Stela of Prasat Srah Khcau (K. 1417), 8th century CE

Editors: Kunthea Chhom, Dominic Goodall.

Identifier: DHARMA_INSCIK01417.

Summary: Face A contains seven Sanskrit stanzas in anuṣṭubh meter. The first is an invocation to the Buddha. Stanzas II and III praise the fieriness and righteousness of the ruling king Jayavarman I. The raison d’être of the inscription is mentioned in stanzas IV and V: these constitute an edict of King Jayavarman I concerning a monastery called Candana “sandalwood” (candana-vihāra) and they decree the use of funds (not given by the king) for the annual procession of the image of the Buddha on the full moon day of the month of Vaiśākha (April-May). Stanzas VI and VII stipulate that the slaves, cows, buffaloes, gardens, fields, servants, etc., given to the Buddha are not to be stolen and are under the protection of the Governor of Tamandarapura. Face B is a fourteen-line text in Old Khmer. It echoes the Sanskrit text in what is said about the annual procession of the Buddha’s statue of Candana Monastery on the full moon day of Vaiśākha as an order of King Jayavarman I. It also provides details of the management of the wealth of the monastery including servants, slaves, cows, buffaloes etc. The last two lines warn that those who flout the order of the king shall be punished.

Hand description:

The lettering is characteristic of the eighth century CE.

Languages: Old Khmer, Sanskrit.

Repository: Khmer (tfc-khmer-epigraphy).

Version: (686f981), last modified (e71eaed).

Edition

Face

I. Āryā

⟨A1⟩ ⟨Column a⟩suprabhayā bhrājiṣṇuḥ ⟨Column b⟩darppoddhata(vi)[vu](dha)vidviṣ(o) jiṣṇuḥ

ab

⟨Column c⟩Apa(vargga)[p](ra)[bhaviṣṇ]u(ḥ) ⟨Column d⟩bhūyād vo bhūtaye (vi)[ṣṇ](u)[||]

cd
II. Āryā

⟨A2⟩ ⟨Column a⟩cakreṇācyuta Iti yaḥ ⟨Column b⟩trivikramākrāntasa(ka)lalokāntaḥ

ab

⟨Column c⟩vali(m)a[da](dama)nai(kamanā) ⟨Column d⟩manāg api na yāti vā(ma)[natām·] ||

cd
III. Āryā

⟨A3⟩ ⟨Column a⟩ji(tamada)no vṛṣa(gama)no ⟨Column b⟩mānyatamo bhūribhūti(bh)ās(va)ritaḥ

ab

⟨Column c⟩ś(u/a)kti[2+](ma) [.]i[1+]yo ⟨Column d⟩lokasyeśo (j)i[2+][.]it[.](i) ||

cd
IV. Āryā

⟨A4⟩ ⟨Column a⟩nija(jīvi)tanirapekṣaḥ ⟨Column b⟩samu(dya)tāsi raṇe ji(gh)[ā](ṁ)sur arīn·

ab

⟨Column c⟩(n)ā(kṣās)(ū/ru)(dra Iva) [3+] ⟨Column d⟩nihantu(kāmo) (ya?) inaṁ varyyaḥ ||

cd
V. Āryā

⟨A5⟩ ⟨Column a⟩s(a/u)r[.]ati(dh)e(r gga)ṇakṛtvaḥ ⟨Column b⟩kṛtvā tv ātmīyasaṃpadādā[na]

ab

⟨Column c⟩ kali(k)ā(la)[v]i(lulitāṁ)[…] ⟨Column d⟩[…](samu)paskurute ||

cd
VI. Āryā

⟨A6⟩ ⟨Column a⟩Āryāvarttavi(va?)(rddhita)@ ⟨Column b⟩viprakṣatrāgra(vaṅśa)[sa][bhūtaḥ]

ab

⟨Column c⟩śrījayavarmmety adadhat(·) ⟨Column d⟩sa rājavaryyo bhuvo bhāram· ||

cd
VII. Āryā

⟨A7⟩ ⟨Column a⟩(tatpā)(da?)(ka)lpapādapa⟨Column b⟩m abhi(laṣ)itapha(la)[pradātā](r)aṁ

ab

⟨Column c⟩[k]ārttajñenā(k/bh)r̥t(v/y)[.] ⟨Column d⟩jyotiṣi gaṇi(t)ī su(dhī) mānyaḥ ||

