Stela of Sema (K. 1141), 894 Śaka EpiDoc Encoding Kunthea Chhom intellectual authorship of edition Gerdi Gerschheimer Dominic Goodall Kunthea Chhom DHARMA Siem Reap DHARMA_INSCIK01141

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Copyright (c) 2019-2025 by Kunthea Chhom.

2019-2025
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The lettering is characteristic of the tenth century CE.

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Initial encoding of the inscription
namo stu śavdadehāya śavdātītāya śambhave svarggāpavarggan dadato vrahmaṇo parahetave . rudro rarāja yatkāyas saṁpūrṇnendvarvvudadyutiḥ kenāpīcchāvaśād gaurī -vaktrāmbhojavibhāṁ vyadhāt· . vaṇde viṣṇuñ caturvvāhu vyaktāṁ mūrttiṁ vibhartti yaḥ vyañjayan nu jagaddhetum ātmaṇaś caturaṅśatām· . namaddhvaṁ vedhasaṁ vrahma paraṁ yo vodhayann iva sadhisādhanaṁ viśvaṁ śāntaḥ padmāsana vyadhāt· . gaurī rājati rudrāṅge saṅgatā rājatetarām· yadaṅgarucīr iddhābhāṁ haimīva sphaṭikatvaṣi. vande vāgīśvarīṁ viśva -vaktre yādhita sannidhim· śavdadehaṁ haraṁ hṛtsthaṁ vivakṣur iva vāṅmayī . Āsīc chrījayavarmmeti yaś śrīrājendravarmmaṇaḥ rājadharmme manus sūnur indus somānvayāmvare . śrutismr̥tipramāṇena kr̥taṃ kr̥tavati sthiram· yugaṁ yatra kalir dūra[n] nāvakāśam alapsata . sadājau jātakhedeva jayaśrīr yyam adhiśriyam· śiśrāya śāntaye śārṅgi -śauryyaṁ vīra bhujārjjitā . kāmaṁ kāntipratidvandvaṁ kāntyaivāpi sakārmmukam· manye manmathagr̥hyān yo roṣādīn ajayad dhiyā . yattejo bhūtapūrvvaṁ yan muktāvarṣaṁ stane srubhiḥ dhruvaṁ vivarṣiṣat tasthau vairistrīṇāṁ hr̥damvare . śaśāsa śāstradarśśaṁ yas trivarggāvāptaye prajāḥ saṃskārahetavas tv āsāṁ kevala guravo matāḥ . puṁvadbhāvas striyāś śāstre mukhyavr̥ttir bhaved iha yatkīrttir vviṣṇuvad vyāptā trilokīṁ viśramaṅ gatā . yaṁ prāpya jaśavdo bhūc caritārtho guṇādibhiḥ ditthādivat pareṣān tu nirguṇānāṁ yadr̥cchayā . tasya bhūbhr̥nmahendrasya gurur āsid damūnasaḥ yo nūnadhiṣaṇaś śaivī varṇnāśramaguror api . vaṅśavidyāviśuddhaṁ yaṁ vrahmakṣatraṁ kuśeśayā sarasvatī ca śiśrāya sthiram ekasamāśrayam· . cakrame sarvvavidyāsu sadguṇeṣu kalāsv api yadvuddhir yyuktibhedeva vidyāguṇakaloditā . sarvvasaṃpattisāraṁ yad -vadanyatvam akṛtrimam· lavdhacintāmaṇer artham arthinaṁ yad alambhayat· . traividyair āryyaviprair yyat -sadma saṁprāpya bhūtaye vedārthavidyāgoṣṭhībhir āryyāvartta iva sthitam· . cakre tṛptin navārthodyair yyas svayaṅkṛtanāṭake svadeśaparadeśīya manasvimanasāṁ rasaiḥ . yo dīnaduḥkhadāridrya -tryanaloddīpitārthinaḥ kāruṇyapuṣkarāvartto nandayed dānavr̥ṣṭibhiḥ . grāsādiparvvadivasaṁ vidyayā vodhayed vudhān· dīnāndhavālavṛddhān yo dikṣu dānaviśeṣataḥ . yo liṅgam īśvarapure śivatejovivr̥ṅhitam· yat sambhakoṭimantrasya tejaḥpuñjam ivoditam· . sthāpayitvā vidhānena śraddhābhaktivibhūtibhiḥ bhuktimuktikr̥tārtho pi kriyājñānaprakarṣitaḥ . śikṣayañ chilpakarmmāṇi kārayan sukṛtan narān· yo daiśadikṣu sārccāni śivaliṅgāny atiṣṭhipat· . ciraṁ sannihitasyāsmin· viṣaye pārvvatīpateḥ yena yajñavarāhas sa unmīlanam akārayat· . Ekatra saṅgatā mūrttis sthāpitā śambhuśārṅginoḥ śrīvatsenātra pūrvvaṁ yā sā magnā cirakālataḥ . munivedādriśākendre munīndrapratimā punaḥ tenāpi yajvanā sthāne sthāpitā śaṅkarāt prati . bhūyaś śilāmayī devī sthāpitā sugatāt prati nāmnā śrīśikharasvāmi -dvijena varayajvanā . śaśikośādriśākendre narādhipatinā punaḥ śivatejomahal liṅgaṁ prati devyāḥ pratiṣṭhitam· . Idam unmīlya yas sa(dm)a liṅgarūpe maheśvare ropyāmatram adād bhaktyā dāsānāṁ pañcaviṅśatim· . yo kalpayat pratidina bhaktyaikadroṇatandulān· sārāmam āśramau cakre saṃpūrṇno sarvvasaṁpadā . saujanyajanmabhūmir yyas sa yuvā viṣayādhipaḥ dharmmācāraṁ sucaritaṁ bheje sujanalakṣaṇam· . svavibhūtyanurūpe yaś śraddhābhaktī maheśvare jananyau svarggasaṁpatter bhumnā bhṛśam avarddhayat· . yajvā viṣayādhipatis saś śrīdṛḍhabhaktisiṅhavarmmākhyaḥ jyeṣṭho tiṣṭhipad etebhrātā śrīrodravarmmārcce . Arccān tathāgatasyāpi suptām asya tu dakṣiṇe Unmilya sadmasaṁpattyā saṁścakre yajanaṁ mahat· .

