Dharaníndravarman
II succeeded his uncle Súryavarman II to the throne. His wife Chúdámaní was the
daughter of Harshavarman III, and together they had a son, Jayavarman VII.
In his youth,
King Jayavarman Viihad wed Jayarájadeví, the younger sister of Indradeví, who
would become the king’s second wife upon the death of her sister. The Sanskrit
insctiptio found on the Phimean Akas temple, written in flaw;ess grammar by
Indradeví, is a jey element in understanding Jayavarman VII.
After pushing
the Cham enemies back beyond the country’s borders, the King woyld subdueChampa
and rule it as a Cambodian province for seventeen years. Cambodia became an
empire at the heart of the Indochinese Peninsula.
Jayavarman
VII was a Maháyána Buddhist and he pursued the traditions of his ancestors by
erecting statyes of deities in their likenesses. Some deities gained importance
under his reign, in particular deities from the Maháyána school of Buddhism
that depict him (as Buddha and Lokesvar) and his wife Jayaráhadeví (as
Prájnápáramitá).