cd
VIII. Āryā

⟨A8⟩ ⟨Column a⟩śrījaya[varmmanr̥](pe)ndra@ ⟨Column b⟩prasattisaṁ(va)[…]

ab

⟨Column c⟩śrīsatyāśraya[n](ā)⟨Column d⟩[2+][.]ātiṣṭhipad devān·||

cd
IX. Āryā

⟨A9⟩ ⟨Column a⟩rāja(tasaṁ)(va/hā)[…] ⟨Column b⟩śrī(satya) (mā/mvā)[.]ye[…]

ab

⟨Column c⟩[1+](satyā)khyo dhīmān· ⟨Column d⟩sthāpitavān· pu(nda)rīkākṣam·||

cd
X. Āryā

⟨A10⟩ ⟨Column a⟩rajatakanaka(mānikyaṁ) ⟨Column b⟩grā(ma)kṣetrapaśu[bh](r̥)[t](y)[…]

ab

⟨Column c⟩[…][.]āla [.]y[.] ⟨Column d⟩dānam adād ātmapuṇyebhya(ḥ) ||

cd
XI. Āryā

⟨A11⟩ ⟨Column a⟩śrī(jayava)rm(m)avitīrṇṇa(ṁ) @ ⟨Column b⟩sa(śai)lapāla(ṁ) sahasrabhr̥tyayu(taṁ)

ab

⟨Column c⟩[śrī sa]tyā[ś]rayapuṇye ⟨Column d⟩[na](ṁ) kenāpi no hāryyaṁ ||

cd
XII. Āryā

⟨A12⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[…] @ ⟨Column b⟩dattāni nr̥pājñayā sura(ca)rebhya[ḥ]

ab

⟨Column c⟩[…][v](i)ha[r]tt(ukā)@ ⟨Column d⟩ye te[…](ṇā) [||]

cd
XIII. Āryā

⟨A13⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[…] ⟨Column b⟩[…]

ab

⟨Column c⟩[…]sa[…] ⟨Column d⟩[…] [||]

cd

Face

I. Vaṁśastha

⟨B1⟩ jayaty a[c](in)[t]yātmavibhūtisambha[v]o

a

⟨B2⟩ bhavānya(g)(ī/i)[](sa)(c/bh)i(d/n)ām(sa)mud(bha)vaḥ

b

⟨B3⟩ bhav(ā)[⏑–]yena jito ja(no bhavo)

c

⟨B4⟩ []v(ā p)[i] saś śrīpatimūrttibhāg ya(t)aḥ ||

d
II. Indravajrā

⟨B5⟩ [Ā]sīn nr̥po yo bhuvi (dh)auta(dharmā)

a

⟨B6⟩ (māheśvarā?)ṇāṁ viṣayādhirā(jaḥ)

b

⟨B7⟩ rājanya(vr̥ndā)rccitapāda[]padma

c

⟨B8⟩ padm(āsa)no(t)(di)[](sāra)bh(ū)(taḥ?)

d
III. Upendravajrā

⟨B9⟩ prasiddhagotrapravaradvija[n](m)[ā]

a

⟨B10⟩ kṣatrāgra[va](ṅś)āmva[ra]ti(gmate)j[ā](ḥ)

b

⟨B11⟩ (di)ganta(r)[ā]jy(ān)i yaś(o)ṅśuśubhro

c

⟨B12⟩ vyajeṣṭa sa śrī(ja)yavarmmadevaḥ ||

d

Face

⟨C1⟩ 697 (śa)ka A(ṣṭam)i k(e)ta ⟨C2⟩ puṣya (nu) (p/g)i vra(ḥ)ha (ka)⟨C3⟩mrateṅa Aña śrī [3+] ⟨C4⟩ tapa[1+]varma [5+] ⟨C5⟩ Aṁv(i) tpala [2+] kamrateṅa ⟨C6⟩ jagata śr(i)puṇdarīkākṣa (jva)⟨C7⟩(na) mās tula mvaya prāka ⟨C8⟩ tula piya pratisthā vraḥ ka⟨C9⟩mrateṅa Aña nārāyana ⟨C10⟩ vraḥ śivaliṅga ti (karauṅa) ka⟨C11⟩mrateṅa Aña (s?)mā ta sth(ā)⟨C12⟩panā ta (s)ruka v(gu)la vraḥ ka⟨C13⟩mrateṅa Aña nārāyana ⟨C14⟩ ti kaṁluṅa kamrateṅa Aña ⟨C15⟩ śrī(śa)ktivarma sthāpanā ta (s)ru⟨C16⟩ka caṅkvaya sruka jeṅa vnaṁ (jā tpa)⟨C17⟩la ta kamrateṅ jagata śrī puṇda⟨C18⟩r(ī)k[ā]kṣa Oya kalpanā ⟨C19⟩ [10+] ⟨C20⟩ [9+] ⟨C21⟩ [10+] ⟨C22⟩ […] ⟨C23⟩ […]

