Rock inscription from Kbal Spean (K. 1016)

Editor: Chloé Chollet.

Identifier: DHARMA_INSCIK01016.

Hand description:

Cursive angkorian script, ca. 11th century CE.

Language: Sanskrit.

Repository: Khmer (tfc-khmer-epigraphy).

Version: (9724a0f), last modified (25c6f3e).

Edition

I. Upajāti

⟨1⟩ vibhāti nanda-parame-¡ś!⟨s⟩a-nand(ī)

a

dīpte prabhā-dhvasta-⟨ta⟩mas-samūhaḥ

b

⟨2⟩ ⟨Column a⟩siddhiṁ pradātuṁ bhuvi liṅga-rūpo

c

⟨Column b⟩divyāṁ sthito ’s(m)in(n u)dite ⟨⟨gi⟩⟩rīndre||

d
II. Upajāti

⟨3⟩ ⟨Column a⟩(saṁ)kṣipya tejo ravi-koṭi-kāntam

a

⟨Column b⟩(e)kārṇnave (ya)t sa (dadau) ma[he]śaḥ

b

⟨4⟩ ⟨Column a⟩tad eva tad-⟨v⟩yāpi samāsthito yo

c

⟨Column b⟩[⏓–⏑] liṅgaṁ [⏑⏑–]n nama(dhva)M||

d
III. Upajāti

⟨5⟩ ⟨Column a⟩cyutā ¿ś?⟨s⟩a-śavdā giri-mastakāgrāt

a

⟨Column b⟩(tī)rtha-dhārā sa-mahendra-vāhā

b

⟨6⟩⟨Column a⟩śambhor ja(ṭ)ā-madhya-lasat-prabhāvā

c

⟨Column b⟩saroja-va(ddhe)va purā vibhāti||

d
IV. Upajāti

⟨7⟩ ⟨Column a⟩¡Aṣṭo ’pi! siddhā vahu-siddhi-sarvān·

a

⟨Column b⟩siddhārthināṁ kartum ime prasiddhāḥ

b

⟨8⟩ ⟨Column a⟩Asmin girau nandi-giri-prasiddhe

c

⟨Column b⟩siddhyai sthitās tān munayo namadhvaM||

d

Apparatus

⟨1⟩ dīpte ⬦ dīpto CJ.

⟨2⟩ siddhiṁ pradātuṁ ⬦ siddhi-pradātūṁ CJ. — ⟨2⟩ divyāṁ sthito ⬦ divyāsthito CJ. — ⟨2⟩ ’s(m)in(n u)dite ⬦ siddhe vibhur CJ. — ⟨2⟩ ⟨⟨gi⟩⟩rīndre ⬦ nane [] CJ • The syllable gi, initially skipped by the engraver, has been added above the line.

⟨3⟩ (e)kārṇnave ⬦ (akārṇṇave) CJ.

⟨4⟩ [⏓–⏑] liṅgaṁ ⬦ vitas i ta CJ.

⟨5⟩ cyutā ¿ś?⟨s⟩a-śavdā giri- ⬦ cyutāśa davdāgiri- CJ. — ⟨5⟩ -mastakāgrāt ⬦ -mastakāgrā[] CJ. — ⟨5⟩ sā ⬦ [] CJ. — ⟨5⟩ (tī)rtha-dhārā ⬦ []rmadhārā CJ. — ⟨5⟩ sa-mahendra- ⬦ si-mahendra- CJ.

⟨6⟩ ja(ṭ)ā ⬦ jatā CJ. — ⟨6⟩ -lasat-prabhāvā ⬦ -lasaty ubhāvā CJ. — ⟨6⟩ saroja-va(ddhe)va purā ⬦ si vi va rā CJ.

⟨7⟩ Aṣṭo ’pi ⬦ Aho ’pi CJ • One would normally except aṣṭau but then a different sandhi would have been applied, and aṣṭāv api would have been unmetrical. • — ⟨7⟩ siddhi-sarvān· ⬦ siddhim aryāḥ CJ. — ⟨7⟩ siddhārthināṁ ⬦ siddhārthinaḥ CJ.

⟨8⟩ namadhvaM ⬦ namadhva[m·] CJ.

Translation by Chloé Chollet

I
In the form of a liṅga, accompanied by Nandin1, he shines, swallowing all darkness with his brilliance, present on earth in order to bestow the celestial siddhi atop (udite) this luminous (dīpte) Nandin-topped (nandī-parame) lord of the mountains (girīndre).
II
Maheśa having condensed (saṁkṣipya) [his] energy (tejas) beautiful like millions of suns in the one ocean (ekārṇave), he has given this very (tad eva) energy, he who stands […]. Worship (namadhvam) [this] liṅga!
III
That pure water of the tīrtha (tīrtha-dhārā), which falls noisily (cyutā sa-śabdā) from the top of the mountain (giri-mastakāgrāt) [and] flows along Mahendra’s [mountain (Mahendraparvata)] looks (vibhāti) like (iva) that [Gaṅgā] whose splendour (prabhāvā) was once upon a time (purā) glistening amidst the matted locks of Śambhu, [its stream] covered in lotusses (saroja-baddhā).
IV
Those famous munis, who are, for success (siddhyai), on the mountain known as Nandigiri in order to achieve all of the many perfections, albeit in the precise number of eight (aṣṭo ’pi)2, sought by all [those] who seek perfection (siddhārthināṁ): honor them (tān)!

Translation into French by Chloé Chollet

I
Le liṅga resplendit, (accompagné de) Śiva et Nandin de Nandiparama3, qui détruit la masse des ténèbres par son éclat ; afin d’accorder la siddhi céleste (divyāṁ), il est présent sur terre en haut de ce seigneur des montagnes (udite girīndre) lumineux (dīpte).
II
Maheśa ayant concentré (saṁkṣipya) [son] énergie (tejas) belle comme des millions de soleils dans l’océan unique (ekārṇave), il a donné cette énergie-même (tad eva) se répandant, lui qui se tient […]. Vénérez (namadhvam) [ce] liṅga !
III
Cette eau pure du tīrtha (tīrthadhārā) qui s’écoule bruyamment le long de Mahendra[parvata], depuis le sommet de la montagne, ressemble (vibhāti) à (iva) cette [Gaṅgā] dont la splendeur (prabhāvā) scintillait autrefois (purā) au milieu des mèches emmêlées de Śambhu, [son cours] couvert de lotus (saroja-baddhā).
IV
Ces célèbres munis qui se trouvent, pour le succès (siddhyai), sur la montagne connue comme « Nandigiri » afin de réaliser l’ensemble des nombreuses perfections siddhi, bien qu’[au nombre précis de] huit (aṣṭo ’pi)4, que visent ceux qui cherchent la perfection (siddhārthināṁ) : honorez-les (tān) !

Commentary

It is inscribed within a rectangular cavity prepared beforehand, except for the last line which is inscribed below, on the natural surface of the rock.

Bibliography

First edited by Claude Jacques (1999, p. 363) with a French translation. Re-edited by Chloé Chollet with translations into English and French from a photogrammetric model created by Adeline Levivier in May 2022.

Primary

[CJ] Jacques, Claude. 1999. “Les inscriptions du Phnom Kbal Spãn (K 1011, 1012, 1015 et 1016).” BEFEO 86, pp. 357–374. DOI: 10.3406/befeo.1999.3417. [URL]. Page 363.

Notes

  1. 1. Another reading and cutting of the compound of the first pāda could be vibhāti nand(ī) parameśa-nand(ī), and translated as "Nandin shines, he who is a joy to Parameśa". However, we believe that the consounant śa before nandī can be corrected for sa, as it is also the case in pāda a of stanza 3. Thus, a liṅga would have been erected alongside representations of Śiva and Nandin, in a place named Nandi/aparama, recalling the name given to the mountain in the last stanza.
  2. 2. The compound aṣṭasiddhi appears in the inscription K. 258 as the name given to a tapovana (orthe name of the territory in which it is established). This is a reference to the eight supernatural powers of a siddha in the yoga.
  3. 3. Une autre lecture et découpage du composé du premier pāda seraient vibhāti nand(ī) parameśa-nand(ī), soit "Nandin resplendit, lui qui est une joie pour Parameśa". Toutefois, on peut aussi considérer la consonne śa devant nandī comme devant être corrigée pour sa, comme c’est aussi le cas dans le pāda a de la troisième stance. Ainsi, un liṅga aurait été érigé aux côtés de représentations de Śiva et de Nandin, en un lieu qui serait nommé Nandiparama, et qui rappelle le nom donné à la montagne dans la dernière stance.
  4. 4. Le composé aṣṭasiddhi apparaît dans l’inscription K. 258 en tant que nom donné à un tapovana (ou bien le nom du territoire où il se trouve). Il s’agit d’une référence aux huit pouvoirs surnaturels d’un siddha dans le yoga.