Phimeanakas
Sacred Spirits of the Water

While Khmer kings embraced the foreign religions of Hinduism and Buddhism, it was also important that they believed in the power of the serpent, the symbol of the native spirit. Before foreign cultures were introduced to Angkor, the serpent was one of the most important symbols of local beliefs. Since ancient times, it was considered a “spirit of the water” and was worshipped as the god of agriculture. The significance of the serpent is illustrated in a legend surrounding Phimeanakas, a small pyramid-temple situated in the center of the royal court in Angkor Thom.
According to legend, a serpent-spirit lived in Phimeanakas, or the “celestial palace”. Every night the king had to sleep with the serpent-spirit, who took the form of a beautiful woman, of risk the fall of his empire. The sculptures of the multi-headed serpent Naga that are found throughout the temples of the Khmer Empire are the guardian spirits of the god of water.
The Angkor kings called themselves “Kamrateng Jagat ta Raja (supreme king of the guardian spirits)” in the ancient Khmer language, which translates to “Deva-raja (king of the gods)” in Sanskrit. These names indicate that the kings practiced Hinduism as a state religion, but also believed strongly in the native spirit that emphasized their absolute divine power.
Angkor temples were built in a uniquely Khmer style with Hindu deities, and symbolized the merging of the native traditional beliefs with non-native religious symbolism.