Khmer Studies

Royal.Initiation.Rituals/Consecrations Lessons we can learn from The Tantric Coronation of SHIVAJI as a mirror image of Jayavarman II's coronation Shivaji Bhonsale I (February 1630-3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur which formed the genesis of the Maratha Empire. In 1674, he was formally crowned the Chhatrapati of his realm at Raigad Fort. Over the course of his life, Shivaji engaged in both alliances and hostilities with the Mughal Empire, the Sultanate of Golkonda, Sultanate of Bijapur and the European colonial powers. Shivaji's military forces expanded the Maratha sphere of influence, capturing and building forts, and forming a Maratha navy. Shivaji established a competent and progressive civil rule with well-structured administrative organisations. He revived ancient Hindu political traditions, court conventions and promoted the usage of the Marathi and Sanskrit languages, replacing Persian in court and administration The state, as Shivaji founded it was a Maratha kingdom, comprising about 4.1% of the subcontinent at the time he died, but over time it was to increase in size and heterogeneity,and by the time of the Peshwas in the early 18th century the Marathas were dominant across the northern and central regions of the Indian subcontinent. He had acquired extensive lands and wealth through his campaigns, but lacking a formal title he was still technically a Mughal zamindar or the son of an Adilshahi jagirdar (owner of lands), with no legal basis to rule his de facto domain. A kingly title could address this, and also prevent any challenges by other Maratha leaders, to whom he was technically equal; it would also provide the Hindu Marathas with a fellow Hindu sovereign in a region otherwise ruled by Muslims.

„Affektives Nachleben. Über Geister, Geschichte und Gerechtigkeit“, in: Hilge Landweer (Hg.): Philosophie der Gefühle. Zukunftsperspektiven. Wiesbaden: Springer VS 2025, S. 267-276.

Abstract: Dass die transatlantische Sklaverei als historische Formation der Vergangenheit angehört, bedeutet nicht, dass ihre Geschichte vorbei ist. Ihr Erbe wirkt immer noch fort und hört nicht auf, die Gegenwart zu deformieren. Für eine kritisch-phänomenologisch orientierte Auseinandersetzung mit diesem Teil der kolonialen Gewaltgeschichte geht damit eine methodische Schwierigkeit einher: Wenn es um die Stimmen und Perspektiven derer geht, die jene Gewalt nicht verübt, sondern erlitten haben, stößt man in den Archiven größtenteils auf Abwesenheit und Schweigen. Das verleiht dem Nachleben der transatlantischen Sklaverei selbst etwas Geisterhaftes, Spektrales und schwer Fassbares. Sich ihm zuzuwenden bedeutet, sich der dem Diskurs abgewandten Seite der Realgeschichte zu stellen: den Toten, deren Namen ausgelöscht wurden, den Stimmen, die verdrängt und vergessen sind, den Leerstellen in den Archiven und singulären Geschichten hinter den anonymen Zahlen der Opfer. Anhand einer Lektüre von Toni Morrisons Roman „Beloved“ geht Fabian Bernhardt der Frage nach, wie es um das geisterhafte Nachleben der transatlantischen Sklaverei bestellt ist. Dies wirft zugleich die Frage auf, wie es die Philosophie mit ihren eigenen Geistern hält. Die Zukunft der Philosophie hängt nicht zuletzt davon ab, inwiefern es ihr gelingt, das koloniale Erbe als Teil ihrer eigenen Geschichte anzuerkennen.

Dr Uday Dokras is a prolific author and historiographer who has written more than 1,000 books and thousands of research papers on Indian and Southeast Asian civilizations, with a particular focus on ancient history, religion, and architecture. His collected works are noted for their quantity, breadth, and accessibility, earning him recognition and multiple world records. Key themes and areas of focus Dokras's work covers a wide array of topics related to Indian and Southeast Asian history, culture, and architecture. • Ancient Indian kingdoms: His writings explore subjects such as the legendary submerged city of Dwarka and the architecture of the Chola dynasty.