. . . 892 śaka pañcamī ket· phālguṇa nu steṅ· Añ· vraḥ guru pandval· vraḥ śāsana ta tralāva śrī dr̥ḍhabhaktisiṅhavarmma pi pre Unmīlita vraḥ kamrateṅ· Añ· ta rājya Āy· damraṅ· pre thve pūjā leṅ· taṅgal· Aṣṭādaśāṅga yajña . tralāva thve roha vraḥ śāsana . tralāva jvan· bhājana jvan· khñuṁ Oy· caṁnāṁ śvetatandula Ekadroṇa pratidina ta vraḥ kamrateṅ· Añ· . tralāva sanme ni nu tralāva śrī rodravarmma ta qryāma sthāpanā vraḥ kamrateṅ· Añ· parameśvara vraḥ kamrateṅ· Añ· bhagavatī Oy· Ābharaṇa bhoga thve Āśrama kṣetrārāma pi kalpanā ta vraḥ kamrateṅ· Añ· ta vyara nu bhūmibhāga bhr̥tyavargga pratyeka leṅ· vraḥ kamrateṅ· Añ· ta rājya . steṅ· Añ· vraḥ guru pre thve praśasta pi samakṣa nu kaṁsteṅ· Añ· rājakula mahāmantrī pi pre sthāpanā Āy· damraṅ· . pre vrāhmaṇācāryya Oy· vara ge ta mān· śraddhābhaktī ta gi dharmma pi ñyāṅ· paripāla puṇya neḥ roha rājaśāsana nu Iṣṭi gi yajamāna ta māna dharmma . pre Oy· śāpa ge ta vvaṁ thve roha kalpanā qnak ta mān dharmma ta ti Upāśraya nu rājaśāsana pi hiṅ·sā puṇya neḥ . nau ruva Upāya bhūmibhāga bhr̥tyākara phoṅ· nai vraḥ kamrateṅ· Añ· parameśvara nu vraḥ kamrateṅ· Añ· bhagavatī vvaṁ Āc ti Āyatta ta gi viṣaya pi dār· Ākara pi pre ta cañcūla phoṅ· vvaṁ Āc ti Āyatta ta qnak ta jā tralāva pradvānna dau jā bhukta bhoga vraḥ kamrateṅ· Añ· gus· . nau ge ta ñyāṅ· paripāla neḥ dharmma neḥ roha rājaśāsana nu samudāya vrāhmaṇāryya roha kalpanā yajamāna mān· phala phleya śivabhakti ge mān· svargga nu santāna phoṅ· yāvat· vraḥ candrāditya mān· leya . nau ge ta hiṅsā puṇya neḥ pi vva varddha roha kalpanā yajamāna ge mān· pāpa phleya śiva vraḥ candrāditya mān leya . .

