Ancient Indian Colonization in South-East Asia c10.66

c10.66

Reference should also be made in this connection to the *āśramas* or monastic establishments which formed the real centres of Hindu culture in Kamboja. Many inscriptions refer to these *āśramas* and king Yaśo-varman is said to have founded one hundred of them. An inscription (No. 60), of which twelve copies have been found in different localities, refers to the royal endowments to these *āśramas* and their detailed regulations. There is no doubt that each of these records marks the locality of an *āśrama*. In addition to these there are three other inscriptions (66-68) which contain royal ordinances respectively for the Vaiṣṇavāśrama, Brāhmaṇāśrama and Saugatāśrama. The second of these is really meant for a Śaiva *āśrama*, and the use of the general term Brāhmaṇa for Śaiva is an intereting evidence for the dominance of that cult.