The ruins of Nalanda Mahavihara. From bbc.com Buddhism emerged in India two-and-a-half millennia ago and thrived during its first thousand years. Its growth and development were influenced by a range of internal and external factors. Within the developing tradition, the compelling personality of the Buddha, the charisma and missionary enthusiasm of his disciples, the unprecedented organization of the sangha, and Buddhism's coalescing teachings (particularly those that challenged certain ideas within the broader tradition of Brahmanism) played crucial roles in the consolidation of Buddhism as a distinct movement. Notably, Buddhism's advocacy for a casteless society, its ideological affinity to the wealthy and mobile merchant class, and the elevation of the social status of women (at least until the onset of the medieval period) set it apart. Institutionally, the construction of Buddhist monasteries, the circulation of Buddhist texts, and the financial support of monks by powerful laypeople was critical. Primarily, the three treasures enjoyed the patronage of a constellation of Indic and Indo-Greek rulers and the aforementioned wealthy merchants that dominated the north of the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, and the overland "silk routes." Buddhism especially flourished during the reign of Emperor Ashoka in the third century BCE. Historians and devotees alike ascribe the age of the Mauryan dynasty to India taking Buddhism across Asia, including to the bastion of Sri Lanka, to Southeast Asia, and eastward to China.

This paper tells about the web application developed by me for the Tamil Nadi literature styled as 'Eswara Nadi'/ This gives links to the two Khandams or Chapters of Eswara Nadi, supposed to have been written by Rishi Agasthiyar. The entire work was in Tamil. I have given the original Tamil verses as well as its translation in English and the necessary charts for the verses.

o Alongside stupas, Brahmanical temples and images of gods began to be constructed. o Temples often featured images of gods and incorporated myths from the Puranas into their narrative designs. 2. Principal Deity: o Each temple housed a primary image of a deity. 3. Types of Shrines: o Sandhara: Without a circumambulatory path (pradakshinapatha). o Nirandhara: With a circumambulatory path (pradakshinapatha). o Sarvatobhadra: Accessible from all sides. 4. Key Temple Sites: o Deogarh (Uttar Pradesh) o Eran (Madhya Pradesh) o Nachna-Kuthara (Madhya Pradesh) o Udaygiri near Vidisha (Madhya Pradesh) Nirandhara & Sandhara Temple Plan

本文首先將聚焦在 Carl Schmitt 於 1940 年左右所發展出的大空
間理論，並考察該理論的核心論點。其核心論點在於，援引美國門羅
主義為前例並加以修改，藉此以反對大空間之外的其他國家干涉空間
內部事務。據此，世界應當被劃分為多元的大空間，彼此間相互維持
均勢且互不干涉，相對地，任何宣稱人權等普世價值的國際法，都被
視為是帝國主義強制干預他國的託詞。
        本文也將進一步梳理近年來中國知識分子對於大空間理論的詮釋
與運用，並且提出其使用該理論背後其實承載了特定的政治動機。中
國某些知識分子對於這種以大空間為基本單位所構成的多元世界秩序
想像，展現了高度的興趣。不過他們的理論興趣背後的政治動機，則
是要排除超國家組織與現有國際法對於中國的干預，因為他們將這些
當作是美國和其西方盟友進行帝國主義干涉的法律工具。除了批評現
有國際法的普世性，進一步也希望能夠基於文化的差異而建立起以中
國為核心的大空間，並據此排除外來的干預。
        最後本文則將指出，中國知識分子透過 Schmitt 大空間理論所建
構的「多元文化」世界秩序，雖然符合了某些左翼知識分子的反帝國
想像，但由於過分專注於 Schmitt 理論對外排除他國干預的面向，對
此理論也是區域霸權自我證成的這一理論面向卻莫衷一是，因此大空
間理論在中國的繼受與使用僅是尚在發展中的政治修辭。


This article first examines Carl Schmitt’s Großraum theory, developed around 1940, and analyzes its core arguments. Central to the theory is the adaptation of the United States’ Monroe Doctrine as a precedent, advocating against external interference in the internal affairs of nations within designated Großraum. Schmitt envisions a world divided into multiple Großräume that maintain mutual balance and respect for
non-interference. By contrast, any international law claiming universal values, such as human rights, is dismissed as a pretext for imperialist intervention in other countries.

The article further explores the interpretation and application of Schmitt’s Großraum theory by Chinese intellectuals in recent years, arguing that specific political motives underlie its use. Certain Chinese  intellectuals have expressed strong interest in a pluralistic world order based on large spaces as fundamental units. However, their theoretical engagement is driven by the political motive of rejecting supranational
organizations and existing international law, which they perceive as tools of imperialist intervention by the United States and its Western allies. Beyond criticizing the universality of current international law, these intellectuals aspire to establish a China-centered large space, rooted in cultural distinctions, to shield China from foreign interference. Finally, this paper argues that although the "multicultural" world
order envisioned by Chinese intellectuals—drawing on Carl Schmitt's theory of Großraum—resonates with the anti-imperialist aspirations of  some left-wing thinkers, the theory places disproportionate emphasis on excluding external interventions while neglecting the fact that it also serves to legitimize regional hegemony. Due to the lack of theoretical consensus on this point, the appropriation of Schmitt’s theory in China
functions primarily as a political rhetoric that is still in progress and awaits further conceptual elaboration.

Accurate seasonal climate forecasts are vital for regions like Cambodia's Northern Tonle Sap Basin (NTSB), where agriculture is closely tied to rainfall patterns. While most studies have focused on the TSB, the northern areas, crucial contributors to Cambodia's national food basket, have remained largely unstudied. Here, this gap is addressed by evaluating the performance of 8 state-of-the-art seasonal forecast models from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) over a 24-year hindcast period (1993-2016). The evaluation is bolstered by ground-based data from 38 agrometeorological stations. Among the models, the Ensemble, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) model, and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model emerged as top performers, with the Ensemble particularly excelling in replicating both temporal and spatial precipitation patterns, making it invaluable for agrometeorological applications. The Ensemble demonstrates particularly strong performance in regions such as western Oddar Meanchey and eastern Preah Vihear, where biases are less than 5%. To tailor the Ensemble to the specific climatic and geographic context of the NTSB, we refined it using the Delta Change technique, and this reduced biases even further to < 1%. Our study not only contributes to improving the precision of agrometeorological advisories in a key, but under-researched region, but also sets a precedent for how regional climate forecasting can be enhanced through context-specific model evaluations and corrections. These findings provide a practical framework for supporting resilient agricultural strategies in areas vulnerable to climate change, bridging a critical gap between climate science and agricultural practice.

This article seeks to analyze the writings of Kalyan Kumar Sarkar on early India’s interaction with Cambodia, with the intention of highlighting a rather intriguing aspect of Indian historiography. Emerging as a significant strand of India’s cultural nationalism, this historiographical tradition focused on India’s central contribution to the cultural and political development of her neighboring countries. The books and articles produced by the authors under discussion successfully endorsed the concept of “Indianization,” wherein India’s inclusive cultural impact over Cambodia—similar to other Southeast Asian countries—was interpreted as bringing them within the fold of “Greater India” or “Extended India.”

Scholars have frequently engaged with the contributions of prominent historians who were associated with this academic endeavor. However, the discourse also witnessed active participation from several lesser-known scholars whose works have not received adequate scholarly attention. A study of such writings is particularly important as it provides a more comprehensive understanding of the relevant historiography.

