Inscription of Preah Khan K.908

This four-sided stele measures 58 cm in length and 223 cm in height, with a large lotus flower adorning its top. Discovered on November 13, 1939 by French conservator Maurice Glaize during the restoration of Preah Khan Temple, it was found resting horizontally on the ground in the western section of the first eastern gateway.

The inscription, written in Sanskrit, comprises 179 stanzas. It dates to the year 1113 of the Saka Era, corresponding to 1191 CE when King Jayavarman VII conducted the consecration ceremony of the statue of Lokeshvara (whose sacred name is Sri Jayavarmesvara). This principal statue was enshrined in the central tower of Preah Khan Temple as a dedication to the king’s father and was surrounded by 283 other deities. The first eighteen stanzas offer an invocation of the Triratna (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha), followed by an invocation of Lokeshvara, Prajnaparamita (the mother of all Buddhas). The text then describes the lineage of King Jayavarman VII, including his parents: his mother, Sri Jayarajacudamani, and his father, King Dharanindravarman II. It further details the structures and Preah Khan Temple (originally called Jayasri), Neak Poan Reservoir (Jayatataka), and Neak Poan Temple (Rajyasri). Additionally, the inscription describes a great battle, commemorates the King’s victory over his enemies.

The inscription continues, detailing donations, the number of male and female temple servants, provisions from the royal storehouse for daily temple worship, and an inventory of metal objects and valuable gems within the temple complex. It also describes the number of villages, people, road networks, 121 rest houses, and the erection of twenty-three Jayabuddhamahanatha statues across various locations in the kingdom. The final lines mention a prince named Sri Virakumara, the esteemed son of King Jayavarman VII, who composed this exceptional eulogy.