gho kaṁvrau ya tai tr̥pa kvan· tai can· kvan· III kaṁprvāt· kvana III tai kvan· III tai teṁ tai thayak· tai māgha nu tai khñuṁ vraḥ kamrateṅ· Añ· bhagavata gho kaṁprāt· gho kañjan· gho Uy· gho nta gho nārāya gho saṁAp· tai prvāt· kvan· III

En 894 Śaka, le 5e jour de la lune croissante de Phālguṇa, le S.A. Vraḥ Guru transmit l'ordre royal au Tralāv Śrī Dr̥ḍhabhaktisaṣṭavarma, l'enjoignant d'accomplir le rite d'ouverture des yeux du Seigneur du royaume à Damraṅ, de célébrer le culte par un sacrifice fait de dix-huit éléments.

De concert avec le Tralāv Śrī Rodravarma, son aîné, il érigea V.K.A. Parameśvara, V.K.A. Bhagavatī, leur offrit des parures et autres biens ; créa des āśrama, des champs et des jardins en l'honneur des deux divinités ; répartit respectivement des terrains avec des équipes de serviteurs en hommage au Seigneur du royaume. Le S.A. Vraḥ Guru ordonna de fabriquer cette inscription, puis en présence de K.A. Rājakulamahāmantrī de l'installer à Damraṅ.

Il ordonna aux Maîtres brāhmanes de bénir ceux qui font preuve de foi et de dévotion, à savoir de dharma, et qui s'efforceront de protéger cette fondation conformément à l'ordre du roi et au souhait du pieux donateur. Il leur ordonna de couvrir d'imprécations ceux qui ne se conformeront pas aux prescriptions des gens doués de dharma, qui détruiront cette fondation au dieu de prendre refuge dans le commandement du roi.

Quant aux ressources de ces terres avec la foule des serviteurs attachés à V.K.A. Parameśvara et à V.K.A. Bhagavatī, ils ne relèveront pas de l'autorité des districts qui normalement exigent des ressources et imposent une contribution en sésame ; ils ne relèveront pas des Tralāv qui vont se succéder dorénavant ; ils constitueront la jouissance exclusive des divinités en question.

Les personnes qui s'efforceront de protéger cette pieuse fondation conformément à l'ordre du roi, à toute la classe des Maîtres brāhmanes et aux prescription du donateur, elles obtiendront des récompenses des dévots de Śiva ; elles obtiendront le paradis en compagnie de leur lignée tant que dureront le soleil et la lune. Mais celles qui détruiront cette œuvre de mérite au lieu de la faire prospérer selon le souhait du donateur, celles-là encourront le mal des délateurs de Śiva tant que dureront le soleil et la lune.

Veneration namaḥ be astu to Śambhu, who is beyond sound śabdātītāya, and yet whose body is sound as mantra śabdadehāya, who is a further cause aparahetave other than brahman, which bestows dadataḥ heaven and liberation svargāpavargam.

Rudra shone rarāja, whose body yatkāyaḥ, having the radiance of an incalculable number of full moons sampūrṇendvarbudadyutiḥ, caused vyadhāt somehow kenāpi the blossoming of Gaurī’s lotus-face gaurīvaktrāmbhojavibhām, because of her desire icchāvaśāt.

I venerate vande four-armed caturbāhum Viṣṇu, who yaḥ bears bibharti manifest vyaktām form mūrtim, surely nu as though revealing vyañjayan the fact that his self has ātmanaḥ four aspects caturaṅśatām which cause the universe jagaddhetum.

Bow before namadhvam the creator vedhasam, who yaḥ, as though iva in order to teach bodhayan the supreme param brahman to the universe viśvam, performed vyadhāt, while remaining serene śāntaḥ, the act of sitting upon a lotus (/performed the padmāsana), which is a means to achieve meditation samādhisādhanam.

Gaurī, united saṅgatā in the shining rājati body of Rudra rudrāṅge, shines brightly rājatetarām, the splendour of whose body yadaṅgaruciḥ, of flaming radiance iddhābhā is like iva that of gold haimī within the effulgence of crystal sphaṭikatviṣi.

I venerate vande Vāgīśvarī, who set down adhita her presence sannidhim in the mouths of all the world viśvavaktre as speech vāṅmayī, as though iva desirous of proclaiming vivakṣuḥ that Śiva haram is present in the heart hṛtstham incarnate in sound śabdadeham.