In this context, the present article attempts to examine Kalyan Kumar Sarkar’s contributions, assessing both their limitations and significance. While his writings often demonstrated a degree of bias in emphasizing the primacy of Indian influence, they also, at times, acknowledged the role of indigenous characteristics. A critical and comprehensive discussion of Sarkar’s works is thus undertaken here to evaluate his position within the broader framework of Greater India historiography.

Tbis artile tries to anahge the uritings of Kalyan Kamar Sarkar rgarding Eark Indias interaction witb Cambodia tbns intending to bigbligbt orer a rery intrguing aspect of Indiu' bistoriogruplby. Emerged as a significant part of India's cultural mutionalhsm, thi bistorivgruply aimed to ocns on India' s cntnal contribution to ber neigbboring conntries. Books and artiles written bn the antbars under discussion, slou bon they sMcCessfulh endorsed such concept of 'Indianizution"where Indas incusire ipact oter (Cambodid. like otber. Southeast.Asian contries, led lber to form a part of Gmater India' or extended India. Eforts bate ben made b tarions scholare to discuss the contributions of minent bistorians uo wer Dart of tbis d ademic endearor. Bnt the disconrse also san actire dcademuic partuipation from rarious scbolars wbose writimgs bare fuiled to get tecessary attention from the researcbers. Study of these sores is eanaih important ds they can proride u comprelbensire anderstanding of the relerant bistoriograpln. My artile thus attempts to discuss Kahan Sarkar's writings and examines their limitations and skuificance Ion far they sboned biasness tou urds Indiam inpact yet acknowdedsed local characters. 1 onprebensire discussion bas been attenrbted to

The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Cambodia, together with the Unesco Phnom Penh office, had invited me in February 2020 to undertake an evaluation of the Chapei safeguarding plan together with the use of the International Assistance funds (under the UNESCO ICH Convention) that it had been granted. The MoCFA at the end of 2017 had signed a contract with UNESCO, and the knowledge that the structural arrangement agreed to - combining both an urgent safeguarding plan with the assistance from the ICH Fund to support it - was a milestone in ICH for Cambodia and indeed the South-East Asia region.
Over the four years (with extensions) of the project, key questions presented themselves to be studied and answered: Is the scope of the work activities planned and agreed upon broad enough and deep enough to reach all those who can be reached, especially with new information filtering in about artists and communities? Are there researchers trained enough to send to all the many scattered locations? Are the findings that are being accumulated, month by month, tallying with the planned safeguarding activities? Have time and money been sufficiently allocated to activities? When are positive effects of the project visible?
Chapei Dang Veng is a Cambodian musical tradition closely associated with the life, customs and beliefs of the Cambodian people. It features the chapei (a type of lute often played at cultural festivals) accompanied by singing. Song lyrics range from the educational and a type of social commentary, to satire while incorporating traditional poems, folk tales or Buddhist stories. The tradition is considered to have multiple functions within Cambodian communities, such as safeguarding traditional rituals; transmitting social, cultural and religious knowledge and values; providing exposure to the old Khmer language; creating a space for social and political commentary; entertaining; connecting generations; and building social cohesion. Apart from musical talent, skills required to be a chapei player include wit, the ability to improvise and be a good storyteller.

This completed thesis would never have been possible without a great deal of help and support from several people. I would first like to thank my thesis committee for all of their assistance through this process. I would like to thank my chair, Liam Kelley, for all his hard work and effort towards improving my academic writing skills, helping me to conceptualize the big picture of where my paper was going, and enabling me to finally produce coherent and complete thesis, Barbara Andaya, who has been there from the very beginning of this process, helping me to conceptualize the direction that this thesis was to take, and continually pushed me to be my very best, and Leonard Andaya for his insight, suggestions for improvement, and steady, calming presence. I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to my unofficial "fourth committee member," Akiko Sugiyama, a PhD candidate in Southeast Asian history here at the University of Hawaii, who assisted me numerous times throughout the entire process, suggesting sources that I might look into, and helping me to conceptualize the overall direction that my thesis would take, and how it could be improved. I would honestly not have been able to write this paper without the generous help offered by each and everyone of these people. In addition, I would like to thank my parents, Wayne and Linda Pexa, my brother Devon Pexa, and all my friends and family around the world for their love, support, and encouragement, not only during this thesis writing process, but throughout my entire life. None of this would have been possible without all of you. Thank you and I love you.

