Sri Jayanasa of Srivijaya
Dapunta Hyang Sri Jayanasa (IAST: Ḍapunta Hiyaṃ Śrī Jayanāśa)[1] was the first Maharaja (Emperor) of Srivijaya and thought to be the dynastic founder of Kadatuan Srivijaya. His name was mentioned in the series of Srivijayan inscriptions dated from late 7th century CE dubbed as the "Siddhayatra inscriptions", describing his sacred journey to acquire blessings and also to conquer neighboring areas. He reigned around the turn of late 7th century to early 8th century, more precisely in the period between 671 and 702 CE.
Sri Jayanasa | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maharaja of Srivijaya | |||||
Srivijayan Emperor | |||||
Reign | 671–702 | ||||
Predecessor | Position established | ||||
Successor | Sri Indravarman | ||||
|
Biography
Yijing, a Chinese Buddhist monk who visited Srivijaya and stayed for 6 months in 671, was impressed by the generosity, kindness and hospitality demonstrated by the king of Srivijaya.[2] The king mentioned in Yijing's report was later linked to the king mentioned in the oldest Srivijayan inscription (dated 682 CE), the Kedukan Bukit inscription discovered in Palembang.[3][4][5] However, later historians discount the interpretation of the inscriptions as being connected to the account by Yijing.[6][7][8]
The Kedukan Bukit inscription dated 605 saka (683 CE),[1]: 82–83 mentioned a king titled Dapunta Hyang who performed a Siddhayatra (sacred journey) by the boat. He departed from Minanga Tamwan accompanied with 20,000 soldiers heading to Matajap and conquering several areas. Other inscriptions tell of the Siddhayatra journey and Srivijayan conquests on surrounding areas, such as Kota Kapur discovered in Bangka island (686 CE), Karang Brahi discovered in Jambi Hulu (686 CE) and Palas Pasemah discovered in southern Lampung, all mentions the same event. From all of these inscriptions, it was concluded that Dapunta Hyang established the Srivijayan empire after defeating his enemies in Jambi, Palembang, Southern Lampung and Bangka island,[9] and he even went further to launch a military campaign against Bhumi Java that probably contributed to the decline of the Tarumanagara kingdom in West Java.
References
- Coedès, George (1968). Walter F. Vella (ed.). The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. trans.Susan Brown Cowing. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-0368-1.
- Takakusu, Junjiro (1896). A record of the Buddhist Religion as Practised in India and the Malay Archipelago AD 671-695, by I-tsing. London: Oxford.
- Casparis, J.G. (1975). Indonesian palaeography: a history of writing in Indonesia from the beginnings to C. A, Part 1500. E. J. Brill. ISBN 90-04-04172-9.
- Cœdès, George (1918). "Le Royaume de Çriwijaya". Bulletin de l'École Française d'Extrême-Orient. 18 (6): 1–36.
- Cœdès, George (1930). "Les inscriptions malaises de Çrivijaya". Bulletin de l'École Française d'Extrême-Orient (BEFEO). 30: 29–80.
- Muljana, Slamet (2006). F.W. Stapel (ed.). Sriwijaya. PT. LKiS Pelangi Aksara. ISBN 978-979-8451-62-1.
- Soekmono, R. (2002). Pengantar sejarah kebudayaan Indonesia 2. Kanisius. ISBN 979-413-290-X.
- Marwati Djoened Poesponegoro, Nugroho Notosusanto, (1992), Sejarah nasional Indonesia: Jaman kuna, PT Balai Pustaka, ISBN 979-407-408-X
- Elfriede Hermann; Karin Klenke; Michael Dickhardt (2009). Form, Macht, Differenz: Motive und Felder ethnologischen Forschens. Universitätsverlag Göttingen. pp. 254–255. ISBN 978-3-940344-80-9.