for students of BA II Sem BHU

1. SemII
Unit I: Palas
By
Prachi Virag Sontakke

3. Introduction
• Political disintegration in Bengal after death of Shashank.
• A period of anarchy for a period of almost 100 years.
• Many small kingdoms
• Fighting for supremacy
• Heroic & Laudable effort : Rise of Palas
• Placed Bengal as seat of Power.
• Period of cultural prosperity.
• Impetus to growth of education, arts & crafts.
• Patronage to Buddhism.

4. Sources
• Badal inscription.
• Khalimpur inscription.
• Bhagalpur inscription.
• Mungyer inscription
• Gwalior Prashasti
• Radhanpur inscription
• Sanjan Copper Plate
• Aryamanjushrimulkalpa.
• Tibetan sources
• Coins
• Archaeological remains.

6. Vikramshila University

7. Odantpuri University

8. Somnathpur Mahavihara

9. Jagdalpur University

10. Origin of Palas
• Khalimpur inscription: To eradicate contemporary political confusion &
matsyanyay, Prakrutis chose Gopal as King.
• Taranath: Gopal was chosen as Bengal king in times of political chaos.

11. Caste of Palas
• Taranath: Gopal was born of union between a kshatriya mother and a tree in
Pundravardhan.
• Ashtsaahstrika Pragyapaarmita: Dharampal called Rajbhataadivanshpatita.
• Rajbhataadivanshpatita =
• 1. Military officer of king?
• 2. Of Rajbhat dynasty?
• 3. Derogatory term?
• Khalimpur inscription: Mother of Dharampal called Bhadraatmjaa.
• Bhadraatmjaa = Of Bhadra dynasty?

12. Caste of Palas
• Palas don’t attribute themselves to either Surya or Chandravamshi in their
inscriptions.
• Aryamanjushrimulkalpa: Gopal belonged to Daaskula.
• Probably belonged to some low caste or were result of Aprashasht marriage.
• Tibetan legends: Mythical origin from tree.
• Vallalcharita: Palas called lowest amongst Kshatriyas.

13. Original homeland
• Rampalcharita: Vaarendra (North Bengal)= Paternal homeland of Palas.
• Kamauli inscription: Kaivart (North Bengal) = Paternal homeland
• Gwalior Prashasti: Palas are called Vangapati.
• R.C.Majumdar: Original homeland = Eastern & southern Bengal.
• Rashtrakuta inscriptions: Palas called as Gaudadhipati.
• Analysis: Homeland North Bengal or East/Southern Bengal (Vang)?

14. Gopal (c.740-770CE)
• Gopal ended the political chaos in Bengal: Founder of Pala dyansty
• No info about his early life.
• Probably a leading chief who had made his mark as a general.
• Taranath: Gopal established Nalanda vihar near Odantpuri.
• V.P.Sinha: Magadh was under his control.
• Munger Copper plate: Gopal conquered whole earth till sea.
• Exaggerartion.
• Aryamanjushrimulkalpa: Died at the banks of Ganga.
• Taranath: Ruled for 45 years.
• Aryamanjushrimulkalpa: Ruled for 27 years.

15. Dharampala (c.770-810CE)
• Received a well administered kingdom in Bengal.
• Used his capabilities to expand his dominion.
• Remarkable career.
• Called Hero of hundred fights.
• Powerful contemporaries.
• Rashtrakutas - Gurjar Pratiharas.
• Struggle inevitable

16. Dharampala & Gurjar Pratiharas: Stage I
• Radhanpur inscription: Vatsaraja took 2 white parasols from Gaudaraja.
• 2 white parasols = Ganga Yamuna doab
• Gaudaraja = Dharampala.
• Prithvirajvijaya: Vatsaraj helped by his Chahman feudatory Durlabhraja.
• Established Indrayuddha on Kannauj throne.
• Victory of Vatsaraj over Dharampala = not definitive

17. Dharampala & Gurjar Pratiharas: Stage II
• Khalimpur inscription: King of Avanti (= Vatsaraj) was forced to attend
the coronation darbar in Kannauj organised by Pala king Dharampala.

