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Kambu Swayambhuva orKambu Svayambhuva was an ancestor of theKambuja tribe and king of Aryadesa.[1] He is listed and praised inshloka 22 of theEkatmata Stotra hymn amongHindusages, warriors and conquerors alongsideAgastya,Narasimhavarman I,Rajendra Chola I,Ashoka,Pushyamitra Shunga and others.[2]
ScholarGeorge Coedes refers to a 10th century inscription of aCambodian dynastic legend in which thehermitKambu Swayambhuva and the celestial nymphMera unite and establish the CambodianSolar royal dynasty (Kambu-Mera), that begins with theChenla rulerSrutavarman and his sonSreshthavarman. Coedes suggests that theKambu Swayambhuva legend has its origins insouthern India, as a version of theKanchiPallava dynasty creation myth.[3][4]
Claimed to be theeponym of theKambojas,Kambu Swayambhuva is characterized as aBrahmin chieftain, married toMera, who was given to him by LordShiva.[5]
The name Kambu is stated to be a corruption of the standardSanskrit Kamboja.[6] English Scholars such as C. Lassen, S. Levi,Michael Witzel, J. Charpentier, A. Hoffman,A. B. Keith,A. A. Macdonell,H. W. Bailey and many others have traced the ethnic name Kamboja in the royal name Kambujadeshah (कम्बुजदेशः) in theOld Persian Inscriptions Parskar Gryhamsutram spells the usual Kamboja as Kambuja.[7] TheMarkandeya Purana (8.1-6) as well as inSrimad Devi Bhagawatam (5.28.1-12) etc. refers to the Kambojas as Kambu clan. King Ashoka's Rock Edicts V & XIII located atPeshawar writeKamboj asKamboy orKambo.
NumerousMuslim writings of medieval era spell the Kambojclan name as Kambu as well as Kambo. Obviously, these Kambu/Kambo terms are the corrupted forms of Kambuj/Kamboj and relate to the Kamboja of ancient Sanskrit andPali texts and Inscriptions.[original research?] This Sanskrit Kamboja appears as K.b.u.ji.i.y,Kabujiya or perhapsKabaujiya/Kaboujiya andKambujiya or perhapsKambaujiya ( OR with -n- in place of -m- asKanbujiya orKanbaujiya) of Old Persian inscriptions, andCambyses ofGreek writings. The same name appears asC-n-b-n-z-y inAramaic,Kambuzia inAssyrian,Kambythet inEgyptian,Kam-bu-zi-ya orKa-am-bu-zi-ya inAkkadian,Kan-bu-zi-ia orKan-bu-si-ya inElamite, andKanpuziya in theSusan language.[8]
