The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c16.144

v1.c16.144

Nārāyaṇapāla was succeeded by his son Rājyapāla. The Bangad grant of Mahīpāla informs us that this king constructed many temples with lofty halls and dug numerous tanks deep as the sea (V. 7).¹ The same inscription informs us that he married Bhāgyadevī, the daughter of Tuṅgadeva, ‘the moon in the family of the Rāṣṭrakūṭas’ (V. 8).² Kielhorn suggested that this Rāṣṭrakūṭa prince was Jagattuṅga II, the son of Kṛṣṇa II, while N. Vasu suggested that he is to be identified with the latter prince, who had the *biruda* Śubhatuṅga. A third suggestion is that he is the same as the Rāṣṭrakūṭa prince Tuṅga-Dharmāvaloka whose stone inscription was discovered in Bodhgaya.³ Only one inscription has so far been discovered of this Pāla king. This is the *Bargaon pillar-inscription of his* 24th *year*. It was found at Bargaon, near Bihar (Patna District) on the site of old Nālandā. The pillar and the record appear to have belonged to the ruins of an ancient Jain temple. The inscription consists of five lines of incorrect Sanskrit, and records the visit of one Vaidanātha (Vaidyanātha), son of Monoratha, of the *Vaṇika-kula*, to a temple in the month of Mārga[śīrṣa], in the 24th year of the reign of the illustrious Rājapāla (Rājyapāla).⁴ This inscription shows that the Pālas still held the Patna district, and possibly also Monghyr, Bhagalpur and the Santal Parganas. The Gurjaras probably were in possession of the region now known as Shahabad district, and having crossed the Son somewhere near Dehri, occupied Gaya and Hazaribagh districts, while in the north they overran the whole of Tīra-Bhukti and Varendrī. But there is reason to conclude, as we shall see further on, that the Gurjara success was short-lived and their occupation of Gaya was not permanent. Rājyapāla ruled at least for 24 years (c. 911-35 A.D.), and was succeeded by his son Gopāla II. From the number and distribution of the records of this prince it is reasonable to conclude that there was probably a revival of Pāla power under his rule. The following dates and records of his reign have so far been discovered: