The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c16.32

v1.c16.32

In the last paragraph I have indirectly placed Gopāla in the beginning of the second half of the 8th century. There has been recently much discussion on the chronology of the Pālas. We do not propose here to enter into a detailed examination of this question. It will be sufficient if we remember the foundation stones on which all schemes of Pāla chronology must inevitably rest. In the case of the nine kings from Gopāla to Mahīpāla, these are: (1) The date Śaka 705 expired (783-84 A.D.) supplied by the *Jaina Harivaṁśa* for Indrāyudha, who must be identified with the Mahodaya ruler Indrarāja of the Bhagalpur grant of Nārāyaṇapāla, who was dethroned by Dharmapāla. (2) The synchronism of Dharmapāla with the Rāṣṭrakūṭa Govinda III (793-814 A.D.) established by the identification of Dharma and Cakrāyudha, mentioned in the Sanjan plates of Amoghavarṣa as surrendering themselves to Govinda III, with the Dharmapāla and Cakrāyudha of the Bhagalpur grant of Nārāyaṇapāla. (3) The Vikrama year 1083 (A.D. 1026) given in the Sarnath inscription for Mahīpāla (I). (4) The synchronism of Rājendra Cola and Mahīpāla established by the former's Tirumalai inscription, which records an attack made by the Cola king upon the lower Ganges valley in about 1021-25 A.D. (5) And the synchronism of Nāgabhaṭa (*c.* 807-33 A.D.) and Cakrāyudha established by the Sagartal (Gwalior) inscription of Bhoja (v. 9). The year 1026 A.D. for Mahīpāla is usually taken by scholars to mark the end of his reign. Accepting that hypothesis for the time being, and counting backwards from that date, we arrive at the date 769 A.D., for Dharmapāla (1026-257 = 769 A.D.). In this calculation we have two uncertain factors, *viz.*, the year 1026 A.D. may not have been the last year of Mahīpāla, and the period of 257 years which is the total of the reign-period so far known of the rulers from Dharmapāla to Mahīpāla does not take into account the unkuown reign-period of Vigrahapāla (II). Again it is not certain that the reign-periods so far known were the last years of the reign of the respective sovereigns. Within these limitations, the dates of the rulers from Gopāla to Mahīpāla may be shown as follows: