhaṣmāya balena kāya
divyāya Lankāya patīṣakhāya
rogāntarāya varjita devatāya
śailā vidārena yakṣāgaṇāya
sajjita devāla vismā tarāya
ramyāvi dehāya sunirmalāya
rakṣantu te māya śriyā narāya
munindā saddharma pravandanāya
karpūra kasturi kalepanāya
vismita dehāya bhānu kulāya
namo namo Deḍimuṇḍa devarājāya
To Give Merits to Deḍimuṇḍa Deviyo
Nava nagara nivasi dalaha muṇḍahi dhāno
pavara vara surindo netutam pujnjna ramsim
pamu dina manasā tam modayinvā sudisam
bhavatu mama sahāyo nicca mevādarena
sambuddha bhakta kakudhādhipa hastiyāna
duṣṭāri darpa mada bhanjana dakṣadhīra
bhīṣmavatāra dṛḍhahṛndha mahānubhāva
he deva mām karuṇayā vata rakṣa rakṣa