SHRI SAI LEELA - Under Construction

SHRI SAI LEELA – APRIL 1986southern Siam and was called Vanarajya. Communication betweenChina and India via the isthumus of Kra was well established in thesecond century A.D. and it is possible that Hinduisation of Funanwhich lay on this route took acceleration because of its position. Thisempire was founded in circa 1st century A.D. by an Indian namedKaundinya of the "Somavamsa" who married the local princessknown to legend as the Nagini Soma and thus established first Indo-Khmer dynasty in Indo-China. Kaundinya had his capital atVyadhapura. Epigraphic evidence of this is found in a Sanskritinscription of King Prakashdharma (657 A.D.) where it is stated thatAshwathama (one of the celebrated warriors of the Mahabharata andson of Dronacharya) himself had blessed Kaundinya. Then cameanother Kundinya Brahman from India with a batch of hiscountrymen. The Chinese chronicles record that "the people of Funancordially welcomed him and elected him King. He introduced Indianlaws, manners and customs." Then came another wave ofimmigrants from India under a hermit named Kambu Swayambhuwho is supposed to have married a celestial nymph. The union of thiscouple resulted in the founding of a new dynasty who ruled overFunan which now came to be called Kambuja. The kingPrakashadharma mentioned above was an early ruler of this dynasty.The administrative system laid down by this dynasty was entirelybased on Indian texts like Manu, Yadnyavalkya and other Smritis.Under the successors of Prakshadharma Cambodia or Funanbecame a great kingdom exercising suzerainty over many Hinduisedvassal states. The rulers of Kambuja now called themselvesParvatebhupala or Shailaraj (Lord of the mountain) and possessed21WWW.SAILEELAS.ORG