Tag Archives: Hindu

Known as a just and wise ruler, Shima was the queen regnant of the 7th-century kingdom of Kalingga on the northern coast of Central Java circa 674 CE.
Reported to be strict in the area of law and order, she introduced a law against stealing to encourage her people to be honest. The harsh punishment for stealing was to lose one of both of their hands. No one was exempt from the laws, including members of the court. According to tradition, a foreign king placed a bag full of gold on a busy intersection in Kalingga to test the famed truthfulness and honesty of Kalingga people. No one dared to touch a bag that did not belong to them, until three years later Shima’s son, the crown prince accidentally touched the bag with his feet. The queen reportedly issued a death sentence to her own son, but was convinced to change her mind by a minister that appealed to the queen to spare the prince’s life. Instead, he argued that because it was prince’s foot that touched the bag of gold, it was the foot that must be punished through mutilation, resulting in his toes being cut off. Though strict, Shima was also reportedly beloved by her people, from the court to the commoners. Under her rule, her people also had extensive trade and sharing of knowledge with those from other lands. She also reportedly developed subak, the water management (irrigation) system for paddy fields on Bali island.