(Pala, Pratihara and Rashtrakutas )

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Importance of Kanauj

Kanauj, situated in the Farrukhabad district of Uttar Pradesh

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Importance

• The importance of that city in ancient times was probably due to its strategic advantages. • The city stood on a cliff on the right bank of the • This part was actually then the highway of commerce and communication • Kanauj – a convenient centre for river traffic in the upper Doab

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Observation by Alexander Cunningham

• Reference – “Ancient Geography of ”, • The situation is a commanding one, and before the use of the cannon the height alone must have made Kanauj a strong and important position.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah R.S. Tripathi’s view • Reference – “History of Kanauj” • Kanauj was the witness of the rise and fall of mighty empires, the appearance and disappearance of successive dynasties • Although this fascinating panorama of events chiefly unfolds itself during the centuries that intervene between the decline of the Guptas and the Muslim conquest.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah With the passing away of Yasovarman and Lolitaditya, no great power or political personality arose in Northern India and for nearly half a century it offered a most tempting field to every ambitious political adventurer . In that context in the eighth century the main political powers like the Palas of , the Rashtrakutas of South and the Gurjara Pratiharas of the West involved into a conflict.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah The Rashtrakutas

The Rashtrakutas had wrested the political power from the Chalukyas, and established themselves as the ruling dynasty in 753 A.D. Two powerful rulers of this dynasty Dhruva and his son Govinda III sent strong military expeditions to extent their powers in Northern India, and brilliant, though temporary successes attended their efforts.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah The Pratiharas and the Palas • Their chief adversaries in the North were the Pratiharas. • On the other hand, in Bengal Gopala was succeeded by his son, , who ruled for about 40 years. He was a man of dynamic personality and really achieved a lot in his lifetime . As the work of consolidation in Bengal had already been done by his father, Gopala, Dharmapala found himself in a position to undertake foreign expedition. • Shortly after the accession to the throne, Dharmapala was involved in a tripartite struggle between the three chief ruling powers of India.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Problem of discussion about the Struggle (R.C. Majumdar’s view)

• Reference – “, Vol. I” • It is difficult to follow the exact course of this struggle in strict chronological order, as the few isolated facts, known to us from the inscriptions of the three dynasties, are capable of different interpretations.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah View of D.C. Sircar

• Reference – “KanyakubjaGauda Struggle” • It was actually a quadruple struggle. • Ayudha dynasty of Kanauj was one of the important powers of contemporary India. • Sircar shows that Indrayudha of Kanauj was a powerful king.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Sources 1. Pala inscriptions Copper plate inscriptions: • Khalimpur • Munger • Bhagalpur • Jagajjivanpura Pillar inscription: • Badal prasasti (an eulogistic inscription)

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah 2. Pratihara inscriptions • Daulatpur • Barā 3. Rashtrakuta inscriptions • Sanjān • Sirpur Literary source

• Ramacharita by Sandhyakar Nandi

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah The Struggle (Phase – I) • The fight between the Palas and the Pratiharas was the natural consequence of the imperial design of both these powers. • Dharmapala inherited a consolidated and powerful kingdom and began to expand his dominions towards the West, where the political situation was admirably suited to his ambition.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah • , the king of the Pratiharas, also felled the same urge of imperial ambitions and utilizes the same opportunity by pushing his conquest towards the North and East. • In the light of subsequent events, one might safely conclude that the possession of the imperial city of Kanauj was the common objective of both, and the contending parties probably came into clash somewhere in the Doab. • Vatsaraja defeated Dharmapala in a battle somewhere in the Gangetic Doab.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Rashtrakuta intervention

• Intervention of the Rashtrakuta king Dhruva • He inflicted a disastrous defeat upon Vatsaraja. • After defeating him, Dhruva evidently marched through his dominions right up to the Doab. • Here he met Dharmapala and defeated him. • Dhruva was too far away from his base to follow up his victory and there were probably other causes to induce him to turn back.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Result (a favourable situation for the Palas) • It is rightly contended by R. C. Majumdar that Dharmapala had gained more than he had lost. • While the Pratihara dynasty lost heavily, Dharmapala did not lose much. • The Rashtrakutas not only crushed the Pratiharas who were the rivals of the Palas but also offered a golden opportunity to the Palas to add to their strength by their quick withdrawal from Northern India. • Dharmapala took full advantage of the situation and by a series of victorious campaigns, made himself the lord of practically the whole of Northern India.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah (Phase – II)

