Pimeanākas Inscription of śrīindradevī (K.485): Contents and Significance as Eulogy for King Jayavarman VII
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This article aims to study the Pimeanākas inscription composed by Queen Śrī Indradevī (K. 485) in two aspects: its contents and its significance as eulogy for King Jayavarman VII of ancient Cambodia. The findings are as follows: (1) A biography of King Jayavarman VII was given from various historical vantage points such as his military campaign to subdue Chāmpā Kingdom and his return to ascend the throne of Angkor; his marriage to Princess Śrī Jayarājadevī; his second marriage to Princess Śrī Indradevī following the death of Queen Jayarājadevī; and his heroic exploits in war. Biographies of Queen Śrī Jayarājadevī and Queen ŚrīIndradevī were also given, alongside the names of various historically significant cities and places. (2) From a religious point of view, Mahayana Buddhism was recognized and uplifted to the highest position under the support of King Jayavarman VII and his queens, with Brahmanism being neglected. The study of Buddhism flourished significantly during that period. (3) From a socio-cultural standpoint, information was given on the female courtiers’ activities and ways of life. It is interesting to note that an orphanage was set up by the queens for many ‘unwanted’ female children during that period. (4) As a eulogy, the inscription portrays King Jayavarman VII as an ideal, heroic and handsome king; a Buddharāja who follows the ways of life of a Bodhisattva or a Would-be Buddha; and a Devarāja or a god king.
Article Details
There is no charge for paper processing and publication. Once the paper is under peer-review process, however, if the paper is withdrawn for any reason the author will be responsible for the expense of 3,000 Baht occurred in the review process.
References
Briggs, L.P. (1999). The ancient Khmer Empire. Philadephia: The American Philosophical Society.
Chandler, D. (2014). Prawattisāt Kamphūchā (Phim khrang thī sī) [A History of Cambodia (4th ed.)]. Bangkok: The Foundation for the Promotion of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Chitsuthiyan, A. et al. (2012). Kānsưksāwičhaiklumjaruekprāsāt tāmư̄an [A study Prasat Ta Muen Inscriptions]. Bangkok: Department of Oriental Languages, Silpakorn University.
Cœdès, G. (1929). Nouvelles données chronologiques et généalogigues sur la dynastie de Mahidharapura. BEFEO, XXIX, 297 - 305.
_____. (1942). Inscriptions du Cambodge Volume II. Hanoi: Imprimerie d'extreme - Orient.
_____. (1947). Pour mieux comprendre Angkor: cultes personnels et culte royal, monuments funéraires, symbolisme architectural, les grands souverains d'Angkor. Paris: librairie d'Amerique et d'orient Adrien Maisonneuve.
_____. (1963). Angkor, an introduction. New York: Oxford University Press.
_____. (1968). The Indianized states of Southeast Asia. Honolulu: East West Center Press.
_____. (1999). Yō̜t Sēdēkaptawanʻō̜ksưksā: Rūambotkhwāmpǣn [George coedes and oriental studies selected articles in Thai translation]. Bangkok: Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre.
Diskul, S, M.C. (1966). Silajaruekprāsātphrakhankhō̜ngphračhao chaiwō̜ramanthī čhet [Prah Khan Inscription of Jayavarman VII]. Silpakorn Journal, 10(2), 52 - 62.
Diskul, S, M.C. (1992). Prawatsātʻēchīaʻākhanēthưng [The Indianized States of Southeast Asia]. Bangkok: The Historical Society.
_____. (2004). Sātsanāphrāmnaiʻānāčhakkhō̜m (Phim khrang thī sām) [Les Religions Brahmaniques dana I'Ancien Cambodge d'après l'Épigraphie et l'Iconographie (3th ed.)]. Bangkok: Amarin Printing and Publishing PCL.
Finot, L. (1903). L'inscription sanskrite de Say - fong. BEFEO, III, 18 - 83.
_____. (1925). Inscriptions d’Angkor. Honoi: Imprimarie Extreme - Orient.
Giteau, M. (2009). Prawatmư̄angphranakhō̜nkhō̜ngkhō̜m (Phim kharang thī sī) [Histoire d'Angkor (4th ed.)]. Bangkok: Matichon.
Hall, D.G.E. (2014). Prawattisāt ʻĒchīa tawanʻō̜k chīang tai: suwannaphūm - ʻusākhanē phāk phitsadān (Phim khrang thī sām) [A history of South - East Asia (3th ed.)]. Bangkok: The Foundation for the Promotion of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Lagirarde, F. (2003). Epigraphy and Philology in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia: current studies at the French Schoolof the Far East (EFEO). In Phasa Charuek 9 (60 - 74). Bangkok: Silapakorn.
