Prasat Sneung, wonderful carvings in two different styles
photo courtesy of Günter Schönlein
East and West Prasat Sneung are located in a the village of the same name 24 km to the southwest of Battambang. It can easily be reached via national road 57, which runs along Wat Sampheau. Other transcriptions of the village's and temples' name are "Snung", "Sneng", or "Snoeng". Even more confusingly, village and temples sometimes also carry the name "Stung".
West Prasat Sneung
West Prasat Sneung now marks the the northwestern border of the compound of a modern pagoda called Wat Sneung, it's situated directly at the main road, whereas the three ancient towers of East Prasat Sneung are at the opposite side of the pagoda, close to the pond in the backyard. The two ancient Khmer temples differ in style and are presumably from different periods. Though dated to the 12th century in the online tourist information about the city of Battambang, it's more likely that at least one of the temples is from the 11th century, when the area of Battambang played a more important role in the Khmer Empire.
photo courtesy of Günter Schönlein
photo courtesy of Günter Schönlein
West Prasat Sneung is built of sandstone and is partly collapsed. However, it carries three well-preserved lintels that are of a remarkable design. Each of them arranges the figures in two registers. The background is plain, stressing the narrative aspects represented by the figures. The lack of foliage contrasts to most other Angkorian period lintels. However, a dating of these lintels to the 11th century is realistic, maybe they are significantly later than the lintel of East Prasat Sneung.
western lintel: Birth of Brahma
photo courtesy of Günter Schönlein
The scene of Vishnu Anantashayin, that can be seen at the western lintel of West Prasat Sneung, is also referring to the "Birth of Brahma", as is indicated by the multi-headed deity seated in the lotos in the very centre of the upper register. Common aspects of this creation myth are present at this carving, for example Lakshmi massaging Vishnu's feet. Others are characteristics of Khmer art and not found in Indian illustration, most notably the lotos stem originating from the back of Vishnu rather than from his navel.
The representation seen at West Prasat Sneung is noteworthy in at least two respects, viz. concerning the animals in the centre and the fight to the right.
1. In the lower register, the lintel depicts the particular animal, on which Vishnu rests, in the shape of a dragon-like being with legs. In Indian art of this creation myth, Vishnu rests on the winding long body of a multiheaded Naga, as Ananta-Shesha is the king of the snakes of the primordial ocean. A dragon-like animal replacing the serpent as Vishnu's bed, however, is quite typical of many Cambodian depictions of this mythological theme, though not all of them. The said Khmer variant of the common Hindu Anantashayin motif is somewhat puzzling in general and in the case of West Prasat Sneung in particular. The dragon-like animal can replace the Naga Ananta-Shesha completely, as it is the case at a famous "Birth of Brahma" depiction of Preah Khan in Angkor. But sometimes the long body of the snake is represented side by side the said "Khmer-style" mythical being, both mythical creatures being shown tightly together. This can be seen at the "Phra Narai Lintel" at Phanom Rung temple in today's Thailand. The latter carving, which is even more famous than that of Preah Khan, shows Vishnu Anatashayin resting on the body of the snake indeed, but this snake, in turn, is carried by the dragon-like creature known from the Khmer style exclusively. Most remarkably, in the case of West Prasat Sneung the snake is neither present nor absent. More precisely, Nagas can be seen below Vishnu, too. However, it's not one Naga but four and they are not in between Vishnu and the dragon but below both of them. In effect, this is not depicting Vishnu on a snake any more. Hence, strictly speaking, this Prasat Sneung lintel can not be called "Anantashayin", as this term literally translates to "recling on Ananta(-Shesha)". In this case - as in the case of Preah Khan - Vishnu is actually reclining on the dragon-like beast with limbs, not on a serpent. Even more remarkably, the dragon-like animal at the Prasat Sneung lintel seems not to be an aquatic being any more. The dragon serving as Vishnu's couch has no scales and there is no fish indicating an ocean below it. This is to say, both remaining aquatic characteristics of the Preah Khan lintel are missing here. Instead, the beast on which Vishnu rests is identifiable as a typical Gajasimha, an "elephant-lion", as the face is that of lion and the nose is the trunk of an elephant. This Gajasimha seems not to be part of the oceanic Naga-world any more. Rather, it looks like being victorious over the Nagas.
2. A violent aspect is clearly emphasised in the Prasat Sneung version of the Birth of Brahma. Garuda, who notably fights Nagas, is depicted in the upper right corner. Moreover, there is the eye-catching fighting scene on the right side of the lower register. Quite frequently in illustrations of the Ananatashayin creation myth, there are two small demons depicted advancing Vishnu in an attempt to distract him from initiating the creation. They do so by attacking him with a mace. But they don't succeed, because they are chased away by Ananta-Shesha. At the West Prasat Sneung lintel, however, they are not illustrated as attacking and just being hindered or only failing in their efforts. Instead, this depiction shows them being killed by a multi-armed being on the right side of the lower register. The most revered Indian Purana, the Bhagavatam, has it that two demons called Madhu and Kaitabha stole the Vedas from Brahma. But Vishnu retrieved the Scriptures by killing the two demons. Though this is attributed to his incarnation as Hayagriva, a horse-headed Avatar, it's often the case at Indian depictions, too, that Vishnu killing Madhu and Kaiba has a human head. In conclusion, the Prasat Sneung lintel intermingles both episodes of Vishnu mythology, one occuring before and the other one after the creation of Brahma. The impression of anachronism is reinforced by the scene to the very left of the lower register, which seems to represent the three steps of Vishnu in his incarnation as a dwarf (Vamana) becoming a giant. This avatar is attributed to the second aeon after the creation of the world.
