The Palas
An exhaustive UPSC study guide on the Pala Dynasty of Bengal and Bihar (750-1161 CE). Master the election of Gopala, Tripartite Struggle, Dharmapala's revival of Vikramashila, international relations with Tibet/Java, and the Pala school of art & sculpture.
1. Origin, Election of Gopala, and Capitals
Following the death of King Shashanka of Gauda in the early 7th century, Bengal entered a dark period of political fragmentation and lawlessness for about a century. This state of anarchy was known as Matsyanyaya (the law of the fish, where the strong devour the weak). Around 750 CE, to end this chaos, the leading citizens and chieftains of Bengal elected a military commander named Gopala as their king. This election represents one of the earliest democratic/consensual choices of a monarch in Indian history.
Gopala established the Pala Dynasty (named after the suffix 'pala' meaning protector). The Pala capitals shifted over time, including Pataliputra, Gauda, and Mudgagiri (modern Munger, Bihar) under Devapala.
2. Rulers and Political History
The Pala Dynasty produced several powerful rulers who dominated northern and eastern India:
- Gopala (c. 750-770 CE): Established order in Bengal, unified East and West Bengal, and founded the monastic university of Odantapuri in Bihar.
- Dharmapala (c. 770-810 CE): The real architect of Pala imperial power. He took advantage of the weakness of the Ayudha rulers of Kannauj, conquered Kannauj, and held a grand darbar there, installing Chakrayudha. This drew him into the Tripartite Struggle against Vatsaraja (Pratihara) and Dhruva (Rashtrakuta). He was a devout Buddhist and founded Vikramashila University (a center for Vajrayana Buddhism) and the magnificent Somapura Mahavihara (Paharpur, Bangladesh).
- Devapala (c. 810-850 CE): The empire reached its greatest geographical extent under his reign. He conquered Pragjyotisha (Assam), Utkala (Odisha), and parts of modern Nepal. He moved the capital to Munger. Devapala was visited by envoys from the Sailendra Dynasty of Java (King Balaputradeva) and granted five villages for the upkeep of a Buddhist monastery at Nalanda.
- Mahipala I (c. 988-1038 CE): After a period of weak successors and invasions by Gurjara-Pratiharas, Mahipala I restored the fortunes of the dynasty, earning him the title of the 'Second Founder'. He defended Bengal against the invasion of Rajendra Chola I (c. 1023 CE).
- Ramapala (c. 1077-1130 CE): The last great ruler of the dynasty. He crushed the Kaivarta rebellion (a rebellion by the Kaivarta community of fishermen/peasants led by Divya) in Varendra. He founded the Jagaddala Mahavihara. His exploits are recorded in the biography Ramacharita by Sandhyakar Nandi.
3. Cultural Contribution: Universities and Tibetan Missions
The Pala era is historically celebrated for its outstanding contribution to the spread of Buddhism and Sanskrit literature:
The Great Monasteries (Mahaviharas)
The Palas constructed and patronized several massive monastic centers of higher learning, which attracted students from Tibet, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia:
- Vikramashila (Bhagalpur, Bihar): Founded by Dharmapala. It became the premier university of Vajrayana Buddhism, specializing in tantric studies.
- Odantapuri (Bihar Sharif): Founded by Gopala. It was a massive university containing thousands of monks and served as the model for the first Tibetan monastery, Samye.
- Somapura (Paharpur, Bangladesh): Founded by Dharmapala. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it influenced Southeast Asian temple architecture.
- Jagaddala (Varendra, West Bengal): Founded by Ramapala. A major center for translation of Buddhist texts into Tibetan.
Ties with Tibet
The Palas sent prominent Buddhist scholars to Tibet to reform and spread Buddhism. Santaraksita and his disciple Kamalasila established the first monastery in Tibet in the 8th century. In the 11th century, the Vikramashila scholar Atisha Dipankara Srijnana traveled to Tibet at the invitation of the Tibetan king and wrote key texts reforming Tibetan Buddhist practices.
4. Pala Art and Sculpture School
The Pala period witnessed the development of a distinct school of sculptural art, specializing in stone and metal casting:
- Black Basalt Stone: Sculptures were carved out of fine-grained black basalt stone found in Rajmahal Hills. These are characterized by highly polished surfaces, detailed jewelry, and graceful poses.
- Bronze Casting: The Palas perfected the lost-wax process of bronze casting. Famous artists Dhiman and Vitapala (father and son from Nalanda) were patronized by Dharmapala and Devapala and acted as pioneers of this style.
