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MYTH OF DAMBANG KRAHNOUNG

(Adapted from Cambodian Royal Chronicle, translated in French by MAK PHOEUN, published by The French Far-East School, Paris 1984 )

 

In 972 the King Sankhacakr’s son, 21 years old, ascended the throne under the name of Brah Cakrabatradhiraj Parampabitr. He ordered people to cut the wood in order to construct a pavilion for cremating the corpse of his father. During that time his wife, neak moneang Kaev was pregnant.

Among the woodcutters, there was a man while cooking his rice and lacking of ladle to stir the rice, he used a branch of Rokar tree stirring his rice. Suddenly the rice became black. As he was very hungry, he accepted to eat the black rice. After that he felt himself becoming extremely stronger. He could then break a branch of Chheuteal tree low down close to the ground. Seeing that, a great number of woodcutters surrendered themselves to him. The man cut the heartwood of Kranhoung tree to be his stick as personal weapon, from that people called him “Dambang Kranhoung”. He became arrogant and wanted to take hold of throne.

Getting this information, the royal servants went reporting that to the King who ordered soldiers at several times to combat the man, but in vain. All soldiers surrendered to Dambang Kranhoung. The king,

 
 

hopeless, fell sick and died at the age of 49 years old, after ruling for 39 years. In 1001,his troops to the town and usurped the throne, then ruled with superpower on all territory with royal name as Gottam Amar Devaraj. He ordered his soldiers to find out all family members and arrested them, then to kill them or burn them lively. Padum Kumar, 13 years old, the elder son fled deeper into the forest and becoming monk without coming out of the forest. He had later a great magical power. The King’s wife, pregnant, took refuge among villagers in remote area, living with Ta Gahe. The second son, Siri Kumar, 5 years old going away with his wet nurse, was one day captured by the soldiers, and thrown into the fire. At the approach of the evening, thanks to his merits producing compassion and love existing in the heart of an unknown soldier which came taking him out of the fire and hired him in the forest. Siri Kumar was not killed but only smoked. Later some monks went in this forest and saw him, then took him for bringing up. Siri Kumar could not walk because his arms and legs were amputated. He could only move by his back. The monks who raised him called him Bramm Kil, whereas other people called him Banhea Kraek.

The king’s wife living with Ta Gahe gave birth to a baby having in the both palm of the hand a sign of wheel, brilliant and clear. Royal astrologer predicted that the King Dambang Kranhoung could only rule the country for 7 years, 7 months and 7 days. Ther would be now only 7 days to finish the reign. A predestined man would come and usurp successfully the throne. The king Dambang Kranhoung said that he would kill the man with his stick, if he could not kill him, he would accept his defeat and transfer the throne to usurper to avoid any misfortune against his person.

The last predicted day arrived people and Bramm Kil went to see the merit man. Bramm Kil took a rest far from other people on the shore of a pound. An old Brahman riding a horse, carrying a package of rice, a cylinder of water and a big pouch containing royal clothes and crown. He said to Bramm Kil: “You cannot see the merit man; I entrust you to keep my horse and all of these things. When you are hungry, you can eat the rice in the package and drink water in the cylinder. I am going to see the man and return back making description for you.” Suddenly the Brahman put the horse reins at the Bramm Kil arm and left him. After the leaving of the Brahman, the horse stood up in pulling up violently the arm of Bramm Kil, which straightened it as usual. He did the same for another arm; then he tied the horse reins to his leg which would be straight by effect of the horse pulling. He changed to another leg that produced the same effect. Bramm Kil ate the rice and drunk the water following the advice of the Brahman. He felt a strong force coming in his body, and then he wore all royal clothes with the crown. He became beautiful like Indra. He acknowledged himself to be the merit man, and then he mounted on the back of the horse which brought him to the royal palace.

King Dambang Kranhoung who was already waiting for the event, when seeing Bramm Kil coming through the air, took his Kranhoung stick and threw to kill Bramm Kil, but the stick passed over the target and fell down on the ground forming a small river called O-Dambang; the stick finally went to an untraceable point which were ordered by the next king to call this point “Battambang province

King Dambang Kranhoung, declared in public offering the throne to Bramm Kil, and then he traveled alone in adventure to go staying in Laos.

 
 

 English Text adapted by Meak Marin

 
 
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