Lintel of Prasat Kuk Lvea Ter (K. 1462), 6th century CE

Editor: Kunthea Chhom.

Identifier: DHARMA_INSCIK01462.

Hand description:

The lettering is characteristic of the sixth century CE.

Languages: Old Khmer, Sanskrit.

Repository: Khmer (tfc-khmer-epigraphy).

Version: (9724a0f), last modified (cfb568b).

Edition

I. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

⟨1⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–](s?) sv[ai]r llakṣaṇair uttamai⟨Column b⟩r

a

ddevo yady api pūrvvam eva vidhivad viprair ayaṁ sthāpita(ḥ)

b

⟨2⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑––]ṅ sthāpito ’bhyarccina⟨Column b⟩s

c

tena prīty-amr̥taṁ pived a(mara)[pa](s) tat-kārako bhojakaḥ

d
II. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

⟨3⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–][svā](m)ī svayaṁ hy āgato

a

⟨Column b⟩devendra-pratimo ’py ayaṁ dhr̥ti-guṇād aty-adri-rājo ’pi san·

b

⟨4⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–][prāyu](ṅkta)m āyuḫ-phalam·

c

⟨Column b⟩(de)venāpi yadī(d)(ś)a(ṁ) nr̥pa(tinā) ta(syā?)ntara(ṁ da)rśitam· @||

d
III. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

⟨5⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑––] [(e)(ī)]ha dattam (bha)vet·

a

⟨Column b⟩[vi](śle?)ṣaṅ k(a)laśādi copakaraṇaṅ hai(ma)n tathā rājata(ṁ)

b

⟨6⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–––⏑––⏑⏓]

c

⟨Column b⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–––⏑––⏑⏓]

d
IV. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

⟨7⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–––⏑––⏑]ś ca

a

⟨Column b⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–––⏑––⏑⏓]

b

⟨8⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–––⏑][] (śai/śī)la-

c

⟨Column b⟩-[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–––⏑––⏑⏓]

d
V. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

⟨9⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–––⏑––]la(ye)

a

⟨Column b⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–––⏑––⏑⏓]

b

⟨10⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–––]s taṭākottamam· @

c

⟨Column b⟩yatnāt kār(i)tavān satāṅ katata(ṭa)[ṁ] h(eka?)[⏑––] (sadā) @

d
VI. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

⟨11⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑––][vi](prāya) bhojyaṁ kr̥tam· @

a

⟨Column b⟩satraṁ pratyaham atra cāpi vihitaṁ sarvvopabho(gakṣa)[mam·] [@]

b

⟨12⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–––]s saha sthāpi(ta)@

c

⟨Column b⟩satrañ ca svagr̥he ’pi bhojaka-(va)reṇānena saṅyo(j)[itam·] [⏑⏓] [@]

d
VII. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

⟨13⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑–––⏑]m imām sam(padam)· (@)

a

⟨Column b⟩kartum bhoktu(m a)haṁ prabhuś ca vividhān bhogān durā[–⏑⏓] [@]

b

⟨14⟩ ⟨Column a⟩[–––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑––][a]ṅghri-reṇvā[p](taye) [@]

c

⟨Column b⟩niś(ś)eṣam pari(ṇā)mayāmi kuśalan nānā-vidhaṁ sarvva[d](ā) @

d

⟨15⟩ […] [.][.]ḥ vraḥ kaṁmratāṅ· Añ· Ai taṅ· vraḥ dik· kñuṁ ley· nau ta saṁ perran· nau ta cap· vnas(·) ° ⟨16⟩ […] p· tar gui cor· tāṅ· Añ· mān· ra gui dhuli jeṅ· vraḥ kaṁmratāṅ· Añ· jaṁ (n?)ā moy· ° ⟨17⟩ […][A]ñ· kloñ· kroṁ vera ta jā ta g(oṁ) ge vi tar· dharmma ge vi voṁ jā bhakti ra kuruṅ· (v)raḥ ° ⟨18⟩ […] rakk(r)a ge vraḥ nnaḥ sin· (s?)rac· ta t(u?) ge ta hau qnak· vraḥ hau vnas· ⟨⟨ple pre⟩⟩ Āy· ley· °

Translation by Kunthea Chhom

I
Although (yady api) this [image of] god […] with his excellent proper characteristics (svair lakṣaṇaiḥ) was installed (sthāpitaḥ) […] before (pūrvvam eva) […] by brahmins (vipraiḥ) according to rule (vidhivad) […] [the image of god/ another god] is established [again?] for worshippers (abhyarccinas) by him. May the maker of that [image] (tatkārakaḥ), the governor/causer of enjoyment (bhojakaḥ) [called] Amarapa drink the nectar of pleasure therefore/with him (tena) […]
II
The Svāmī [Viṣṇu/ Indra?] himself (svayam) came here (āgataḥ) indeed (hi). […] This [god] (ayaṃ) being an extraordinary regal mountain (atyadrirājaḥ), the veritable image of great gods/of Indra (devendrapratimaḥ), because of its quality of fixity (dhr̥tiguṇāt).
III
[…] should be [regarded] as given [to the god] here (iha) […] and utensils such as jars made of gold as well as silver […]
IV
[…]
V
[…] the best reservoir has been built with effort for good people […]
VI
He made (kr̥tam) […] for brahmins (viprāya) for them to use (bhojyam). And he also (cāpi) organised (vihitam) every day (pratyaham) a soup-kitchen (satram) that could be enjoyed by everybody (sarvopabhogakṣamam). […] was installed (sthāpitaḥ) along with (saha) […] by that (anena) most excellent (-vareṇa) governor (bhojaka-), and (ca) a soup-kitchen (satram) was linked with it (saṅyojitam) in his own house as well (svagr̥he ’pi).
VII
I am able to create this profusion and to enjoy various enjoyments that [would be difficult for people to create]. […] in order to obtain the dust of [the deity’s] feet, I transfer/transform for all time the entirety of my merit of various kinds [for the benefit of all beings].

(15–16) […] V.K.A. along the course of the Sacred Water [the Mekong?] and the servants who participate in perran ? , who seize the measured land. […] criticises the thieves [who steal what] Tāṅ Añ has [donated] to the god of Jaṁnā Moy.

(17–18) […]; he who mistakenly criticises the Dharma, [and] is not devoted to the Lord of the gods […]

Commentary

The stone which carries the inscription K. 1462 was most likely a doorjamb which had been brought from a neighboring temple to be reused as a lintel at this temple of Kuk Lvea Ter. The inscribed face is placed downward. The Sanskrit portion has fourteen fragmentary lines forming seven stanzas in Śārdūlavikrīḍita meter, while the Khmer portion is written in prose and has four lines. The two portions are separated by a space of approximately nine lines.

The above edition and translation were discussed in reading sessions in September 2022 with Dominic Goodall, Diwakar Acharya, Chloé Chollet, and Nina Mirnig.

Bibliography

Edited by Kunthea Chhom, Chhunteng Hun and Sopheaktra Suon (in preperation) with a Khmer translation.