The violent aspects of this Khmer version of the Vishnuite creation myth seen at West Prasat Sneung contrast significantly to Indian representations of the same scene, which tend to emphasize the relaxed and calmd way in which Vishnu manages to create the world.
eastern lintel: Churning of the Ocean of Milk
photo courtesy of Günter Schönlein
Another common theme is shown on the eastern one of the three preserved West Prasat Sneung lintels, viz. the Churning of the Ocean of Milk. In Cambodian representations, Vishnu is often seen twice, below and besides the churning pole. That the sculpture embracing the pole in the central axis is Vishnu can be seen from his four arms. However, the Milkocean myth is about his incarnation as the turtle Kurma. Vishnu came to earth in this form, as the pole required for the curning of the treasures of the world would have sunken into the ocean, had Vishnu not provided his turtleback to fix it. The lower register of the large Prasat Sneung lintel shows six gods and six demons pulling the snake Vasuki, which serves as the rope. A small sculpture seated atop the pole, in this case, is not Brahma, as this central figure is only one-headed. A single-headed small figure can also be seen on the pole in an illustration of the Milkocean theme at Preah Vihear, it's from the 11th century. Brahma, however, is nevertheless present, he is just the next god seated to the left. Some of the other crowned figures are in the background, which adds an unusual three-dimensionality to this depiction. The three figures with rosaries at the right side are recognisable as Rishis due to their goatees. Of those treasures that came to existence by the churning of the Ocean of Milk, Goddess Lakshmi can be seen atop the turtleback.
southern lintel: Pacheesi and Endless Saree
photo courtesy of Günter Schönlein
The theme of the third lintel, facing south, is not taken from the Puranas but from the epic Mahabharata. It's the scene of the dice game of Yudhisthira in the centre of the upper register and and the disrobing of his consort Draupadi at the right edge. This scene is considered to be the culmination point of the conflict between Pandavas and Kauravas, resulting in exile and the finale battle. The five Pandava brothers can be seen to the left. Yudhisthira's raised hand could indicate the throwing of the dice. But it's more likely it symbolises him being aghast by his series of losses. His opponent actually has the dice in his fingers. It's the magician Shakuni, who was the uncle of the 100 Kauravas, of whom two are sitting behind or besides him. The dice game, the master of which Shakuni is due to his magical powers, was Chausar, the Indian Pacheesi, the board game being indicated by the small table in between the two central characters.
The lower register only represents the feast or festivity that forms the background of the story. In between female dancers to the left and right there are three lions holding the upper register. Animals supporting this gambling scene can also be seen at a lintel in Phimai, but the latter has goose instead of lions. Small monkeys are playing with coconuts in between the lions at this remarkable lintel of West Prasat Seung.
The climax of the conflict is the attempt of one of the Kaurava brothers, Duhshasana, to disrobe Draupadi. This event marks the ultimate degradation of the Pandavas, the rightful heirs to the throne. Due to his addiction to gambling, the otherwise perfectly righteous Yudhishtira, eldest of the Pandava brothers, in this dice game with Shakuni had already lost his empire and the freedom of his brothers and finally his own freedom alike. After this, there was only one thing left for gambling, Draupadi, the wife of all five Pandavas. When she was lost, she was humiliated in various ways by various Kaurava brothers to humiliate her former husbands, too. The utmost humiliation was the disrobing. But Krishna, who otherwise was the mastermind in the background intending to escalate the situation into an outright eschatological war, the necessity of which to restore the Dharma for the entire world only he as the highest being was able to understand, this one time showed compassion with a victim of his wire-pulling. Miraculously, Krishna replaced the garments of Draupadi as fast as they were torn off by Duhshasana, who finally had to give up to pull an endless saree. Due to humiliation of Draupadi, the Pandava brothers swear revenge and threaten to turn violent. This determination might be indicated by the weapons three of them hold in their hands.
East Prasat Sneung
photo courtesy of Günter Schönlein
photo courtesy of Günter Schönlein
Architecturally, the brick towers of East Prasat Sneung, 150 m further east, are more imposing than the ruins of West Prasat Sneung. The three Prasats are placed on a shared mound of 30 m length and 20 m width. Originally, each Prasat seems to have had a Mandapa hall built of sandstone in front of it. Two sandstone trilithon porches are still intact and in situ at the exterior toers. The central brick tower is slightly larger than its two escorts.
photo courtesy of Günter Schönlein
The door is decorated with a large lintel depicting Indra on his three-headed elephant Airavata. In style, it differs much from the three West Prasat Sneung lintels mentioned above, as the foliage, which was absent there, is almost predominant at this excellent carving. The lintel style is said to indicate the 12th century. But this is highly debatable. It neither resembles foliage coils of the Angkor Wat style (early 12th century), which are more narrow and have more windings of the main rank, nor does it look like the less intricate foliage of the Bayon style (end of 12th century). It's more likely that this excellent lintel of East Prasat Sneung is from the early 11th century, this is to say from the reign of Suryavarman I, who seems to have been a local ruler in the area of Battambang before defeating his rival in Angkor and gaining power there. The lintel design is more similar to the styles of Khleang (late 10th century) and Baphuon (mid 11th century) than to those of the 12th century.