kingdom of Fu-nan

The earliest state in Cambodia was the kingdom of Fu-nan. The kingdom was set up by Brahmana Hindu colonists from India. The story as per Chinese histories and the official legends of the kingdom regarding its foundation as recorded in the middle of the 3rd century AD goes as follows -

"The sovereign of Fu-nan was originally a queen called Lieu-ye(Soma). There was a person named Huen-tien (Kaundinya) of Mo-fu. He was a staunch devotee of a Brahminical god who pleased with his piety. He dreamt that the god gave him a divine bow and asked him to take to see in a trading vessel. In the morning he went to the temple of god and found a bow. Then he embarked on a trading vessel and the god changed the course of wind in such a manner that he came to Fun-nan. Lieu-ye the queen of Fu-nan came in a boat to plunder the trading vessel. Kaundinya raised his bow and shot an arrow which pierced through the queen's boat from one side to the other. The queen was overtaken by fear and submitted to him. Thereupon Kaundinya married the queen Lieu-ye and ruled over the kingdom. Lieu-ye is likely Soma who is mentioned in other inscriptions. "

In a inscription dated to 657 AD referring to the foundation of the Cambodian capital Bhavapura the same story is mentioned with slight difference. It says - 

"It was there (Bhavapura) that Kaundinya the foremost among Brahmanas, planted the spear which he had obtained from Drona's son Ashvattama the best of Brahmanas. There was a daughter of the king of serpents called Soma. She was taken as a wife by the excellent Brahmana Kaundinya for the sake of accomplishing certain work. 

King Bhavavarman who, being born in this pure unbroken line of kings descended from Kaundinya is even today the pride of his subjects by his un blamable conduct."

According to the Chinese histories the people of Fu-nan prior to the arrival of Kaundinya lived in a primitive condition and there was hardly any elements of civilization among them. Civilization was first introduced among them by the Brahmana Kaundinya. In particular he made the women wear clothes.

In picture- Kingdom of Funan.