Sri Lanka Matha
Apa Sri Lanka Namo Namo Namo Namo Matha
Sundara siri barini surandi athi soba mana Lanka
Dhanya dhanaya neka mal palathuru piri jaya bhoomiya
Ramya
Apa hata sapa siri setha sadhana jeevanaye matha
Piliganumanu apa bhakthi pooja Namo Namo Matha
Apa Sri Lanka Namo Namo Namo Namo Matha
Obave apa vidya
Obamaya apa sathya
Obave apa shakthi
Apa hada thula bhakthi
Oba apa aloke
Apage anu prane
Oba apa jeevanave
Apa mukthiya obave
Nava jeevana demine nithina apa pubudu karan matha
Gnana veerya vadawamina ragana yanu mana jaya bhoomi
kara
Eka mawakage daru kala bawina
Yamu yamu wee nopama
Prema wada sama bheda dhurarada
Namo Namo Matha
Apa Sri Lanka Namo Namo Namo Namo Matha
1.
Mother Lanka we worship Thee!
Plenteous in prosperity, Thou,
Beauteous in grace and love,
Laden with corn and luscious fruit
And fragrant flowers of radiant hue,
Giver of life and all good things,
Our land of joy and victory,
Receive our grateful praise sublime,
Lanka! we worship Thee.
2.
Thou gavest us Knowledge and Truth,
Thou art our strength and inward faith,
Our light divine and sentient being,
Breath of life and liberation.
Grant us, bondage free, inspiration.
Inspire us for ever.
In wisdom and strength renewed,
Ill-will, hatred, strife all ended,
In love enfolded, a mighty nation
Marching onward, all as one,
Lead us, Mother, to fullest freedom.
Flag History |
In traditional Sanskrit and Pali literature the island is called Sinhaladvipa, the word sinhala deriving from the Sinhalese word sinha (lion), and since the 15th century a golden lion holding a sword of authority has appeared on the crimson field of the state banner. The lion denotes the desire for peace while the crimson symbolizes national pride. The gree represents the Muslims and the saffron for the Tamils. THe finial in the corners represent theleaves fot he fig tree under which Siddartha Gautama sat when he received the enlightenment and became Buddha. THe four leaves stand for love, compassion, sympathy and equanimity which are virtues extolled by Buddhism. Yellow is the symbol of Buddhism. |
Flag Date of Adoption | 7 September 1978 |
Flag Symbolism | yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels |