preah khan
Preah khan
Preah khan was built by King Jayavarman VII 1125 - 1215 AD. It was a temple dedicated to his father (while Ta Prohm was for her mother). King Jayavarman VII built many rest houses and hospitals during his regin. He was also known as the Buddha King. Preah Khan was originally dedicated to Hindu God, but Jayavarman turned it into a Buddhist University (and later it was converted back to Hindu Shrine). The change could be seen on the sculptures on the wall. Some Hindu Hermits were converted into Buddha monks. Preah Khan means Sacred Sword which used to store in the library but is now lost. Preah Khan is also the second largest temple after Angkor Wat. Entrance: US$ 40 (can be bought from Angkor Ticket Booth north of Siem Reap) You can reach there by tuk tuk (I paid US$10/half day including Ta Som, Neak Pean and Preah Khan). The Temple was located north east of the Angkor Thom.
From the Churning of the milky ocean
There are many doorways at the west entrance. The doorways are getting smaller as it goes into the center. It's so the visitors has to bow to the King as they visit the temple.
This Lingam originally hosted the statues of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma.
They were originally Buddhist monks but were converted into Hindu hermits after Jayavarman
This is located at the center of the temple. It has no ashes inside.
This dancing figure was converted from a monk sitting in meditation.
one demon, one angel means sacred sword used to be in library, now lost used to be Buddhist University in Jayavarman VII times, then converted to Hinduism, then back to Buddhist some statue were Buddhist with flat meditation, then Hindu with upward legs. the holes in the Stupa were for statues the gates are in a mirror shape, getting smaller as it goes so people need to bow as it goes into the center stupa which has no ashes. same for north and south, except the east gate where the king enters
angel and demon
this room used to fill with gems
This is the side where the king entered the temple. Of course he needed not bow, so the entrance were constructed with the same size.
2nd largest after Angkor Wat
From the Churning of the milky ocean
from the book Mahabharata devas held tail asuras (demons) held head the naga is Vasuki devas and demons fought for Amrita (the Elixir for Immortality) but no result so Vishnu asked them to work together. so they churn the milk of ocean used mount madara as the pivot and Basuki as the rope later mountain sank so Vishnu incarnated himself as the tortoise Kurma and used his back to support the mountain.
before producing the Amrita (elixir of immortality), the ocean of milk was churned for another 1000 years also produced Lakshmi (wife of Vishnu), the elephant Airavata, the horse Ucchaishravas, a wishing tree and a lovely Apsaras.
Once produced, fight between devas and asuras to get Amrita. Vishnu intervened and helped gods to win. When peace was made, Indra was reinstalled as the king of gods.
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