When the naga, symbol of female power, was banned from daylight the irrugation system collapsed and thus Angkor declined. At night time the naga was still in power and the king had to have sex with her every evening for the sake of his life and welfare.

Let us look at the story of Durga, Shiva, king Jayavarman II and his seven weddings, the devata, the apsara, the inscripitions at Preah Ko, and the whole story of the naga.

Durga

The asura (demon) Mahisha had won a battle against the gods and conquered their Heaven. The gods could not help themselves and got furious; their anger burst as fire from their mouths and created THE GODDESS: a superior and invincible fighter.

THE GODDESS fought the asura, who took the shape of a giant buffalo monster, and killed him.
She was called Mahishasuramardani, 'the slayer of the asura Mahisha'. (Zimmermann, p. 210- 214.)

Durga with eight arms, assisted by her lion, is holding the monster's tail. In the moment when she kills the buffalo, Mahisha escapes by his mouth in human shape. A naga ties him, and Durga cuts off his head with a sword. This head is eroded.

This image of Durga is unequalled. Located at the west face of the inner eastern gate pavilion of Banteay Srei, this relief is not accessible for visitors. It should be better presented!

In early Cambodia, Durga was venerated as an autonomous Goddess. Several statues, from the 7th century, were found at Samor Prei Kuk an other places in southern and central Cambodia.

Autonomous goddesses and autonomous queens

These statues indicate a cult of autonomous goddesses.

A Goddess in her Heavenly palace

At the central tower of the South Group of Sambor Prei Kuk, built in early 7th century, is a relief of a 'Flying Palace' showing an autonomous Goddess in her own Heavenly residence.

The legend of Soma

Soma (or 'Moon') was queen of the land near the Mekong. She was ‘celebrated for her virile force and her exploits'. Soma was the daughter of the Naga King, owner of the soil. Kaundinya, an Indian Brahmin, came from India or Malaya. Soma attacked him with her female warriors but they could not defeat him and fell in love with each other. Then the Naga King married them; he swallowed the water and so dried up the land for growing rice. Thus Kaundinya became King of Kambuja (Cambodia). The king ruled the country; the queen owned it. (Coe, p. 33; Jacobsen, p. 20, 47-48.)

Till to this day the women own the rice fields in Cambodia.

Autonomous queens

Jacobsen names several autonomous queens, as Kulaprabhavati (early 6th century), Jayadevi (c. 685 – ca. 720), Jyestha from Sambor of the Mekong (inscription dated 803, Jacobsen, p. 22-48.).

How Jayavarman II unified Cambodia

As everybody knows Jayavarman II (ca. 780- ca. 835) unified Cambodia in 802 AD.

Then H. M. Parameshvara (Jayavarman) went to reign at Mahendraparvata [Phnom Kulen]... Then a Brahmin named Hiranyadarma, wise in magic science, came from Janapada, for H. M. Parameshvara had invited him to conduct a ritual so that Kambujadesa (Cambodia) would not be dependent any more on Java and that he would be a sovereign chakravartin [Ruler of the World/Cambodia]. (Coe, p. 99.)

The inscription dates from 1052, about 250 years after the event.

But Jacobsen, having studied contemporary inscriptions, is 'Deconstructing Jayavarman':

Jayavarman II is usually credited with single-handedly 'liberating' Cambodia from 'Java' and unifying a fragmented Cambodia. It is true that between 780 and 824 Jayavarman II established his position as sovereign in the polities of Indrapura, Vyadhapura, Malyang, Hariharalaya, Amarendrapura, and on Mount Mahendra (Phnom Kulen). He also married at least six other women. Much is made of Jayavarman II's courage in taking on the rest of the country in order to unite the land under one king. In fact he seems to have accomplished this remarkable feat relatively bloodlessly through marriage with women who symbolised the land in the places. (Jacobsen, p. 28.) - See map (from Jacobsen, p.29).

Dependent goddesses and queens

Later on THE GODDESS became the shakti , (the feminine aspect or spouse) of Shiva. She has many names:

• Rudrani – the spouse of Rudra, an old name of Shiva.
• Uma – the Favourable
• Parvati – the daughter of the Mountain / of the Himalayas, with extolled breasts
• The much more powerful Kali was probably not venerated in Cambodis.

(Freeman, p. 200; Zimmermann, p. 219 ff; Roveda 2005, p. 11, 169 - 171.

Women and queens are no longer considered as autonomous. But women continued to be perceived as human personification of the land. The virtues of a woman were fidelity, chastity, and the observance of duty. Within this frame they could gain ownership, important positions at court, education, participation in economic and religious life.

Maternal ancestors

Maternal lineage is the key of political legitimation. The ancestor temples Preah Ko (879, erected by Indravarman I) and Lolei (893, erected by Yasovarman I) are dedicated exclusively to the king's parents and to his maternal ancestors.

Durga, Banteay Srei


Durga of Sambor Prei Kuk,
National Museum Phom Penh


Sambor Prei Kuk, S1