While we often focus on the kings who built Angkor Wat, the true architects of Khmer political ideology were the Brahmin priests. This episode explores the role of the Rishi families and their monopoly on Sanskrit ritual, which legitimized the devaraja cult. We examine how these scholars controlled access to divine authority, managed temple economies through land grants, and influenced succession crises when royal lines failed. Through inscriptions from the Preah Khan and Banteay Srei temples, we trace the lives of key figures like Srikantha and the complex web of alliances between the court and the priestly class. We also look at the eventual decline of this system as Theravada Buddhism gained ground, shifting power away from the Vedic elite and altering the spiritual landscape of Southeast Asia forever.
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