• In the second chance Dharmapala defeated Indraraja or Indrayudha, the ruler of Kanauj, deposed him and in his place put Chakrayudha on the throne of Kanauj. • We get the information about the victory from Bhagalpur inscription, Munger inscription and Jagajjivanpura copper inscription.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah The Royal durbar at Kanauj (Description from Khalimpur inscription)

• After this victory, Dharmapala held a Durbar at Kanauj. • This Durbar was attended by a large number of vassal chiefs and the names of the rulers of Bhoja , Matsya, Madra, Kuru, Yadu, , Gandhar and Kira are mentioned in this connection. • We are told that these chiefs not only approved of the action of Dharmapala but also “bowed down respectfully with their diadems trembling”.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Geographical situation of these powers • represents the Western Punjab and lower Kabul Valley. • Madra was in Central Punjab. • Kira, Kuru and Matsya represented Kangra, Thaneswar and Jaipur regions respectively. • Avanti represents the whole or a part of Malava . • Yavana represented some Muslim territory in the Sindhu Valley. • The Yadu or Yadava had settlements in Simhapura, Mathura and Dwarka. • Probably Berar or a part of it was ruled by Bhojas.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Significance of this victory • It cannot be contended that these states were annexed by Dharmapala. • It only means this that they accepted his suzerainty and were left undisturbed in their internal affairs as long as they paid homage and fulfilled the other conditions . • Dharmapala became the paramount lord in northern India and no wonder he is called Uttarapathasvamin or lord of Northern India. • But it was temporary; Dharmapala had to meet another challenge

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah (Phase – III) • Nagabhatta II, the Pratihara ruler, conquered Kanauj and drove away its ruler, Chakrayudha. • As Chakrayudha was a protégé of Dharmapala, a war between Nagabhatta II and Dharmapala became inevitable. • A pitched battle was fought probably near Munger in which Ngabhatta defeated Dharmapala. • Nagabhatta II was not destined to enjoy the fruits of his victory for a long time. He was himself defeated by Govinda III, the Rashtrakuta ruler.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Significance

• Soon after this victory, Govinda III left for the Deccan and thus Northern India became a free field for the military ambitions of Dharmapala. • The success of Nagabhatta II was merely a passing phase and Dharmapala remained a mighty king till the end of his life.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah

Source • Badal inscription • Composed by Darbhapani and Kedar Mishra

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Description of Badal inscription

• Devapala got tributes from the rulers of the whole of Northern India from the Himalaya to the Vindhyas and from the Eastern to Western ocean. • His campaigns took him to Kamboja in the West and the Vindhyas in the South . • Exterminated the Utkalas • Conquered Pragjyotisha • Curbed the pride of the Hunas • Humbled the rulers of the Gurjaras and Dravidas