This completed thesis would never have been possible without a great deal of help and support from several people. I would first like to thank my thesis committee for all of their assistance through this process. I would like to thank my chair, Liam Kelley, for all his hard work and effort towards improving my academic writing skills, helping me to conceptualize the big picture of where my paper was going, and enabling me to finally produce coherent and complete thesis, Barbara Andaya, who has been there from the very beginning of this process, helping me to conceptualize the direction that this thesis was to take, and continually pushed me to be my very best, and Leonard Andaya for his insight, suggestions for improvement, and steady, calming presence. I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to my unofficial "fourth committee member," Akiko Sugiyama, a PhD candidate in Southeast Asian history here at the University of Hawaii, who assisted me numerous times throughout the entire process, suggesting sources that I might look into, and helping me to conceptualize the overall direction that my thesis would take, and how it could be improved. I would honestly not have been able to write this paper without the generous help offered by each and everyone of these people. In addition, I would like to thank my parents, Wayne and Linda Pexa, my brother Devon Pexa, and all my friends and family around the world for their love, support, and encouragement, not only during this thesis writing process, but throughout my entire life. None of this would have been possible without all of you. Thank you and I love you.

DR NEERAJ RAJINDER NAHAR What Is Vedic Astrology? Vedic Astrology, known traditionally as Jyotish Shastra in Sanskrit, is the sacred science of light-Jyoti meaning "light" and Isha meaning "God" or "divine." It is not merely a system for predicting events or personality traits; rather, it is a spiritual roadmap for self-awareness, karma, and dharma. Rooted in the ancient Vedas, Jyotish is one of the six Vedangas, or limbs of the Vedas, and is considered a divine eyethe inner vision through which one can understand the cosmic order and the soul's journey across lifetimes. A Cosmic Mirror Vedic astrology views the universe as a living organism, where every planet is a conscious being, each sign a sacred archetype, and every moment a reflection of divine intention. Just as the Moon reflects the light of the Sun, your birth chart reflects the light of your soulyour karma, purpose, and potential. The planetary positions at the time of your birth are not random; they are believed to be karmic imprintsthe encoded lessons and blessings you have carried forward from previous lives. The natal chart (janma kundali) is your cosmic fingerprint, offering insight into your destiny (bhagya), free will (purushartha), and the balance between the two. The Foundations of Jyotish Unlike Western astrology, Vedic astrology is siderealit calculates the positions of planets based on the actual constellations in the sky, rather than a fixed seasonal calendar. This means that most people's Sun signs may differ when viewed through the Vedic lens. Astrology as a Tool for Inner Alignment Vedic astrology is not fatalistic. At its heart lies the belief in conscious participation with destiny. While your chart may suggest tendencies and timing, you always retain the power to respond with awareness. Remedies in Jyotishsuch as mantras, gemstones, rituals, and charitable actsare not superstitions, but sacred ways to harmonise with planetary energies. They help you to transform karma, not escape it. More than prediction, Jyotish is a path to: * Self-understanding * Life navigation * Spiritual awakening It invites you to align your choices with the cosmic rhythm, to live more consciously, more fully, and more truthfully.

If a man walks on the path of worldly activities, it is difficult to reach the end because Maya – the deluding energy of the lord sans beginning, and so he is engaged in varied activities of many categories as the three qualities of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas dominate these acts. Thus, in the alliance with the commercial men one is involved in gathering wealth in the form of lasting bliss and enters the forest of mundane existence where one obtains no joy whatsoever.

