India amassed 600 in their first innings, then bowled out the top half of the Sri Lankan batting order on Thursday to tighten their grip on the first Test in Galle.
Sri Lanka were reeling on 5-154 at stumps on day two, still 446 behind and trying to save the match with 10 batsmen after Asela Gunaratne's series-ending thumb injury.
Angelo Mathews, who relinquished the captaincy this month, was unbeaten on 54 at the close with Dilruwan Perera on six at Galle International Stadium.
Earlier, India lost four wickets in the morning session but their tail wagged as they added 201 runs to their overnight score of 3-399 before being dismissed less than an hour before the tea break.
Nuwan Pradeep was rewarded for a lion-hearted bowling effort with career-best figures of 6-132.
Resuming on 144, Cheteshwar Pujara brought up his sixth score of more than 150 before Pradeep dismissed him with a good length ball that bounced and seamed away.
Pujara batted nearly six-and-half-hours for his 153, adding 137 runs with Ajinkya Rahane who made 57.
Ravichandran Ashwin smashed seven boundaries in his 47, Mohammed Shami clobbered three sixes in his run-a-ball 30 and allrounder Hardik Pandya scored 50 off 49 balls on debut to help India reach the 600 mark.
Sri Lanka made a feeble reply.
Umesh Yadav trapped Dimuth Karunaratne lbw for two with a fuller delivery and the opener unsuccessfully challenged the decision.
Shami dealt a double blow in his fifth over, getting Danushka Gunathilaka (16) and Kusal Mendis (0) caught by Shikhar Dhawan in the slips.
The hosts were teetering at 3-68 before Upul Tharanga and Mathews added 57 runs.
Tharanga made 64 before falling to a bizarre run-out, diving back to the crease and his bat bouncing up in the air.
Abhinav Mukund took a stunning one-handed catch at silly point to send back Niroshan Dickwella, who managed eight, off Ashwin's bowling.
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