The Figure of Indra in “Sombat Amarin Khamklon”: Divine Kingship and Ideology in Early Thai Literature

Abstract

This article aims to analyze Sombat Amarindra Kham Klon as an Early Rattanakosin literary work that represents Indra as a symbol of power and political legitimacy. The study employs content analysis and symbolic interpretation in conjunction with historical, political, and artistic contexts. The findings reveal that the text positions Indra not merely as a divine helper but as the central figure of a cosmological order that mirrors human political structures. Indra embodies both the possession of celestial treasures and the merit-based authority (bun-ya-thikan) regarded as the foundation of legitimate rulership. Such representation demonstrates a deliberate reconfiguration of the cosmological order aligned with the political ideology of early Bangkok. The study concludes that this literary work functions not only as an aesthetic creation but also as an ideological instrument that shaped cultural perceptions of power and legitimacy in the formative period of the Thai state.