There was āsīt a son sūnuḥ of Śrī Rājendravarman called iti Śrī Jayavarman, who yaḥ was a veritable Manu in royal morals rājadharme, a veritable moon induḥ in the sky that was his lunar lineage somānvayāmbare.

When Jayavarman yatra, using Śruti and Smṛti as valid means of knowledge śrutismṛtipramāṇena, made kṛtavati the Kṛtayuga kṛtam... yugam firm sthiram again, Kali could not find na alapsata any space avakāśam, even far away dūram.

The Glory who is Victory jayaśrīḥ, won by his arms bhujārjitā, resorted śiśrāya, in order to obtain rest śāntaye, to the hero vīram Jayavarman yam, who is especially glorious adhiśriyam and has the valour of Viṣṇu śārṅgiśauryam, as though iva she were exhausted jātakhedā as a result of being constantly sadā in battles ājau.

I suppose manye that Jayavarman yaḥ, has conquered ajayat Love kāmam only eva by means of his beauty kāntyā, although api Love has his bow sakārmukam, on the grounds that he was his rival in beauty kāntipratidvandvam, and he conquered Anger and the others [of the passions] roṣādīn with his mind dhiyā on the grounds that they are the allies of Love manmathagṛhyān.

Surely dhruvam Jayavarman’s fieriness yattejaḥ had no precededent abhūtapūrvam, because yat, when it caused to rain vivarṣiṣat a shower of pearls muktāvarṣam on the breasts stane of the wives of his enemies vairistrīṇām because of their tears asrubhiḥ, it remained tasthau in their hearts hṛdambare.

Seeing all of knowledge śāstradarśam, Jayavarman yaḥ instructed śaśāsa his subjects prajāḥ in order that they might grasp the group of three aims of man, namely Dharma, Kāma, Artha trivargāvāptaye. Their āsām gurus guravaḥ, on the other hand tu, were held matāḥ merely kevalam to be the agents of their upanayana saṁskārahetavaḥ.

The becoming like a man puṃvadbhāvaḥ of a feminine entity striyāḥ that is taught in grammatical literature śāstre must be bhavet literal mukhyavṛttiḥ here iha: the fame of Jayavarman V yatkīrtiḥ, only took rest viśramaṃ gatā after filling vyāptā the triple cosmos trilokīm, like Viṣṇu.

The word “king” rājaśabdaḥ, when expressing prāpya Jayavarman V yam became abhūt fully meaningful caritārthaḥ because of his virtues and other qualities guṇādibhiḥ. For other kings pareṣām, however tu, who are devoid of virtues nirguṇānām, the word “king” is used randomly yadṛcchayā, like the name Ḍittha ḍitthādivat which has no essential meaning.

Of that tasya Great Indra among kings bhūbhṛnmahendrasya, who was fire [/firelike/of tamed mind/devoted to his household] damūnasaḥ, there was āsīt a guru, whose intel- lect was not less anūnadhiṣaṇaḥ even api than the Master of the varṇas and āśramas of society namely the king himself varṇāśramaguroḥ, and who had mastered Śaiva teachings śaivī, .

whom Lakṣmī kuśeśayā and Sarasvatī resorted to śiśrāya as a stable sthiram single refuge ekasamāśrayam, pure both in lineage and in learning vaṅśavidyāviśuddham, being both brahmin and Kṣatriya brahmakṣatram, .

whose intellect yadbuddhiḥ climbed cakrame in all intellectual disciplines sarvavidyāsu in the virtues of good people sadguṇeṣu, and also api in the arts kalāsu, as though iva it had a special connection with them yuktibhedā in as much as it had arisen from vidyātattva, guṇatattva and kalātattva vidyāguṇakaloditā.

Yajñavarāha’s generosity yadvadanyatvam, being natural akṛtrimam, was the essence of all prosperity sarvvasaṃpattisāram, since yat he caused suppliants arthinam to obtain alambhayat wealth artham from one who has obtained a wish-fulfilling labdhacintāṃaneḥ Whose generosity, which is in general the most important part of all wealth, was natural, since yat he caused suppliants arthinam to obtain alambhayat wealth artham from one who has obtained a wish-fulfilling labdhacintāṃaneḥ..

Having reached samprāpya his house yatsadma for the sake of well-being/wealth bhūtaye the noble brahmins āryavipraiḥ with knowledge of the three Vedas traividyaiḥ seemed as if iva it they were standing sthitam in Āryavarta because of the assemblies discussing knowledge of the meaning of the Vedas vedārthavidyāgoṣṭhībhiḥ.

