Pala’s of Bengal

Palas [750 A.D. 1157 A.D.]

Shashanka (600 – 637A.D.)
↓
Palas (750 – 1159A.D.)
↓

Senas
Lalitaditya of Kashmir Thaneshwar of Pushwabhuti Chinese Attack
↓
Yashodharma of Kannauj → 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐥 ← Bhaskarvarma of Kamrup

Sources : Arya Manjushree Mulakalpa, Khalimpur Copper plate inscription

(Bihar), Ganjam edict (Odisha).

Presented by Rajib Sir # 1

  Palas = Protector (in Prakrit meaning)
 Pala kingdom included Bengal and Bihar i.e. Pataliputra, Ramavati
(Varendra), Monghyr (Munger), Tamratipti and Jagadal etc.
 Gopala ended the 'Matsyanyaya' and founded the Pala kingdom in
Bengal

Gopala was a Shudra

↑
By the Buddhist text
'Arya Manjushri Mulakalpa

Gopala was a Kshatriya

↑
By Abul-Fazl in
'Akbarnama'

′Matsyanyaya′
(The Principle of the Law of fish)
↑
Stopped by Gopala

 Language --- Prakrit & Pali

 Religious belief ----- Buddhism (Tantrika / Mahayanism)
 Capital ----- Munger of Bihar (Gaud).
 Name of Gopala's father ---- Vappata

Gopala (750 – 770 A.D.)

 Vappata, The father of Gopal, was a worrior.
 Gopala was the first elected king of Bengal (Mentioned by Kalahana in
his Rajtarangini).
 He destroyed the Khadga dynasty of eastern part of Bengal. Buddhist
Taranath stated that, Gopala built the famous Odontopuri University in
Bihar.
 Odontopuri was destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khalji

Dharmapala (770 – 810 A.D.)

 He formed the Vikramashila University, and was titled as 'Vikramshila'
(Bhagalpur of Bihar) [Destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khalji]
 Atisha & Naropa were related to this University as the scholars.
 He founded the Somapuri University also (at Paharpur of Eastern Part
of Bengal)
 He granted 200 Villages to Nalanda University.

Presented by Rajib Sir # 2

 Partiharas (Gujarat) ← Tri − Partile Struggle → Palas (Bengal)
↓
Rastrakutas (South)

 He initially defeated Pratihara king Vatsyaraja and Rastrakuta king

Dhruva, and built a mighty empire in northern India. Again he defeated
the Pratihara King Nagabhatta-II.

 He established a marital relation with the Rastrakutas and married

Rastrakuta Princes Ronnadevi (daughter of Govinda-III)
 Name of his Brahmin Prime Minister was Garga.
 He is known as the best king (Pala)
 Dharmapala’s another tittle was ‘Uttarapatha Swami’ that was given by
king Nagabhatra’s court poet Soddhala in his text Udaysundari Kavya.
 Dharmapala captured Kannauj and converted a grand darbar over there
stated by the Khalimpur copper Plate inscription.
 His other titles → Parambhattaraka, Parameshwar, Maharajadhiraja.
 He founded around 50 Mahavihars.
 Haribhadra, a Buddhist saint and poet wrote Astashahastrika
Pragyaparamita, was a famous courtier of Dharmapala.
 Palas-Pratihars and Rastrakutas started to fought together during the
reign of Dharmapala (8th to 10th Century A.D.).
Pala → Dharmapala
 Pratihara → Vatsaraja
Rastrakuta → Dhruva
 His Brahmin minister was Garga and his son Darbhavapani.

Devapala (810-850 AD.)

He built the most powerful Pala Kingdom

Expanded Area
Nepal (Terai)

Gujarat Kamrup (Pragjyotishpur) &

(Utkala Orissa)

Ujjain

Probably he defeated the Gurjar king Mihir Bhoja, Hunas and Dravids.
His Court Poet was Vajradatta, was an author of Lokeshvara Sataka.
He defeated Rastrakutaraja Amoghavarsha
Presented by Rajib Sir # 3
Arab merchant Sulaiman was visited in Pala era.
Source : Badal Pillar edict (by Bhatta Gurubmishra).
 He was the son of Dharmapala and Romadevi
 He captured Assam, Odisha and Kamrup.
 He constructed several monasteries, including temples in Magadha.
 He granted five villages to the Shailendra king Valaputradeva at
Nalanda to built a Buddhist monastery.
 Darvapani was the Prime Minister of Devapala, and Darvapani was the
son of Garga (Minister of Dharmapala).

Mahipala-I (977-1027 A.D.)

