The History of Java, v. 1-2

by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles

The accounts regarding the succession of Pánji to the throne of his father are very discordant. In some he is represented as having succeeded on his death, and having continued to administer the government for several years; in others, he is represented as dying prematurely, during the lifetime of his father: Prába Jáya Sangára, chief of Madúra (then called Núsa Antára, or the island lying between), jealous of the power of Jang'gála, is said to have landed, and in a desperate action killed Pánji with an arrow from his own bow, in fulfilment of a prophecy which foretold that he would be invulnerable, except to the iron staff of Jáya Langkára, of which, it is added, this prince had manufactured his arrow. The account of this affair, as related in the Madúra traditions, is as follows:

"Then the prince of Núsa Antára, called Klána Prábu Jaya, consulted with Gúra Bramána Kánda, and others of his council, on the probability of his being acknowledged as chief prince over the adjacent countries. Gúru observed, that while Déwa Kasúma lived he could not permit the attempt; but the prince informing him that intelligence had been received of the death of that prince, then said, 'Gúru, it is well; you are permitted to effect your object by force, if necessary, but in the first instance try negotiation.' A letter written on the leaf of a tree was then dispatched, and when the messenger arrived at Jang'gála, he found the prince Angráma Wijáya seated on his setingel, attended by his patéhs, Kúda Nawársa and Brája Náta. At that time they were discussing the prince's intention of transferring his title to his son, Ino Kérta Pati[256]. The question was not decided when the messenger appeared. The prince declined reading the letter himself, but desired his minister to do so. As soon as Brája Náta read the demand of the prince of Núsa Antára to be acknowledged the superior, and the threat that he would lay waste the lands of Java in case of refusal, he became enraged to the highest degree, and without communicating the contents tore the letter, and seizing the messenger by the neck, threw the pieces in his face, and desired him to return to his master. After his departure Ino Kérta Páti arrived, and being apprized of the circumstances, entreated his father to permit him to go over in disguise to Núsa Antára.

"On the return of the messenger to Núsa Antára, he reported the result of his mission, when preparations were immediately made for the attack upon Jang'gála, and the chief, on this occasion, received the title of Jáya Sankára. But before the troops had departed, Ino Kérta Páti contrived to carry off from the palace the wife of the prince, named Dewi Sinawáti, which raised the enmity of the parties to the highest pitch.

"The prince of Jang'gála, when he was informed of these preparations, summoned his brothers from Ng'aráwan and Sínga Sári, who resolved to unite with him against the expected attack. The three princes were in conversation, when information was brought them that the hostile troops had landed in great numbers. Then they drew out their people, and a battle ensued with the prince of Núsa Antára, who lost many chiefs and followers. This prince finding the battle going against him, recollected the advice of Gúru Bramána Kánda, the loss of his wife, and the many insults he had received from Ino Kérta Páti: then throwing off his princely attire, he disguised himself as a common man, and arming himself with an arrow mixed with the people of Jang'gála, and went in search of Ino Kérta Páti. He had no sooner found him, than he discharged his arrow, and Ino Kérta Páti fell dead, it having been foretold that this chief could not be killed except by the iron staff of Jáya Langkára, of which the prince of Núsa Antára had made his arrow, kris, and knife.

"Brája Náta immediately acquainted his prince with the fall of Ino Kérta Páti, who thereupon rose and rushed into the thickest of the fight. The prince of Jang'gála attacked the prince of Núsa Antára with his kris, and slew him. Gúru Bramána Kánda seeing his prince slain, wished to escape, but his supernatural power was no more; and being seized by the prince of Jang'gála, he was put to death, with all the people of Núsa Antára, who did not save themselves by flight. Thereupon Agráma Wijáya assembled his council as before the war, and seated upon his setingel declared, that as Ino Kérta Pati was no more, it was his intention to nominate his grandson, Máisa Laléan, to succeed him. Máisa Laléan accordingly became chief of Jang'gála in the year 927, and after a time made his uncle, Brája Náta, Tumúnggung of Jang'gála, and retired himself to the district of Kédu. He had a son, named Banjáran Sari, who succeeded him, after whom were Múdaníngkung, and Múda Sári, who had a son called Ráden Pánkas, who succeeded to the government of Java in the year 1084. This prince established his capital at Pajajáran."

