Bawlawkyantaw
Encyclopedia
Bawlawkyantaw was the eldest son and first child of King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy Pegu
. The prince is best known for his famous oath before his execution on the orders of his father that he shall be reborn to fight against his father if he were innocent. The people of Hanthawaddy and the people of rival Kingdom of Ava widely believed that Prince Minyekyawswa
of Ava was the reincarnation
of Bawlawkyantaw, fulfilling the prophecy of the oath.
Razadarit ordered the execution of his own son at a young age because he was afraid that the young prince would later raise a rebellion against him. Razadarit had driven the prince's mother Queen Talamidaw
to commit suicide, and feared that the young prince would one day avenge for his mother's death. Razadarit, who was never his father's favorite, himself had raised a rebellion against his own father, King Binnya U
when he was only 15. Razadarit was in Bassein
(Pathein) when he ordered the execution of his son, who was in Pegu (Bago). It was 1390. The king's executioners took Bawlawkyantaw to the Shwemawdaw Pagoda. The young prince was imprisoned for three days at the pagoda during which he was said to have reread the Abhidhamma (part of Buddhist scriptures
).
According to Mon and Burmese chronicles, on the day of his execution, the young prince swore an oath that would enter into Burmese history:
Razadarit was greatly disturbed when he heard of the terrible oath. In the superstitious world of Burmese politics, he was alarmed when the chief wife of Prince Minkhaung
of Ava fetched to eat various foods from Lower Burma before she became pregnant. She gave birth to Minyekyawswa a year after Bawlawkyantaw's death. Indeed, Minyekyawswa would later grow up to be Razadarit's nemesis.
Hanthawaddy Kingdom
The Hanthawaddy Kingdom was the dominant kingdom that ruled lower Burma from 1287 to 1539. The Mon-speaking kingdom was founded as Ramannadesa by King Wareru following the collapse of the Pagan Empire in 1287 as a nominal vassal state of Sukhothai Kingdom, and of the Mongol Yuan dynasty...
. The prince is best known for his famous oath before his execution on the orders of his father that he shall be reborn to fight against his father if he were innocent. The people of Hanthawaddy and the people of rival Kingdom of Ava widely believed that Prince Minyekyawswa
Minyekyawswa
Minyekyawswa was crown prince of Ava from 1407 to 1417, and commander-in-chief of Ava's military from 1410 to 1417. He is best remembered in Burmese history as the courageous general who waged the most fierce battles of Forty Years' War against King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy Pegu.The prince, who...
of Ava was the reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
of Bawlawkyantaw, fulfilling the prophecy of the oath.
Razadarit ordered the execution of his own son at a young age because he was afraid that the young prince would later raise a rebellion against him. Razadarit had driven the prince's mother Queen Talamidaw
Talamidaw
Talamidaw was the consort of King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy while he was a prince. She was a half-sister of Razadarit and a daughter of King Binnya U by queen Sanda Dewi. In May 1383, Talamidaw eloped with Razadarit to Dagon...
to commit suicide, and feared that the young prince would one day avenge for his mother's death. Razadarit, who was never his father's favorite, himself had raised a rebellion against his own father, King Binnya U
Binnya U
Binnya U was the eighth king of Hanthawaddy Pegu, who ruled from 1348 to 1383. Over his 35-year reign, the king faced several internal rebellions and external invasions...
when he was only 15. Razadarit was in Bassein
Pathein
Pathein , also called Bassein, is a port city with a 2004 population estimated at 215,600, and the capital of the Ayeyarwady Region, Burma. It lies on the Pathein River , which is a western branch of the Irrawaddy River....
(Pathein) when he ordered the execution of his son, who was in Pegu (Bago). It was 1390. The king's executioners took Bawlawkyantaw to the Shwemawdaw Pagoda. The young prince was imprisoned for three days at the pagoda during which he was said to have reread the Abhidhamma (part of Buddhist scriptures
Tripiṭaka
' is a traditional term used by various Buddhist sects to describe their various canons of scriptures. As the name suggests, a traditionally contains three "baskets" of teachings: a , a and an .-The three categories:Tripitaka is the three main categories of texts that make up the...
).
According to Mon and Burmese chronicles, on the day of his execution, the young prince swore an oath that would enter into Burmese history:
- I do not plot against my father. Neither is there any fault in me. My father and mother played together as children. When she grew to womanhood, he took her beauty and then cast her away. She was a king's daughter, but he drove her away like a slave and drove her to her evil death. If I am guilty of treason by thought, word or deed, may I suffer in the fires of the nether regions for a thousand cycle times. If I am innocent, may I be reborn in the dynasty of Ava kings, and may I become the scourge of Mons.
Razadarit was greatly disturbed when he heard of the terrible oath. In the superstitious world of Burmese politics, he was alarmed when the chief wife of Prince Minkhaung
Minkhaung I
Minkhaung I of Ava was the fourth king of Ava from 1401 to 1422. Minkhaung is best remembered in Burmese history for his epic struggles against King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy Pegu in the Forty Years' War , and for being the father of Crown Prince Minyekyawswa, who did most of the fighting.Minkhaung...
of Ava fetched to eat various foods from Lower Burma before she became pregnant. She gave birth to Minyekyawswa a year after Bawlawkyantaw's death. Indeed, Minyekyawswa would later grow up to be Razadarit's nemesis.