First minted by polities in north-central Myanmar as early as the fourth century AD, silver coins bearing Rising Sun and Srivatsa motifs have been found in numerous archaeological contexts across Southeast Asia from Vietnam to Bangladesh. Strong standardisation in the design of these coins highlights patterns of trade and cultural interaction across this region that are otherwise underexplored. Here, the authors draw on a dataset of 245 coins from museums in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar, identifying die links that support trade routes between widely disparate areas, and illuminating the utility of die studies in counteracting the illicit trafficking of antiquities.

Classical monuments account for some of the most visited sites throughout Europe, the Levant, and North Africa. By nature, these sites are increasingly old and fragile. Inappropriate conservation methods can cause the further deterioration of sites and misinform visitors. By international doctrine, anastylosis is the only permissible conservation action that can be implemented on these archaeological ruins. This dissertation will make a comprehensive study of the chronology of anastylosis, beginning with early examples of anastylosis, including Valadier at the Arch of Titus and Balanos at the Acropolis, progressing to the legislative advancements of the mid-twentieth century with the Athens and Venice charters, and finally looking ahead to the future of anastylosis in the digital age. In so doing, the study will explore how trends of anastylosis have changed over time, the impact of anastylosis on a number of Classical sites, and the integration of new technologies into the field.

Hydrological Centering of cities: Barays, in particular, were used to store excess water delivered during the summer monsoon. This water could later be distributed to paddy fields between the main temple area around Angkor Wat and Tonle Sap Lake, in the event of a water shortage caused by insufficient rainfall (

This research article aims at examining the tradition of syncretism in Southeast Asia with a special reference to the region of the Brahmaputra Valley and in connection with the deity Hari-Hara. Eclecticism implies the integration of various information flows, religious, cultural, and philosophical, which has been traditionally significant for the formation of spiritual and social models in the areas with interactions of several traditions. In Southeast Asia particularly the Khmer Empire, the syncretism of Shaivism and Vaishnavism together with Hindu and Buddhists is evident in the worship of Hari-Hara; Vishnu-Shiva. This syncretic practice was not only a sign of religious tolerance but also expressed political power and social integration under kings such as Jayavarman VII embodied in temple architectures including Angkor Wat and Bayon temples. By contrast, the case of the Brahmaputra Valley in India can be singled out as the example of syncretism between tribal and Brahmanical practices when the local indigenous cults were gradually intertwined with the Hindu ones and produced such localized forms of Hari-Hara. The Deopani Hari-Hara sculptures of the Doiyang Dhansiri Valley elucidate the syncretization of classical Brahmanical elements with tribal regional forms. While syncretism in the Khmer Empire was more political, more centrally driven and less successful than the one in the Brahmaputra Valley which was predominantly the result of protracted social contact and the Bhakti movement's stress on individual devotion and tolerance. The research article also shows how Hari-Hara became an important identity for religious and cultural syncretism in both regions, allowing the harmonious interaction of different religions and improving political authority. Analyzing artistic, architectural and socio-political aspects of Hari-Hara worship in this study reveals the values of syncretism as a function of integrationist in maintaining social cohesion as well as preserving the political authority. Finally, the comparison of the Brahmaputra Valley with mainland Southeast Asia brings further understanding of the processes that produce and sustain syncretic religious cultures, enriching religious diverse topographies of these areas.

