Yajnavaraha
Encyclopedia
Yajnavaraha was priest-doctor and a royal physician at the court of king Rajendravarman in Angkor
, Cambodia
, practising traditional Cambodian medicine and Ayurveda
. He was a Brahmin
of royal descent and was the grandson of King Harshavarman. Most of his learning was from his father Damodara, who was a vedic scholar
. He was known for his religious contributions and helping the poor. He was rewarded for this with a parasol of peacock feathers. He was also a musician and an astronomer at the royal court. Along with his younger brother, Vishnukumara, he commissioned the erection of a Shaivite temple called Isvarapura or Banteay Srei
, 15 miles north of Angkor Wat
.
He went on to become the guru
of King Jayavarman V
and practised ayurvedic medicine
at the royal court.
Angkor
Angkor is a region of Cambodia that served as the seat of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries. The word Angkor is derived from the Sanskrit nagara , meaning "city"...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, practising traditional Cambodian medicine and Ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
. He was a Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
of royal descent and was the grandson of King Harshavarman. Most of his learning was from his father Damodara, who was a vedic scholar
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
. He was known for his religious contributions and helping the poor. He was rewarded for this with a parasol of peacock feathers. He was also a musician and an astronomer at the royal court. Along with his younger brother, Vishnukumara, he commissioned the erection of a Shaivite temple called Isvarapura or Banteay Srei
Banteay Srei
Banteay Srei or Banteay Srey is a 10th century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Located in the area of Angkor in Cambodia. It lies near the hill of Phnom Dei, north-east of the main group of temples that once belonged to the medieval capitals of Yasodharapura and Angkor Thom...
, 15 miles north of Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu,...
.
He went on to become the guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
of King Jayavarman V
Jayavarman V
-Early years:Jayavarman V succeeded his father, Rajendravarman, when he was only ten years old. During his early years, the court officials dominated the royal politics. He studied under a very knowledgeable teacher Yajnavaraha, a grandson of King Harshavarman I...
and practised ayurvedic medicine
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
at the royal court.