Yajñavarāha yaḥ created cakre satisfaction tṛptim in the minds of intelligent persons from his own country and from foreign countries svadeśaparadeśīyamanasvimanasām by means of the flavours rasaiḥ, conveyed through new ideas navārthodyaiḥ, in the drama that he composed svayaṅkṛtanāṭake.

Yajñavarāha yaḥ, being a veritable Puṣkarāvartta-type cloud of compassion kāruṇyapuṣkarāvarttaḥ delighted nandayet suppliants inflamed by the three fires of distress, sadness and penury dīnaduḥkhadāridryatryanaloddīpitārthinaḥ by means of showers of generosity dānavṛṣṭibhiḥ.

Yajñavarāha yaḥ would habitually enlighten bodhayet with his knowledge vidyayā learned people budhān about parvan days such as days on which there was an eclipse grāsādiparvadivasam, and he would habitually enlighten the indigent, the blind, children and old men dīnāndhabālavṛddhān in all directions dikṣu about the same by means of particular gifts dānaviśeṣataḥ.

Yajñavarāha yaḥ after installing sthāpayitvā in the prescribed manner vidhānena a Liṅga in Īśvarapura that swelled with the power of Śiva śivatejovibṛṅhitam which rose uditam as though it was iva the heap of the power tejaḥpuñjam of the crores of mantras recited at the moment of its installation yatstambhakoṭimantrasya, .

with faith and devotion and wealth śraddhābhaktivibhūtibhiḥ, although api fully realised with respect to his goals of special enjoyments and liberation bhuktimuktikṛtārthaḥ, because he had still an excess of omnipotence and omniscience kriyājñānaprakarṣitaḥ .

training śikṣayan men narān in works of craft śilpakarmāṇi, causing them to perform kārayan acts of merit sukṛtam, he installed atiṣṭhipat liṅgas of Śiva śivaliṅgāni, along with other icons v, in all directions of the country daiśadikṣu.

Of the Lord of Pārvatī pārvatīpateḥ, who was present sannihitasya for a long time ciram in this asmin region[al capital] viṣaye this same saḥ Yajñavarāha caused Dṛdhabhaktisiṅhavarman yena to perform akārayat the opening of the eyes of a statue unmīlanam.

Śrīvatsa had installed sthāpitā here atra an image mūrtiḥ of Hari and Hara śambhuśārṅginoḥ united saṅgatā in one place ekatra which yā sā had previously pūrvam long cirakālataḥ been buried magnā.

Further, in the śaka year 737/747 munivedādriśākendre, that same tena founder yajvanā viz. Śrīvatsa also api installed sthāpitā a statue of the Buddha munīndrapratimā in that place sthāne instead of prati a statue of Śiva śaṅkarāt.

Further bhūyaḥ, a stone śilāmayī Goddess devī was installed sthāpitā in place of prati the Buddha sugatāt by an excellent founder varayajvanā namely nāmnā the brahmin °dvijena Śrī Śikharasvāmin.

Futher punaḥ in the śaka year 761 śaśikośādriśākendre, the king narādhipatinā installed pratiṣṭhitam a liṅga that was great with the power of Śiva śivatejomahat in place of prati the Goddess devyāḥ.

Dṛḍhabhaktisiṅhavarman yaḥ, having opened up unmīlya this temple sadma [again], gave adāt with devotion bhaktyā a silver cup/vase raupyāmatram and twenty-five pañcaviṅśatim slaves dāsānāṃ to the Great Lord maheśvare present in the form of the liṅga liṅgarūpe.

Edited by Saveros Pou (115-117) with a French translation, re-edited here by Gerdi Gerschheimer, Dominic Goodall and Kunthea Chhom from the photo of estampage EFEO n. 1462. This edition and translation of the Sanskrit part is prepared in the context of the ERC DHARMA project during reading sessions in 2022 led by Dominic Goodall and S.L.P. Anjaneya Sarma (EFEO), and attended by Kunthea Chhom, Harunaga Isaacson, Judit Törzsök et al. It is based on the unpublished edition of Gerdi Gerschheimer and on the partial edition (also based on that of Gerdi Gerschheimer) by Julia Estève (520-523), which covers stanzas 26–36. Gerdi Gerschheimer’s edition is based on the EFEO estampage n. 1462, on an estampage belonging to Claude Jacques, and on an edition in a Thai journal (CNPT).

115-117