| Durga - Autonomous goddesses & queens - Jayavarman II - Devata - Apsara - Naga
"Apsara [are] nymphs of the water, created at the churning of the sea ." (Brugier/Lacroix 2009, p. 259.)
The Churning of the Sea of Milk
Apsara are creatures, not divinities. Ravishing beauties, they are dancing in
the heaven for the amusement of the gods. (The flying dancers in the
temples of the Preah Ko era are male.)
Apsara are to be seen at Angkor Wat; in the great bas-relief, depicting the churning of the sea, where they are soaring to the sky.
The apsara Tilottama
Sunda and Upasunda, two powerful demon brothers, could only be killed by each other. They decided to conquer the world together. The gods created an enticing and irresistible apsara. The brothers, overwhelmed by greed for her, fought and killed each other. Peace on Earth was restored. See the relief at Baphuon. (Roveda 2005, p. 104.)
The legend of Mera
The apsara Mera was said to be 'most renowned of beautiful deities '. Shiva had given her as a daughter to his loyal adherent, the Naga King who owned the land. The Naga King married her to the maharishi (great Sage) Kambu, who came from Aryadesa and was also a disciple of Shiva. Kambu ruled over the land Kambuja ('Born of Kambu'). (Jacobsen, p. 46-48.)
Rajendravarman II (944-968) was the first king to trace his lineage to Mera/Kambu (as well as to Soma/Kaundinya).
Comparison with the legend of Soma
Shiva – in whose name the king is ruling – is now the universal wirepuller, Mera is his puppet. Shiva is declared the Lord of Cambodia , which is owned by the Naga King; this is a takeover, a coup.
Mera was given to the Naga King and then to Kambu, she was never autonomous.
Mera follows the type of the apsara : She is beautiful, she is passive; her power may only emerge from her capacity to arouse desire and thus exert control over men. She may be used as an instrument for intrigues.
(Jacobsen, p. 45-48, modified.)
A new model of women's role in society is announced, effective till nowadays.
Images of apsara
At the passages of the west gate of Angkor Wat they are depicted in medallions.
Then they are at Preah Khan, the Bayon, and at more temples of this era.
Apsara are always dancing, their legs open, theirs hips covered just with a short sampot. They are flying in the sky or based on lotus petals.
Their reliefs are never as well executed as those of the Devata. Many Apsara reliefs at the Bayon are just shown in sketches.
In Angkor Wat they are single; in the Bayon they are dancing in groups of two or three.
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Click the pics to enlarge.
Churning of the sea, Angkor Wat
West gate of Angkor Wat.
Photo by Ján Cifra
Bayon |