18. Dharampala & Rashtrakutas: Stage I
• Sanjan copper plate: Rashtrakuta Dhruva defeated Dharampala.
• Battle fought somewhere in Ganga-Yamuna doab.
• Bhandarkar: Dharampala allied with Vatsaraja against Dhruva.
• Not backed by evidence.

19. Dharampala’s Digvijiay
• Khalimpur inscription + Bhagalpur inscription: Dharampal left his rightful claim on throne of Kannauj
in favour of Chakrayuddha.
• Organised coronation for Chakrayuddha.
• Sanjan copper plate & Gwalior Prashasti: verifies Chakrayuddha = king of Kannauj
• Somewhere after 783 CE.
• Khalimpur inscription: Darbar attended by kings of Bhoja, Matsya, Madra, Kuru, Yadu, Avanti, Yavan,
Gandhar, Kir.
• No idea if these kings were defeated or they themselves accepted Pala sovereignty in fear.
• Vatsaraja was forced to attend this assembly.
• Mungyr inscription: Dharampala’s soldiers bathed in waters of Gokarna & Kedar.

20. Identification of places
• Bhoja = near Vidarbha
• Matsya = Jaipur, Bharatpur, Alwar
• Yadu = Mathura
• Avanti = Malva
• Kuru = Delhi, Indraprastha
• Yavan = Arabs of Sindh
• Gandhar = NW Punjab
• Keer = Kangda, Himachal
• Kedar & Gokarna = Himachal

21. Extent after Digvijaya
• Zenith of his power: 785-800 CE
• Direct control: Whole of Bengal & Bihar.
• Area of influence: western Bihar to Panchal under Chakrayuddha.
• Poet Soddhal calls him Uttarapathswami.
• Helped in his conquests by his younger brother Vaakapala.
• Probaly Vaakapala also functioned as his commander in chief of army.

22. Dharampala & Gurjar Pratiharas: Stage III
• Gwalior Prashasti + Buchkala inscription: Nagabhatta II defeated king Chakrayuddha of
Kannauj.
• Acquired throne of Kannauj & took the title ‘Parambhattaraka Maharajadhiraja
Parmeshwar’.
• Gwalior Prashasti: Nagabhatta II defeated Pala king of Gaud, Dharampala.
• Jodhpur inscription: This battle was fought in Munger.
• Baroda inscription + Chatsu inscription + Jodhpur Inscription: Nagabhatta II helped by his
samantas Kakka, Bahukdhawal & Shankargana.
• Gwalior Prashasti: Annexed hilly forts of Aanarta, Malwa, Kirat, Turushq, Vatsa & Matsya.
• Khalimpur inscription: These areas were formerly under Pala king Dharampala.

23. Aftermath of Defeat by Nagabhatta II
• Sanjan copper Plate + Radhanpur inscription + Pathari pillar inscription:
Nagabhatta II himself attacked by Rashtrakuta Govinda III.
• R.C.Majumdara + V.P.Sinha: Dharampala successfully reacquired parts of
his kingdom.
• V.S.Pathak: Unsuccessful in this attempt on account of his old age.
• Lost his prestige and status as king of whole of north India.

24. Dharampala & Rashtrakutas: Stage II
• Sanjan copper plate: Dharampala and Chakrayuddha themselves submitted to Govind III.
• Why?
• R.D.Benerji: After suffering defeat at the hands of Nagabhatta II, it was wise to not
challenge Rashtrakutas.
• Political wisdom.
• Date of north Indian campaign of Govind III: before 802 CE
• Aftermath of Rashtrakuta attack: Not much.

25. Tripartite struggle: Dharampala
• Pratihara king Vatsaraj defeated Indrayuddha
• Pratihara king Vatsaraja defeated Pala king Dharampal
• Rashtrakuta king Dhruva defeated Pratihara king Vatasaraja
• Rashtrakuta king Dhruva defeated Pala king Dharampala
• Pala king Dharampala established Chakrayuddha on Kannauj throne
• Pratihara king Vatsaraj forced to attend
• Pratihara king Nagabhatta II defeated Charayuddha + Pala king Dharampala
• Rashtrakuta king Govind III defeated Pratihara king Nagabhatta II

26. Dharampala and Tibet
• Tibetan sources: Dharampala accepted sovereignty of Tibetan king.
• Must have happened in later part of his reign.
• Could not safeguard his kingdom due to his old age.
• Others: Claims not backed by evidence.

27. Cultural Accomplishments
• Bhagalpur inscription: Praises his success and sense of justice
• Nalanda inscription: Titles Parambhattaraka, Parmeshwar, Maharajadhiraja
• Bhagalpur inscription: Title Samkarah
• Organised pompous darbaras at Kannauj & Patiliputra.
• Patron of Education: Constructed Vikramshila University.
• Taranath: Dharampala founded 50 religious schools.
• Patron of Buddhism.
• Established Vaarendri, Soyyapur Viharas.
• Tolerant of other religions.

28. Devapala (c.810-850CE)
• S/O Dharampala and Rashtrakuta princess.
• Worthy son of a worthy father.
• Inherited a stable empire.
• Biggest conqueror of his dynasty.
• Suleiman: Pala troops outnumbered than those of their enemies Pratiharas &
Rashtrakutas
• Aggressive imperialistic policy.
• Took titles of Parambhattaraka, Parmeshwar, Maharajadhiraja.

29. Imperialistic conquests
• Spent many years of his life on battlefield.
• Badal pillar inscription: Exacted tributes from Himalayas to Vindhyas & from Eastern
to western ocean.
• Munger copper plate: Victory campaigns led him as far as Kambhoj and Vindyas.
• Badal pillar inscription: Exterminated Utkalas, conquered Pragjyotishpur (Assam),
curbed the Huna pride, destroyed the haughtiness of Pratihara and Dravid lords.
• Altekar: Dravid king = Rashtrakuta Amoghvarsh?
• Others: Dravid king = Pandya king Sri Maar Sri Vallabha?
• V.P.Sinha: Dravid king = Pallava.
• Bhagalpur inscription: King of Utkal flee his capital & Pragjyotish king accepted his
soverginity.
• Helped in his victories by council of his ministers, Darbhapani, his grandson
Kedarmishra & his brave cousin Jayapala.

30. Pala Pratihara struggle
• Contemporary Pratihara king = Mihirbhoja = Powerful
• Both dynasties assert their victory.
• Gwalior inscription: Rajlaxmi of Devapal went to Bhoja.
• Badal pillar inscription : Devapal crushed the pride of Gurjarnatha.
• Devapala = Contemporary of Nagabhatta II,Rambhadra, Mihirbhoja
• R.S.Tripathi + R.C.Majumdar: Gurjarnath = Mihirbhoja.
• Devalpala victorious in early days of Mihirbhoja.
• Mihirbhoja victorious in later phase
• Chatsu inscription: Mihirbhoja assisted by his Guhil samant Harshraj.
• Kahla inscription: Kalchuri samant Gunambodhideva accompanied Mihirbhoja in his
conquest against Palas

31. Tripartite struggle: Devapala
• Pala king Devapala defeated Pratihara king Mihirbhoja
• Pratihara king Mihirbhoja defeated Pala king Devapala.s
• Rashtrakuta king Dhruv II defeated Pratihara king Mihirbhoja
• Pratihara king Bhoja defeated Rashtrakuta king Krishna II.