Throughout human history, civilizations have repeatedly experienced cycles of prosperity and decline. These “golden ages”—whether based on cultural governance (文), military expansion (武), or commercial growth (商)—appear vibrant and successful on the surface, yet often collapse with startling similarity. This paper proposes a unified entropic framework to analyze the structural limitations of these three dominant civilizational models.
Drawing from thermodynamics, systems theory, and semantic drift analysis, we argue that the so-called “盛世” (golden age) is not a sustainable state but a high-energy, low-resilience phase that lacks embedded anti-entropy mechanisms. Heavy cultural states (重文) suffer from semantic rigidity and bureaucratic ossification; militaristic regimes (重武) from power overflow and social exhaustion; and commercialized societies (重商) from semantic void and value collapse. All three ultimately fail due to structural entropy accumulation and the absence of recursive responsibility chains.
We introduce the CRAEDM framework (Civilizational Responsibility Architecture Embedding Design Module) as a forward-looking system design capable of embedding responsibility, semantic coherence, and adaptive stability into civilizational infrastructure. Through the case study of the Mouse Utopia experiment, this paper draws a direct analogy between social entropy and modern civilizational decline, warning that humanity may face irreversible systemic failure within the next few decades if structural redesign is not urgently undertaken.

Every Indian home has one sacred space -a place where prayers are offered, peace is restored, and the heart feels grounded. That space is the mandir. Whether it's a small shelf in a studio apartment or a grand corner in a spacious house, the right mandir design for home brings positive energy and purpose to your interiors. At Saraf Furniture, we understand that a wooden mandir for home is not just another piece of furniture -it's a personal temple. It's where you begin your mornings, find clarity, and connect with something larger than life. So how do you choose the perfect one? Let's walk through it together. Why Is a Home Mandir So Important? A mandir is more than just a wooden structure. It represents sacred energy in the house. Many believe that having a pooja mandir for home brings spiritual well-being, peace of mind, and balance to everyday life. It's also a cultural symbol -one that has stood the test of time across generations. Whether you're following Vastu, prioritizing aesthetics, or simply need a peaceful corner, the right mandir design creates a sense of serenity that no other furniture can. Depending on your space, style, and beliefs, there are different kinds of mandir furniture for home to consider. Here's a quick guide:

According to a saying, ‘All roads lead to Rome’. The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata on similar lines appear to be the first indigenous texts that show up when looking for literature that is widely cited as a source of knowledge about statecraft, governance, and military manoeuvres. Verses from the different parts of Mahabharata are quoted in Kautilya’s Arthashastra, and therefore also highlight the Mahabharata's influence and importance. The distinctive qualities of the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Arthashastra are that they tell true tales of characters resolving conflicts with a range of morality and realism-based decision-making techniques. The research paper tries to offer insightful lessons from the two ancient epics and one treatise on statecraft in the world—the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and the Arthashastra about Indian strategic thinking and goal setting.

A gilded bronze sword, kept in the Museum of Fine Arts of Boston (Massachusetts) since the beginning of the 1970s, bears a short inscription of two lines in Old Khmer. A new reading of the inscription allows one to correct previous publications. A wrong reading, among other factors, has led to date the sword 862 saka/ 940 AD (under Jayavarman IV), and thus to provide "hard evidence for [the] use [of mercury-gilding for Khmer artifacts] during the tenth century". In fact, the inscription clearly bears the date 962 saka/1040-41 AD (under Suryavarman I).

In this paper we present an efficiently scaling quantum algorithm which finds the size of the maximum common edge subgraph for a pair of arbitrary graphs and thus provides a meaningful measure of graph similarity. The algorithm makes use of a two-part quantum dynamic process: in the first part we obtain information crucial for the comparison of two graphs through linear quantum computation. However, this information is hidden in the quantum system with vanishingly small amplitude that even quantum algorithms such as Grover's search are not fast enough to distill the information efficiently. In order to extract the information we call upon techniques in nonlinear quantum computing to provide the speed-up necessary for an efficient algorithm. The linear quantum circuit requires O(n 3 log 3 (n) log log(n)) elementary quantum gates and the nonlinear evolution under the Gross-Pitaevskii equation has a time scaling of O( g n 2 log 3 (n) log log(n)), where n is the number of vertices in each graph and g is the strength of the Gross-Pitaveskii non-linearity. Through this example, we demonstrate the power of nonlinear quantum search techniques to solve a subset of NP-hard problems.