[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [General history and culture](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general) › [The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period)](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931) › v1.c16.404 # The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c16.404 The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c16.404 - **Language:** English ### [v1.c16.404](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c16.404) In the Deopara inscription, Vijayasena claims to have "defeated Nānya and Vīra, impetuously assailed the lord of Gauḍa, put down the prince of Kāmarūpa, defeated the Kaliṅga (king)," imprisoned a number of chiefs, including Nānya, Rāghava, Vardhana and Vīra, and sent a naval expedition to the western regions which sailed up the whole course of the Ganges (Vs. 20-22). The identification of these princes is difficult, as they are not connected with the countries which they ruled.¹ The lord of Gauḍa is generally identified with Madanapāla (\*c.\* 1130-1150 A.D.), whose Manahali grant, dated in his 8th year was found in Dinajpur district. The discovery of the Deopara inscription in Rajshahi district shows that before that inscription was incised Vijayasena was already in possession of a portion of Gauḍa. The possession of part of Northern Bengal is also proved by his Barrackpur grant, which assigns land in \*Puṇḍravardhana-Bhukti\*. The chronological scheme adopted by us shows that Madanapāla and Vijayasena were contemporaries, and as their inscriptions prove that they were neighbours the impetuous assault by the Sena prince may have been really aimed against the \*Gauḍapati\*, Madanapāla. Nānya and Rāghava have been identified with Nānyadeva of Tirhut and Nepal (\*c.\* 1097-1150 A.D.) and Rāghava, king of Kaliṅga (\*c.\* 1156-70 A.D.), a son of Coḍagaṅga (\*c.\* 1076-1147 A.D.).² In the \*Ballāla-carita\* Vijayasena is described as a friend of Coḍagaṅga.³ We do not know how far this assertion of an author who lived about four centuries later, is to be believed. There is a statement contained in the Kēndupatna plates of the Gaṅga king Narasiṁha II, that Coḍagaṅga levied tribute from the lands bordering on the Ganges (\*bhūmer Gaṅgā-Gotama-Gaṅgayōḥ\*) and defeated the ruler of Mandāra.¹ This Mandāra is perhaps to be located near the Apara-mandāra, mentioned in the commentary of the \*Rāmacarita\*.² The latter principality, probably situated in West Bengal, was under a Sūra prince in about the last quarter of the 11th century and was possibly still under them in the 12th. As the Sūras were relatives of Vijayasena, we can readily understand why the Senas and Gaṅgas came into conflict. Vijayasena, probably in the latter part of his reign, succeeded in defeating Rāghava, the son of his powerful rival. As Nānyadeva was a contemporary of Vijayasena, we can also accept the proposed identification. It seems that the Sena king, after driving out Madanapāla from North Bengal, some time before his 62nd year, the date of his Barrackpur grant, crossed the river Nagar and came into conflict with the chief of Mithilā. It was a struggle between two Karṇāṭa chiefs; and it was possibly in the course of this campaign that the Bengal chief sent a naval expedition to the western regions (\*pāścātya-cakra\*) up the "whole course of the Ganges."³ The Pāla principality at this time therefore probably comprised only the region to the south of the Ganges, now known as the districts of Patna, and Monghyr. Of the remaining chiefs, Vīra and Vardhana have been identified with Vīraguṇa of Koṭāṭavī and Vardhana of Kauśāmbī who figure in the commentary of the \*Rāmacarita\* as \*Sāmantas\* of Rāmapāla.⁴ The \*Kāmarūpa-bhūpa\* is probably to be identified with Rāyārideva or Udayakarṇa, of the Assam plates of Vallabhadeva.⁵ The identifications proposed are in some cases still somewhat doubtful; but as a scholar has rightly pointed out, the rejection involves the assumption that in about the latter part of the 11th and the first part of the 12th century, there were two Nānyas, two Rāghavas, two Vīras and two Vardhanas in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. "Such a conclusion, though not absolutely impossible is highly improbable."'¹ In addition to these victories, the Naihati grant of his son Ballālasena tells us that his father "\*outshone Sāhasāṅka\* by his deceitless prowess." This prince has not yet been satisfactorily identified.² - [Previous: v1.c16.403](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c16.403) - [Next: v1.c16.405](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c16.405) - [Up: v1.c16](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c16) ## Cites (2) - [Vallālacarita](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.historical.pracya.vallalacarita) — Ānandabhaṭṭa 1510, Sanskrit - [Rāmacarita](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.kavya.mahakavya.rama.prasiddha.ramacarita) — Gauḍa Abhinanda, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c16.404](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c16.404) · Pramāṇa