Majumda, R.C. (1953). Inscriptions of Kambuja (The Asiatic Society Monograph Series Volume Vlll.). Calcutta: The Asiatic Society.
_____. (1985). Champa: history & culture of an Indian colonial kingdom in the Far East 2nd - 16th century A.D. Delhi: Gian.
Ngamchitcharoen, W. (2004) ‘Attālænipphānnaiphratraipidok [Anat-ta and Nibbana in the Tipika]. Journal of Liberal Arts, 1(1), 93 - 115.
Nualta, V. (2014). Prawatsātwīatnāmtō̜ntai Tangtǣkhritsatawatthī pǣt Thưngklāngkhritsatawatthīyīsip [History of southern vietnam from 8th century to mid 20th century] (Master’s thesis, Silpakorn University).
Phathong, M. (1994). Jarueksukhōthai: Kānsưksāwikhro̜sāratthalæ samphanthaphāp [Sukhothai inscriptions: an analysis of their contents and their internal links] (Master’s thesis, Silpakorn University).
Phronsuthirak, M. (1999). Botsadudeenaijaruekphāsāsansakritkhō̜ng kamphūchā [Praśasti in the Sanskrit inscriptions of Cambodia]. In Phāsā - jaruek Chabapthī 6: Khurubūchā Khururamlưk [Phasa Charuek 9: Khurubucha khururamluk] (281 - 301). Bangkok: Department of Oriental Languages, Silpakorn University.
Piromanukul, R. (2016). Lakthānkīaokapphračhaochaiwō̜ramanthī Čhet Nailummǣnām čhaophrayā [Evidence about Jayavarman VII in Chao Phraya River Basin]. In Krajaejun, P. (ed.), Yukmư̄tkhō̜ngprawatsātthai Langbāyon Phutthērawāt Kānkhao mākhō̜ngkhonthai [The Dark Ages of Thai History after the Theravada Buddhist, the arrival of the Tai people] (102 - 121). Bangkok: Matichon.
Prabnok, P.P. (2004). Kānsưksāwikhro̜khamphīmahāyānsūtrālang kāra [A critical study of the Mahayanasutralankara] (Doctoral thesis, Silpakorn University).
Prapandvidya, C. (1988). Chāruk prāsāt phra khan [Preah Khan Inscription]. Thai - Bharat Journal, 23(1), 81 - 87.
Sharan, M.K. (1974). Studies in Sanskrit inscriptions of ancient Cambodia. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications.
Silpanon, D. et al. (2015). Thēwa sattrī: khati phut phrām læ khwām chư̄a nai prathēt Thai [Feminine deities of buddhism hinduism and indigenous cult in Thailand]. Bangkok: Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture.
Soanes, C. & Stevenson, A. (2006). Oxford dictionary of English. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Stark, M.T. (2004). Pre-angkorinn and angkorian Cambodia. In Southeast Asia: From Prehistory to History. New York: Routledge Curzon.
Suneta, V. (2003). Khatirattanatraimahāyānnaisinlapakhamēn chūangphutsatawatthī 18 thīphopnaiphākklāngkhō̜ngprathed thai [Concept of Rattanatriya: a study of Khmer art during 13th century a.d. in Central Thailand] (Master’s thesis, Silpakorn University).
Varasarin, U. (2002). Prachoomʻatbotkhamēn Rūambotkhwāmwichākān khō̜ngsāttrāčhānkīantikhun Dō̜n.uraisī Wō̜rasarin [Khmer Rouge Include academic articles of honor Professor Dr. Urai Srivorasin]. Bangkok: Amarin Printing and Publishing PCL.
Vickery, M. (2003). History of Cambodia, Summary of lectures given at the Faculty of Archaeology Royal University of Fine Arts. Phnom Penh: Vidya Series, Pre - Angkor Studies Society.
Yamdate, N. (2015). Kānsưksājaruekprāsāttāphō̜nmakhō̜ngphra čhaochaiwō̜ramanthī Čhet [A Study of Alamkara in the Ta - Prohm Inscription of Jayavarman VII] (Master’s thesis, Silpakorn University).
_____. (2017). Khwāmchư̄akhō̜ngkawīnaikānsadudeekasatrithīsa thō̜nčhākkawisomya: Sưksāčhākjaruekphāsāsansakritthīphop naiprathedthai [Beliefs of the Poet Praising the Kings reflected from the Kavisamaya: A Study of Sanskrit Inscriptions found in Thailand]. Damrong Journal, 16(1), 115 - 146.