 He was the founder of the second phase Pala Kingdom.
 He was defeated by the Chola King Rajendra Chola, who captured
Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and was titled as 'Gangaikonda'.
 He was succeeded by Mahipala-II.
 He captured Varanasi along with his brothers.
 He is called as the second founder of Pala dynasty in Bengal.
 He was the contemporary of Rajendra Chola Gangaikonda and Sultan
Mahmud of Ghazni.
 He appointed Atish Dipankar as the Chancellor of Vikramashila.

Mahipala-II (1070-1075 C.E.)

 He was the successor of Pala King Vigrahapala_III
 He was defeated and killed by the Kaivarta rebel leader Divya Varendra.

Ramapala (1077-1130 C.E.)

 Last important Pala king who occupied Kamrup and Kalinga.
 He defeated Kaivartya king Divya Varendra.
 [Sandhyakar Nandi wrote Ramcharit’]
 Famous Painters Dhiman and Bitapala over there.
 He was the last important Pala king, who destroyed the Kaivarta revolt.
 He built his new capital at Ramavati (between Ganga and Karatoya
rivers)
 His court Poet Sandhyakar Nandi wrote the allegorical text Ramcharit.
 He used the term ‘Anikam Dharmabiplabam’ (Unholly revolt) about the
Kaivarta rebellion.
 The king captured Kamrup and Kalinga.
 He established the Jagaddal Mahavihara (1084-1207).
The ast Pala king was 𝐚 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐚 −

Presented by Rajib Sir # 4

 Kaivarta Revolt (1075-1082 C.E.)
 It is called also as Varendra Rebellion.
 It was started during Mahipala-II and destroyed by Rampala.
 The rebellion was initiated by Divya/Divya Varendra (Kaivarta by
Caste).
 Kaivartas were the semi-tribal fisherman/Peasant community.
 Divya was succeeded by his brother Rudraka and his son Bhima.
 Kaivarat Pillar in in Dinajpur. (Image)

Some important Points on Palas :

 Pala Period is called as the Golden Age of Bengal.
 Vikram Shila Mahavihar was destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khalji.
 Sailendra King Balaputradeva of Java sent an ambassador to
Devapala.
 Famous Bengal Scholar Atish Dipankar, was the contemporary of
Pala King Mahipala.
Administration of Pala Empire
 Pala dynasty created its administration model based on the Gupta
empire's administrative practices.
 The Pala Dynasty had a monarchical administrative structure. All power
was concentrated in the hands of the king or monarch.
 Parameshwar, Paramvattaraka, or Maharajadhiraja were offered to the
Pala rulers.
 In the Pala dynasty, the throne was passed down through the generations.
 The King was aided by a group of ministers who were hereditary and
nominated by the King from prominent families.
 Some provinces in the Pala empire were under the direct rule of the King,
while others were under the control of Vassal chiefs.
 The regions governed by the Vassal chiefs were granted autonomy. They
provided the King with fixed contributions and troops.
 The Pala empire's lands that were managed directly were divided into many
provinces known as Bhuktis and governed by officials known as Uparika.
 Uparika collected the levy and preserved the province's law and order.
 These Bhuktis (Provinces) were further segmented into Vishaya
(Divisions) and Mandala (Districts).
 Further. they were divided into smaller units like Khandala, Bhaga, Avritti,
Chaturaka, and Pattaka.

Presented by Rajib Sir # 5

 Atish Dipankar Srigyan
(980-1053 C.E.)

 Adinath Chandragarbha.
 He was born at Vijrayogini village near Dhaka.
 Mahipala appointed him a chancellor of Vikramshila Mahavihara in
Bhagalpur, Bihar.
 He was deputed as a professor and chancellor for 15 years of
odontopuri and sompuri vihars.
 In 1043 he went to Tibet for the Preaching of Buddhism.
 He preached in Sumatra also.
 One of his famous book is Bodhipradipa.

 Charyapada, the oldest Bengali text was written in Pala era by the
Buddhist Saints.
 Arab merchant Sulaima (951 A.D.) referred to the Pala Kingdom as Ruhmi
or Rahma.
 Gaudpada composed ‘Agama Shastra’ during Palas.
 Palas scholar Chakrapani Datta wrote Chikitsa-Sangraha.
 Dhiman and Bitapala were the famous architects and artists.
 Bhitari inscription narrates about Devapala.
 Tantrika Buddhism esp Vajrayana, Kalachakrayana became very much
popular.
 The Pala art influenced Sri Lanka, Burma and Java.

Presented by Rajib Sir # 6