32. Extent of empire
• R.C.Majumdar: Kingdom extended from Assam to Kashmir. His armies
even marched till kamboja ans southern shores.
• R.S.Tripathi + Keelhorn: Details of imperialistic conquests are
exaggerations.

33. Diplomatic relations
• Nalanda copper plate: King Baalputradeva of Shailendra dynasty sent
an ambassador to court of Devapala
• Requesting grant of 5 villages to endow a monastery in Nalanda.
• Goshrawa stone inscription : Buddhist priest from Nagarhala
(Jelalabaad) appointed at Nalanda.

34. Remarks
• Ruled as paramount ruler of northern India
• Long reign of 40 years.
• Direct rule over Bihar-Bengal
• Area of influence till Kamboja.
• Led his armies till Sindhu – a feat no Bengal king could lay claim to.
• Successfully tackled 3 generations of Prataihara kings.
• Patron of Buddhism: gave grants to Nalanda & Vikramshila universities.

35. Decline of Palas
Weak & incompetent successors
Growing power of Pala Feudatories
Rise of Powerful contemporary dynasties: Kalchuri, Gahadwal
Weaking of admininstartion and economy

36. Fall of Palas
• Devapala succeeded by Vakapala.
• Probably his nephew or son.
• Abdicated the throne to become an ascetic.
• His son Narayanapala = a pacifist
• Rule of these 2 unmartial rulers: Pala empire’s disintegration.
• Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas took advantage.
• Magadh lost to Pratiharas.
• For some time even northern Bengal went in hands of Mahendrapala.
• But Narayanpala re-established Pala supremacy in Bihar-Bengal.
• Matrimonial alliance with Rashtrakutas.

37. Fall of Palas: Rise of Pala feudatories
• Triumph of Pratiharas encouraged other subordinate chiefs.
• Pala feudatories in Assam assumed imperial titles.
• Shailodbhavas of Odisa overthrew the yoke of Palas.

38. Fall of Palas: Rashtrakutas
• Sirur inscription of Amoghvarsha: Kings of Anga, Vanga, Magadh
worshipped him.
• R.C.Majumdar: Amoghvarsha attacked Palas.
• Inscription of Krishna III: Krishna II’s command followed by Anga,
Kalinga, Ganga, Magadh.

39. Fall of Palas : Rising Pratihara feudatories
• Reign of Rajyapala, Gopal II, Vigrahapala II: 80 years
• Collapse of Pratiharas = Respite for Palas?
• Suffered equally from new powers that arose out of Pratihara ruins.
• Chandella + Kalchuri records: Defeat inflicted by their rulers upon Gaud,
Radh, Anga, Vangal.
• Mention of these separate units = Disintegration of Pala kingdom into several
principalities.

40. Resurgence : Mahipala I
• New lease of life for Palas.
• 2nd founder of Palas.
• Made of sterner stuff than his predecessors.
• Succeeded in recovering old glory of Palas.
• Banagarh inscription + Baghora inscription: Within 3 years of his reign,
reacquired whole of north & east Bengal.
• Constructed & renovated temples in Nalanada, Bodhgaya, Sarnath.
• Kurkihara bronzes from Gaya.

41. Attacks on Mahipal’s kingdom
1. Tiruvalangadu copper plates + Karandai inscription: commander of Rajendra
chola’s army defeated Gaud king and snatched numeorus elephants, maidens and
immense wealth from him.
• Hurried raid by Cholas.
• Probably Mahipala had to flee.
• Still no permanent effect of Chola attack and ensuing defeat on Mahipala’s
kingdom.
2.Goharwa inscription: Gangeyadeva Kalchuri defeated Angaraj.
• Angaraj = Mahipala ?

42. Final days
• Rise of Varman and Sena dynasty in Bengal.
• Pressure of Gahadwalas of Kashi-Kannauj.
• By 1124 CE, Gahadwalas took most of the areas till Patna.
• Madanpala’s rule limited to only central & eastern Bihar.
• Last Pala king = Govindapala.