PART-II OF VIII

King Shashanka (600 AD and 625 AD)  

By far, Gauda king Shashanka is regarded as the first sovereign ancient ruler of the geographical entity known as Bengal. He is not a Bengali as we understand term now. His rule spanned from 600 AD to 625 AD and the important literary text which is usually taken  to be the earliest specimen of Bengali language, Charyapada, was of much later period, between the 8th and 10 centuries. The language in which Charyapada was written is also taken to be the ancestor of Assamese, Bhojpuri, Sylheti, Odia, Magahi, Maithilli and many other Eastern Indo-Aryan languages. Despite the fact that he was not a Bengali and a native of Magadha, as concluded by historian D K Ganguli, his unification of local, disparate kingdoms including Vanga, Samatata and Gauda is taken to be very crucial in the formation of the polity we now call Bengal.   

King Shashanka ruled his kingdom from his capital located at Karnasuvarna of Murshidabad and his kingdom was extended to Magadh and Prayag to the west and Mahedragiri of Udishya to the south-west. Historians are still in the unknown as to what particular influence Shashanka’s rule had on East Bengal or present Bangladesh, but he, in his height of power, ruled many small kingdoms including Chandradwipa (southern Bangladesh), Dandabhukti (southern West Bengal) Gauda (parts of West Bengal and Bangladesh), Harikela (north-eastern Bangladesh), Kanauj, Kamrupa (Assam), Karnasuvarna (part of West Bengal), Lakhnauti (North Bengal and Bihar), Navyabakashika (central and southern Bangladesh), Pundra Vardhana (now northern Bangladesh), Rarh (southern areas of West Bengal), Samatata (eastern Bangladesh), Subarnabithi (central Bangladesh), Summha Desa (south-western West Bengal), Vanga (central Bangladesh) Vangala (southern Bangladesh) and Varendra (northern Bangladesh)

In the history of the land areas we call Bengal, Gauda people became very well known for their military prowess. Sometime before AD 554, they were at war with Isanavarman Mukhari and in the lands close to the seas they lived securely. During the rule of Shashanka, the Gauda people were in possession of the aggressive kingdom of Karanasuvarna of Murshidabdad. According to history professor Dr. Aksadul Alam of Dhaka University, Shashanka was important in the history of Bengal as he was the first ruler who ventured outside Bengal and captured Harshabardhana’s kingdom. But even before Harsabardhana there were rulers in Bengal, particularly in Kotalipara which is now Faridpur, Bangladesh. They ruled independently. Shashanka also killed the brother of Harshabardhana. Shashanka made diplomatic relations with his enemy's enemy, Devagupta. It is a historical fact that Harshabardhana wanted to destroy Gauda. Historians of ancient Bengal now have copper plates where it is found that he wanted to wipe out Gauda from the face of the earth, said Prof. Dr Aksadul Alam.

By the beginning of the seventh century, Shashanka captured power in Gauda. Magadha formed a part of his dominions. The authoritative Banglapedia mentions, “There can hardly be a dispute in regarding him the first important king of Bengal, who could launch Bengal for the first time in her history on aggressive endeavours to establish supremacy over northern India. In this sense he was the forerunner of the aggressive northern Indian policy of the later day Pala rulers like Dharmapala and Devapala.”

The Gupta Empire did not have powerful rulers after the death of Skandagupta in 467 AD Moreover, from 480 AD the armies of Alchon Hun started attacking the declining Gupta Empire from all fronts. The cost of defending the vast empire weakened the kingdom financially. Though the Gupta people were initially successful in driving the Huns, but ultimately the downfall of the Gupta kings ensued. A massive deluge around the middle of the sixth century AD. also occurred and quickened the end of Gupta Empire.

Shashanka was a Shiva worshipper and it is observed by the Chinese traveler Yuan Chwang that Shashanka used to torture the Buddhists and suppress Budhism. It is believed that Shashanka died from the disease he received as punishment for cutting the Bodhi Tree of Gaya where Gautama Budhha received enlightenment. Shashanka was defeated by Harshabardhana when the latter attacked Pundra.    

Gopala (750 AD–770 AD)  

Gopala is the one ruler who stands out prominently in the history of Bengal because it was through him the Pala Dynasty was established at a time when Bengal underwent a period of anarchy and general lawlessness. After the death of Shashanka—sometime between 619 and 637 he seems to have died—his capital came to the possession of Bhaskarabarman of Kamrupa. According to historian R. C. Majumdar, “Early in the eighth century were overrun by Yasovarman of Kanauj. Other conquerors also appeared in the scene and in general there prevailed a time of anarchy, best expressed by the phrase “Matsya nyaya” (literally ‘fish justice’ signifying a situation when big fish eat up the small ones). It is at this time Gopal I brought order among the people and established the Pala Empire. He was no conqueror of power but different sections of the people (called prakritis) raised him to the throne. Hence many historians tend to think that he was a democratically elected king which is not wholly wrong. He was certainly not a democratically elected ruler in the sense as we understand the word in modern times, but surely there was a consensus among the heads and chieftains of various sections of people who vested power on him. His advent as a ruler is described in Sanskrit as: 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.)