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Opinion of Abdul Momin Chowdhuri • Reference – Dynastic History of Bengal • The description of Badal inscription is actually related and similar to a traditional idea of Indian empire and an idea of ‘uttarapathasvamin’. But it is also true that Huna kingdom, Pragjyotisha, Kamboja, Utkala were situated in the boarder area of the empire formed by Dharmapala. So devapala could try to conquer those regions. He himself stated about Kamboja and Vindhya expeditions in one of his copper plate inscriptions.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah • We are told that as soon as the armies of Devapala under Jayapala reached near, the king of Pragjyotisha made surrender without fighting against the invader. • Likewise, the king of Utkala left his capital and ran away. • Some scholars argue that the Utkalas were defeated by a combined force of and Gauda. • The Hunas had many principalities and one of them was in Uttarapatha near the . That was conquered by Devapala.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah • From there, Devapala proceeded to the Kamboja territory. • But according to Abdul Momin Chowdhury, if we remember about the Shahi rulers of Punjab, then we can say that it is impossible for Devapala to conquer Kamboja region. • The kingdom of Ramabhadra, the Pratihara king who was son of Nagabhatta II, was invaded by Devapala and he was defeated. • King Bhoja also was defeated by Devapala. But in the Gwalior inscription it is stated that Devapala was defeated by Bhoja. • Chowdhury argued that in the initial stage Devapala was defeated but later Bhoja was defeated by Devapala. • Devapala had to fight against three generations of the Pratihara rulers and in spite of difficulties, he was able to maintain his supremacy in Northern India.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah • In general it is said that the Dravidas stated in Badal inscription were actually the Rashtrakutas. • It is also said in Munger copper inscription that the territory of Devapala was extended up to Rameswar. • But in an inscription of Rashtrakuta king Amoghvarsha it is stated that the Rashtrakuta king conquered Bengal. But it is difficult to accept that Devapala was defeated by the Rashtrakutas. • R.C. Majumdar argued that the ‘ Dravidanath ’ stated there, was actually Pandya king Srimar Sriballava. But Niharranjan Ray opposed him. • This he probably did in alliance with all those sates who regarded the Rashtrakutas as their common enemy. • It is actually difficult to reach in a decision about that matter. Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Devapala – patron of • Devapala was a great patron of Buddhism. • He gave 5 villages for “various comforts” of the Bhikshus as well as for writing the “Dharmaratnas” and for the upkeep of a Buddhist monastery built there by Balaputrdeva, king of Suvarnadvipa or Sumatra or Yavabhumi or Java. • Devapala constructed many temples like Traikutak temple and monasteries like Sompur. Art and architecture received a fresh impetus. • continued to flourish as the chief seat of Buddhist learning.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Evaluation of Devapala

• Sometime after 860 A.D., the Rashtrakutas defeated the Palas. • The Pratiharas took advantage of this and extended their power to the East. • The Palas lost or South . For some time, even North Bengal came into the hands of Pratiharas. • The subordinate chiefs under the Palas revolted. The Sailodbhavas established themselves in Orissa. • So it can be said that Devapala became successful as a conqueror but he failed to consolidate his empire and as result of that the empire started to be declined after his death. • Contemporary feudal nature and decentralizing factors were also responsible for the decline of the empire. • But yet we can agree with R.C. Majumdar’s view that the reigns of Dharmapala and Devapala constitute the most brilliant chapter in the history of Bengal. Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Tripartite Struggle after Devapala

• Devapala was succeeded by Vigrahapala. • Some scholars regard him as his nephew and other regard him as his son. He ruled for about 3 or 4 years. • After that, he abdicated and began to live the life of an ascetic. • Vigrahapala was succeeded by . He ruled for more than half a century. • He was a man of pacific and religious disposition. Sometime after 860 A.D., the Rashtrakutas defeated the Palas . • The Pratiharas took advantage of this and extended their power to the East. • The Palas lost Magadha or South Bihar. For some time, even North Bengal came into the hands of Pratiharas. • The success of Pratiharas weakened all the more the Palas. The subordinate chiefs under the pals revolted. King Harjara of took up imperial titles. • The Sailodbhavas established themselves in Orissa. • It is stated that for a time the rule of Narayanapala was confined to a part of Bengal alone. Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah • However, he is stated to have recovered North Bengal and South Bihar from the Pratiharas about the year 908 A.D. this was done after the defeat of the Pratiharas by the Rashtrakutas under their king Krishna II. • It is also possible that Narayanapala was defeated by Krishna II. • Before his death in about 908 A.D., Narayanapala was able to establish his supremacy in Bengal and Bihar.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah Analysis • After that all the three powers became weak and then declined. We can see some features of the tripartite struggle. • All the powers were not local and they fought against each other to establish supremacy over Kanauj. • Finally the Pratiharas became partly successful. But after the long term war all the powers lost their potentiality to survive. • So there was no final result. But the political and economic significance of tripartite struggle was very important. • For the continuous war they had to maintain big army and so that the tax was very high. We can easily trace

some rebellions againstPrepared by Gautamthe Mukhopadhyay,rulers. Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah • Some scholars like R.S. Sharma identified the Kaibartya rebellions during the Pala period as a peasant revolt. • All the contemporary powers became dependable on the samantas that was their weakness. • After sometime the samanta kings became powerful and caused the downfall of the big powers. • On the other hand the unnecessary war weakened the dynasties so that in North India we do not see any powerful empire in the later period. • At the time of Muslim invasion North Indian powers became unable to protect themselves. • So in conclusion we can say that tripartite struggle was a war without gain for the powers.

Prepared by Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math Howrah