Son of Khallāṭanāga and Anulādevi.

Vaṭṭagāmaṇī adopted him (thereby earning the title of Pitirājā) and took him with him when forced to flee from the Damiḷā (Mhv.xxxiii.35, 45; Dpv.xx.22 f, 31).

Mahācūḷa succeeded Vaṭṭagāmaṇī as king of Sri Lanka and ruled for fourteen years (17-3 B.C.). He worked in a rice field, disguised as a labourer, and with the wages so earned gave alms to Mahāsumma. For three years he laboured in a sugar mill near Soṇṇagiri and built the vihāras known as Maṇḍavāpi, Abhayagallaka, Vaṅkāvaṭṭakagalla, Dīghabāhugallaka, and Jālagāma. He was succeeded by Coranāga (Mhv.xxxiv.1 ff). Mahācūḷa had two sons, Tissa (poisoned by the notorious Anulā) and Kuṭakaṇṇatissa. Mhv.xxxiv.15, 28.