The fame of Pánji naturally throws the other events of the day into the back-ground, and whatever credit may be due to the earlier administration of his successor, it is eclipsed by the brilliancy of his exploits. But it seems agreed that Kúda, or Máisa Laléan, who is the next prince in the line of succession of whom tradition makes mention, at an early period of his reign induced the separate authorities which had been established at Browérno, Sínga Sári, and Kedíri, to acknowledge the supremacy of Jang'gála. Having, however, come to the throne at a tender age, and being under the influence of a crafty and designing minister, named Báka, who, with one of the brothers of the prince, entered into a league to deprive him of his inheritance, he quitted his capital, and on the dismemberment of his eastern kingdom, became the founder of a new one in the west. The causes which induced him to leave his capital are related to have been a dreadful sickness, which at that period prevailed in the eastern districts of Java, and the designs of his minister, who hoped to possess the means of aggrandizing himself in the attempt to form a new establishment. The first eruption of the mountain Klut, of which tradition makes mention, is recorded to have taken place at this time, when the discharges from it are represented "to have been like thunder, and the ashes to have involved the country in impenetrable darkness." The sickness having continued to prevail after the departure of the prince, the inhabitants who had remained at an early period, are said to have embarked in vessels and proceeded to sea, no one knowing whither they went or hearing more of them.

Kúda Laléan, accompanied by his mother Chándra Kirána, proceeded west as far as Blóra, where he laid the foundation of a new capital, under the designation of Méndang Kamúlan, the name of the ancient capital of the island. From thence, however, owing to the treachery of his minister Báka, who aspired to the sovereignty, he was soon obliged to fly, and to take refuge with a devotee, until the chief of Gíling Wési, named Prau Chátor, going to war with Báka, an opportunity was afforded him of regaining his authority. Uniting with the forces of that chief, he succeeded in overpowering Báka, and laying waste his capital, which he afterwards burnt.

This Báka is said to have had a criminal passion for his own daughter, and in consequence of her refusing to gratify his desires, to have secreted her in an adjoining forest. In his service was a man named Bándung Prakúsa, descended from Aru Bándung, of Balambángan, and also from Káran Kálang, the last chief of Brambánan. This man aspired to obtain the daughter in marriage. The father consented to the match, on condition that he would remove the temples from the old site to the new Méndang Kamúlan. Having made the usual offerings at the Sáng'gar, and done penance for forty days without sleeping, in the middle of the last night, when his tápa was all but accomplished, it happened that a maiden rose in her sleep, and without awaking, began to beat the rice block. On this, considering it daylight, he quitted his penance, and finding the stars still bright, he called down a curse on the women of Brambánan, that they should never be married till their hair was grey. This man is then said to have been transformed into a dog, or in other words, to have become a wanderer as a dog in the forests, where he met with the daughter of Báka. From their intercourse is born a son, who in time destroys his father and marries his mother. From this union the people known at this day by the term Kálang, trace their descent, although it is more generally believed that they are the real descendants of the first inhabitants of the island.

The brother of Kúda Laléan, Chítra Arung Báya, also called Chamára Gáding, being deceived by Báka, formed a party at Jung'gála, and embarked from thence for the island of Celebes, where he established himself, and is supposed to be the same with Sawíra Gáding, the first prince of whom the Búgis accounts make mention.

Kúda Laléan having been requested by the chiefs of Bányu Mas, Lúrung Téng'a, and Tégal, to render them assistance against the Chinese, who, by their extortions and oppressions, had thus early become troublesome to the people of the country, attacked them, and killing their chief, relieved the inhabitants of these districts from their oppressions. From this period the Chinese have been dispersed over the whole island.