Post Gupta - Pala Dynasty

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  •  After the death of Harsha, the Pratiharas (Jalore-Rajasthan), the Palas (Bengal) and the Rashtrakutas (Deccan) engaged in a triangular contest for the control of the Ganga–Yamuna doab and the lands adjoining it.
  • Palas Controlled vast area of the eastern Gangatic plain. Ruled eastern india from pataliputra between the ninth and the early twelfth century.
  • Languages – Snaskrit, Prakrit & Pali.
  • Follow Mahayana Buddhism. Buddhism in Bengal provided a link between eastern India and Java and Sumatra.
Pala rule in Bengal
  • Sashanka, the Gauda ruler (590 and 625 CE) - first prominent king of ancient Bengal.
  • After the fall of the Gauda kingdom, there was no central authority,
  • So, in 750 CE, a group of chiefs met and decided on a “Kshatriya chief” named Gopala to be their ruler.
Pala Rulers
Dharmapala (770 – 815 CE)
  • Gopala I was succeeded by his son Dharmapala (770–815 CE) – Title parameswara, paramabhattaraka & Maharajadhiraja.
  • Ruled Area
  • Directly Ruled – Bengal & Bihar.
  • His Nominee – Kanauj.
  • His Suzerainty – Rulers of Punjab, Rajaputana, Malwa & Berar.
  • Founded the Vikaramasila monastery in Bhagalpur district in Bihar. Build monastery at Odantapuri in Bihar.
  • Built a grand vihara at Somapura in modern Paharapura.
  • Patron Buddhism & Harisbhadra (Buddhist writer).
Devapala
  • Dharmapala’s son Devapala extended Pala control eastwards up to Kamarupa (Assam). He defeated Amoghavarsha, the Rashtrakuta ruler, by allying with all the states that regarded the Rashtrakutas as their common enemy.
  • Patron of Buddhism.
  • granted five villages to Balaputradeva, the king of the Sailendra dynasty of Suvarnadipa (Sumatra), to maintain a monastery built by him at Nalanda.
Vigramapala
  • Vigramapala rule few years and went to ascetic life.
  • So, his son Narayanapala (Man of pacific and Religious disposition).
  • The Rashtrakutas and the Pratiharas took advantage of Narayanapala’s disposition and defeated the Palas.
  • So petty chief asserting their independence.
Other Rulers
  • Pala dynasty accelerate during the rule of three successors – Rajyapala, Gopala III, Vigramapala III.
  • Mahipala, son of Vigramapala II. Invasion of north India by Rajendra Chola (B/w 1020 and 1025 CE)
  • Ramapala, last ruler tried to recover the lost glory of the dynasty.
  • Vijayasena of the Sena dynasty who had become powerful in northern Bengal expelled the last ruler Madanapala (1130-1150 CE).
Religion
  • Patrons of Mahayana Buddhism. The Buddhist philosopher Haribhadra was the spiritual preceptor of Dharmapala.
Art and Architecture
  • Dhiman & his son Vitapala. They were painters, Sclupture & Bronze statue makers.
  • Pala school of sculpture art was influenced by Gupta Art.
  • Manipala I – Construct and repair several structure at Sarnath, Nalanda & Bodh Gaya.
  • Gopala founded the famous monastery at Odantapura (Bihar).
  • Dharmapala established the Vikramashila and the Somapura Mahaviharas (Bangladesh).
Literature
  • Pala texts
    • AgamaShastraby Gaudapada,
    • NyayaKundaliby Sridhar Bhatta.
  • Many texts on medicine were compiled by Chakrapani Datta, Sureshwar Gadadhara Vaidya & Jimutavahana.
  • Patronised Sanskrit scholars.
  • The “Mahipalageet” (songs on Mahipala), a set of folk songs, are still popular in the rural areas of Bengal.
  • Sandhyakar Nandi’s epic Ramacharitam, a biography of a later Pala ruler Ramapala.

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