APIFantasy | Myth and Folklore Anthology

Cambodian Mythology - Creation of Khmer Kingdom

Creation of the World and the Khmer Kingdom

In the beginning, there was nothing but the endless waters of the cosmic oceans. From it emerged a serpent god, Naga, whose scales shimmered like precious gemstones. He yearned for life to flourish in the emptiness. In his immeasurable wisdom and power, he summoned the divine spirits, called Apsaras, and asked them to dance on the waves. Their celestial movements gave birth to the cosmos, thus creating heaven, the earth, and all the realms in between.

Naga descended to the earthly realm and transformed into a dragon. With the flick of his tail, the dragon carved valleys and rivers into the earth. And with each beat of his wings, he breathed life into the fertile landscape. Lush jungles, vibrant flora, fauna, and mighty rivers were created from the heart of Southeast Asia.

But something was still missing. Then divine inspiration struck, and from the clay of the river banks, Naga created first humans, a man and a woman. They were destined to become the stewards of the land, guarding the balance between earthly and spiritual realms.

In gratitude for the gift of life, the first humans built magnificent temples and shrines to honor Naga and the divine spirits. These sacred structures stood as a testament to the eternal connection between the Khmer people and the celestial forces that shaped their destiny.

While the human world flourished above water, under the sea, the Naga kingdom also thrived. Until such a time when a powerful serpent princess named Neang Neak (or Nagi Soma) ruled it. She was the daughter of a powerful Naga king and possessed a magical jewel known as the "Soma," which gave her divinity.

Time passed and an Indian Brahman named Preah Thaong, a devotee of a Hindu god, dreamt of his god giving him a divine bow and arrows. The god asked him to take to sea in a vessel. But later, the god changed the course of the vessel and Preah Thaong came to Funan.*

While Nagi Soma came to the vessel to plunder it but was struck by Preah Thaong's magical arrow. She surrendered and later the two fell in love. They married to create the first royal dynasty of today's Cambodia. The Naga king drank all the water of the area where Preah Thaong and Nagi Soma met and gifted the land to the new couple as dowry. Thus the foundation of the Khmer civilization was established. Nagi Soma used the powers of her jewel to form a protective barrier around the land, which became the Khmer Kingdom.

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Preah Thaong is also known as Kaundinya in Sanskrit and Hun-t'ien in Chinese records. Whereas, Nagi Soma is also known as Neang Neak in some versions of the myth.

Note that while variations of the story exist in other South and Southeast Asian cultures, the narrative of Preah Thaong and Neang Neak continues to be an integral part of Khmer heritage, highlighting the intertwined relationship between the human and divine realms in the Khmer worldview.

It is also interesting to note that even though the characters may vary in different versions, the underlying theme of a foreign prince marrying a local princess and establishing a royal dynasty remains consistent across these adaptations.

*Funan was an ancient Indianized state located in mainland Southeast Asia, centered on the Mekong Delta, that existed from the first to sixth century CE. The Khmer Kingdom, on the other hand, was established in the 9th century CE.

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