Translation by Dominic Goodall

Face

I
May Viṣṇu, splendid with light (suprabhayā bhrājiṣṇuḥ), who conquers (jiṣṇuḥ) the gods’ enemies whose minds are puffed up with pride (darpoddhatacittavidviṣaḥ), who is capable of [granting] salvation (apavargāya), be (bhūyāt) for your (vaḥ) success/wealth (bhūtaye)!
II
Known as Acyuta [“Unfailing”], because of his [unerring?] discus, being focussed single-mindedly on crushing the pride of Bali, he bestrode the ends of all the worlds with his three broad strides, and does not even slightly (manāg api) become small/dwarfish/petty (na yāti vāmanatām) [and yet he is Vāmana !]
III
He who has vanquished Love, whose vehicle is the bull, most venerable, made to shine with plentiful ashes, […] Lord of the world (lokeśaḥ).
IV
Having no regard for his own life, his sword raised in battle (samudyatāsiḥ), eager to slay enemies in battle.
VI
Born of an excellent lineage of Kṣatriyas and of brahmins who had flourished in [the region of North Central Indian known as] Āryāvarta, the excellent king called Śrī Jayavarman took (adadhat?) the burden of [governing] the earth.
VII
[A certain] mathematician (gaṇitī) of astronomy, wise, honourable, after venerating (ādr̥tya) with gratitude (kārttajñena) the wish-fulfilling tree that was that [king’s] foot, which bestows [all manner of] desired rewards[…].
VIII
[favoured][…] by the grace of King Śrī Jayavarman, called Śrī Satyāśraya […] [with devotion] installed deities.
IX
[…] the wise person, of true name (satyākhyaḥ), installed [a Viṣṇu called] Puṇḍarīkākṣa.
X
He gave silver, gold and jewels, villages, fields, cattle […] as gifts for his own meritorious foundations (ātmapuṇyebhyaḥ).
XI
The gifts (dānam) offered by Śrī Jayavarman to the meritorious foundation of Śrī Satyāśraya, together with the guard(s) of the mountain and with the thousand servants, should not be taken by anyone.

Face

II
There was a king on earth of spotlessly clean Dharma, […] the overlord of districts of […], whose lotus feet were venerated by throngs of princes […].
III
That Śrī Jayavarmmadeva, a twice-born [brahmin] of famed gotra and pravara, [and at the same time] a sun tigmatejaḥ) in the sky that was his excellent Kṣatriya lineage, he conquered (vyajeṣṭa) [other] kingdoms up to the horizons in every direction, bright with the rays of [his own] fame.

Face

(C1–C5) In 697 Śaka, on the 8th day of the waxing moon of the month of Pauṣa, Vraḥ Kamrateṅ Añ Śrī […] from the grove […] Kamrateṅ Jagat Śrī Puṇdarīkākṣa;

(C6–C23)

  • offering one tula of gold [and] three tula of silver;
  • erecting a V.K.A. Nārāyaṇa, a Śivaliṅga inside the [temple where] K.A. Smā had established in the village of Vgul, a V.K.A. Nārāyaṇa inside the [temple where] K.A. Śrī Śaktivarman had established in the village of Caṅkvay [and] the village of Jeṅ Vnaṁ which was a grove of K.J. Śrī Puṇdarīkākṣa;
  • fixing endowment […].

Bibliography

Edited preliminarily by Dominic Goodall (Sanskrit portion on face A and face B) and Kunthea Chhom (Khmer portion on face C) based on the photo AMP 007558.jpg (belonging to the Stone Restoration Workshop of the National Museum in Phonm Penh).