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Bengal has been long ruled by many dynasties, both of native and foreign origins. Among one of the oldest to rule all over Bengal for centuries, the name of the Pala dynasty will always come first. Buddhists and Bengali people alike have always revered the Pala dynasty’s name. Founded by Gopala, the first Buddhist king of Bengal, the Pala dynasty rose as an imperial power in Bengal during the Late Classical period (8th to 12th century) on the Indian subcontinent.

Matsyanyaya

Before the Palas came Bengal (the then Kingdom of Gauda) was ruled by Shashanka. He successfully unified Bengal and transformed it into a single political entity. However, his death without an issue left the vassals and chieftains amidst conflict and confusion. This quickly turned into a state of anarchy as the more powerful chieftains began sacking the inferior families and tribes. Historically known as Matsya Nyaya (a Sanskrit phrase translating as ‘fish justice’ i.e. the nature of fishes in which the big fishes prey on the smaller ones), this anarchy lasted for about a century before Gopala came into the scenario.

Election & Ascension

Due to the raging internal conflict and lack of central authority, the kingdom of Gauda became extremely vulnerable to foreign invasions. Having had enough of the chaos, the leading figures of the state assembled and agreed upon an election in which Gopala won and ascended the throne of Gauda as King. This event was politically significant since Gopala was elected democratically by independent political figures in the first place.

In support of this event, the Khalimpur copper plate suggests the same. It states that the Prakriti (people) elected him as king. According to the Tibetian Buddhist lama Taranatha, who wrote 800 years later, the event was solely democratic. However, he described the event as a form of a legend rather than as facts from history.

“Matsyanyayam apakitum prakritibhir Lakshmiya karam grahitah Sri Gopala iti kshitisa-sirsam chudamani-tatsubha”
“To put an end to the state of affairs similar to what happens among fishes, the Prakriti made the glorious Gopala, the crest jewel of the heads of kings, take the hand of Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune.”

Taranatha’s legend mentions a Naga queen who had devoured several of the elected candidates for the throne on the night of the election. This account suggests that there was more than one king selected for succession. Gopala managed to kill the Naga queen and thus sat on the throne unanimously as the first Buddhist king of Bengal in the 8^th century AD.

Also, this legend points out that Gopala was not elected directly by the mass public, but rather by the feudal chieftains. It should be kept in mind that such elections were quite common in the societies of the region back then. It is also assumed that the word Prakriti was used figuratively in the eulogy of the Khalimpur copper plate.

Origin & Ethnicity

But one thing is for sure – Gopala paved way for the Pala dynasty. Every ruler of his dynasty has the suffix Palau/Pala after their name, which meant “protector” in Sanskrit. However, Pala did not suggest any definite ethnicity or caste.

The ethnic origins of the Palas are unknown, although some records claim that Gopala was a Kshatriya or a descendant of the legendary Solar Dynasty. In Ballala-Charita, the claim is reinforced and the same is repeated in Taranatha’s ‘History of Buddhism in India’ as well as Ghanaram Chakrabarty’s Dharmamangala. The Ramacharitam also suggests that the Palas were Kshatriyas. Also, the inscriptions on the Kamauli copper plate of king Vaidyadeva of Kamarupa (Assam) link the Palas to the Kshatriyas from “Mihirasya vamsa” (“solar lineage”).

However, it’s assumed that the legend of the Solar Dynasty was used to conceal the humble origins of the dynasty.

Because of the fact that the Palas were Buddhists, they were also branded as Śudra in some sources like Manjushri-Mulakalpa. In his Ain-i-Akbari, Abu’l-Fazl ibn Mubarak mentions that the Palas were Kayasthas. There are even accounts of Gopala being a Brahmin.

Genealogy

The region of Varendra (North Bengal) is known as the fatherland (Janakabhu) to the Palas, thanks to the accounts in Ramacharitam. Gopala’s grandfather Dayitavishnu was reported to be a learned man, but it is unclear whether he had any military prowess or achievements. Gopala’s father Vapyata however, was a skilled and powerful chieftain famous for his chivalry on the battlefield. It is plausible that Gopala’s ascension was highly influenced by his family’s achievements and reputation.

Establishment & Reign

A shrewd diplomat, Gopala brought order back to Bengal while slowly claiming the entire region of Varendra which now covers north-western Bangladesh, West Bengal, and the Indian part of Bihar. There are no records attesting to the exact boundaries of Gopala’s kingdom. But it is assumed that most Bengal was under his rule until the time of his death. Alongside his skillfulness in diplomacy, Gopala also was a military conqueror whose cavalry comprised formidable war elephants.

Based on different interpretations of the historical records and epigraphs, Gopala’s estimated reign is stated below –

Historian	Estimate Of Gopala’s Reign
RC Majumdar (1971)	750–770
AM Chowdhury (1967)	756-781
BP Sinha (1977)	755-783
DC Sircar (1975–76)	750-775

Religion

According to Taranatha, Gopala was a staunch Buddhist. Also, a major patron of Buddhism is attested that he commissioned the building of the renowned Odantapuri Buddhist monastery which now stands in the state of Bihar. His government invested the revenues from the tax collection methods to fund the establishment of the monasteries. This way, he incorporated the spread of Buddhism in a peaceful manner.

Death & Legacy

The year of Gopala’s death has been commonly assumed at around the time of 770 AD. According to Manjusrimulakalpa, he died at the age of 80. His reign is considered the Golden Age in Bengal. Peace and prosperity were back in the land under the leadership of the first Buddhist king of Bengal. Upon his death, Gopala left a large kingdom to his son Dharmapala, who in turn greatly expanded the kingdom and carried on his grand legacy.