Purnawarman

Tugu inscription now displayed in National Museum, mentioned about King Purnawarman of Tarumanagara

Purnawarman or Purnavarman was the 5th-century king of Tarumanagara, a Hindu Indianized kingdom, located in modern-day West Java, Jakarta and Banten provinces, Indonesia.[1] Purnawarman reigned during the 5th century, and during his reign he created several stone inscriptions.

According to these inscriptions he embarked on a hydraulic project[2]: 53–54  and also identified himself to Vishnu, which indicates him and his kingdom were adhering to the Vishnuite faith. King Purnawarman established a new capital city for the kingdom, located somewhere near present-day Tugu (North Jakarta) or Bekasi.

His name in Sanskrit means "perfect shield" or "complete protector". Later Tarumanagaran kings are only known from their names, all bear the name warman (Sanskrit: varman means "shield" or "protector") which suggests that all of them belongs to the same dynasty.[citation needed]

  1. ^ Drs. R. Soekmono. Pengantar Sejarah Kebudayaan Indonesia 2, 2nd ed (in Indonesian) (1973, 5th reprint edition in 1988 ed.). Yogyakarta: Penerbit Kanisius. p. 36.
  2. ^ Coedès, George (1968). Walter F. Vella (ed.). The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. trans.Susan Brown Cowing. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-0368-1.