- Terracotta Plaques: Terracotta art was used extensively on the walls of temples and viharas (especially at Somapura), depicting scenes of daily life, deities, and folklore.
- Illustrated Manuscripts: The earliest examples of miniature painting in India are the illustrated Buddhist palm-leaf manuscripts of the Pala period (e.g., Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita), characterized by sinuous lines and subdued colors.
Historical Chronology & Milestones
- Election of Gopala & Matsyanyaya End — c. 750 CE: Elected by the citizens/nobles to end a century of anarchy (Matsyanyaya) in Bengal. Founded the Pala dynasty and established Odantapuri Vihara.
- Dharmapala & Imperial Expansion — c. 770 - 810 CE: Greatest political expansion. Intervened in Kannauj, placing Chakrayudha on the throne. Founded Vikramashila University and Somapura Mahavihara.
- Devapala & Global Ties — c. 810 - 850 CE: Shifted capital to Munger. Patronized Nalanda and built a monastery at the request of King Balaputradeva of Sailendra dynasty (Java), granting five villages for its maintenance.
- Mahipala I & Revival — c. 988 - 1038 CE: Known as the second founder of the dynasty. Recovered Pala territories from invaders. Resisted the northern expedition of Chola Emperor Rajendra I.
- Ramapala & Kaivarta Rebellion — c. 1077 - 1130 CE: Crushed the Kaivarta rebellion (vassal revolt) in Varendra, recorded by Sandhyakar Nandi in Ramacharita. Founded Jagaddala Vihara. Last strong Pala ruler.
Key Questions & Answers
- What is the historical meaning of 'Matsyanyaya' and how did it end in Bengal?
- Matsyanyaya refers to the 'law of the fish' (anarchy, where the strong devour the weak). It ended in c. 750 CE when the chiefs/nobles of Bengal elected Gopala to restore order, founding the Pala dynasty.
- Which Sailendra king of Java requested a land grant from Devapala, and what was its purpose?
- King Balaputradeva. He requested Devapala to grant five villages for the maintenance of a monastery he built at Nalanda.
- Who were Dhiman and Vitapala, and what was their contribution to early medieval art?
- They were father and son bronze-casters and stone sculptors from Bengal during the reigns of Dharmapala and Devapala, who founded the Pala school of sculptural art.
- Which literary work describes the Kaivarta Rebellion and who is its author?
- Ramacharita, a Sanskrit biographical poem written in double entendre (matching Rama of Ayodhya and King Ramapala of Bengal), written by Sandhyakar Nandi.
- Which Pala ruler was defeated by Chola Emperor Rajendra I during his expedition to the Ganges?
- Mahipala I. Rajendra I took the title 'Gangaikonda Chola' after this successful campaign.
Memory Aids
- Pala Buddhist Universities: Odantapuri (Gopala) -> Vikramashila (Dharmapala) -> Somapura (Dharmapala) -> Jagaddala (Ramapala)
- Core Rulers Chronology: Gopala -> Dharmapala -> Devapala -> Mahipala I -> Ramapala
- Scholars sent to Tibet: Atisha Dipankara -> Santaraksita -> Kamalasila (Pala Buddhist missionaries to Tibet)
Common Exam Traps
- Trap: Confusing the founders of the various Buddhist Mahaviharas. Gopala founded Odantapuri, Dharmapala founded Vikramashila and Somapura, and Ramapala founded Jagaddala. Do not assign Vikramashila to Gopala or Devapala.
- Trap: Believing the Palas were orthodox Hindus. Although they made grants to Brahmins, the Palas were devout patrons of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. They are credited with the expansion of Buddhism to Tibet and Southeast Asia.
- Trap: Assuming Nalanda University was founded by the Palas. Nalanda was founded much earlier in the 5th century CE by Kumaragupta I of the Gupta Dynasty. The Palas only patronized and revived it, and founded new universities like Vikramashila.
- Trap: Confusing the traveler Sulaiman's accounts. Sulaiman visited northern India in the 9th century and referred to the Pala Empire as 'Ruhmi' (or Dharma, short for Dharmapala), describing their huge army and massive elephant force.
- Trap: Believing the Kaivarta rebellion occurred during Dharmapala's reign. The Kaivarta rebellion was a peasant/vassal revolt that occurred much later during the reign of Mahipala II and was eventually crushed by Ramapala. It is documented in Sandhyakar Nandi's Ramacharita.