According to R C Majumdar, “Under Pala rule Bengal was to enjoy a period of prosperity undreamt of in her early annals.” Gopala lived a long life and his rule expanded 27 years. Not much is known about his life or military career, but at the time of his death, Gopala had bequeathed a large kingdom to his son Dharmapala (770-810 AD). No records are available about the exact boundaries of Gopala's kingdom, but it might have included almost all of Bengal region. His son and successor Dharmapala greatly expanded the kingdom, making it one of the most powerful empires in contemporary India.

During Pala reign, Bengal witnessed an unprecedented prosperity. Pala rulers were Buddhists in religion but they allowed worship of Narayana and Mahadeva. Atish Dipankar (982–1054) who was thought to be one of the greatest Bengalis (ranked 18th in the BBC's poll of the greatest Bengalis of all time) appeared during the Pala rule.

The Pala dynasty ruled Bengal for long four centuries and there were many important rulers from the dynasty appeared. Most important among them were Dharmapala, Devapala and Mahipala.

According to R. C. Majumdar, Dharmapala, son of Gopala, was one of the greatest kings that ever ruled in Bengal. He came to the throne sometime in the latter half of eighth century and, during his reign, Bengal became the most advanced state in northern India. Before Dharmapala, no king of Bengal could establish as large an empire. Dharmapala believed that none was equal to him. He was a great patron of Budhism and brought new life to the Nalanda University and founded the Vikramshila University which later evolved into a great learning center of Buddhism. He built the great Somapura Mahavihara in Paharpur, Naogaon, Bangladesh.

Since Gopala was the founder of this empire and brought discipline to the chaotic period of Bengal after the death of Gauda king Shashanka, his name, not Dharmapala, has been chosen among the best rulers from Pala dynasty in the history of Bengal.

Vijaya Sena (1096 AD–1159 AD)

Unlike the Pala dynasty that ruled Bengal for about four centuries, Sena kings ruled Bengal for about two hundred years. Unlike the Pala rulers whose religion was Buddhism, Senas were Hindus and altered fundamentally the religious society of Bengal by enforcing the Hindu caste system rigorously. Neither the Pala rulers nor Sena rulers were Bengalis however.

Founded by Samanta Sen, the dynasty was succeeded by Hemanta Sena (1095–1096 AD), Vijaya Sena (1096–1159 AD), Ballala Sena (1159-1179 AD) Lakshmana Sena  (1179-1204 AD), et al.

Sena rulers, like the Palas, did not come from the soil—they traced their dynasty from the South Indian region of Karnataka. Vijay Sena and Ballal Sena are the two most important rulers of Sena dynasty because during their reign the dynasty was expanded most, particularly in Bengal and power was consolidated.  

The first sovereign ruler of Sena dynasty, Vijaya Sen, was the son of Hemanta Sen. Vijaya Sen helped Rampal to recover Barind and established himself in the West Bengal. His reign in Bengal was unusually long, more than 60 years. After the crumbling of Pala dynasty with the demise of Ramapala, Vijay Sena’s Bengal was an independent country. According to the Deopara Prashasti, Vijaya defeated many Nanya, Vir, Raghav and Vardhan.

The kings of Kamarupa and Kalinga also surrendered to his power. The king of Gauda was forced to flee his kingdom. Vijay Sena was a subordinate ruler in Rarh under the Palas, but took full advantage of the weaknesses of the Pala rulers, conquered Bengal and ousted the Pala Empire.

Sena power was firmly established in almost the whole of Bengal by the middle of the twelfth century. It is recorded in the Deopara Prashasti that Vijay Sena built splendid temple of Pradyumneshvar about seven miles west of Rajshahi town. He also invaded the South and took Vanga (southern Bengal) in his firm grip of power. He ousted the Varmans from South eastern Bengal in the middle of the Twelfth century.

A Shaiva by religion, Vijaya Sena had sympathy for the Brahmanas and assumed the imperial title of Paramaheshvara Parambhttarak Maharajadhiraj.

The son of Vijay Sena, Ballal Sena, succeeded his father and conquered the eastern part of Magadh. Ballal Sena is the best-known Sena ruler and consolidated the Sena kingdom. Ballala Sena's kingdom, it is generally believed, consisted of five provinces, viz., Banga, Barendra, Rar, Bagri (possibly a portion of lower Bengal) and Mithila. Ballal Sena was famous for his scholastic activities and social reforms. He is associated with the revival of orthodox Hindu practices in Bengal, in particular with the establishment of the reactionary tradition of Kulinism among Brahmins and Kayasthas.

A Sena epigraph says that Ballala was an author. He wrote Danasagara in 1168. And in 1169, he started but did not finish writing Adbhutasagara. In Adbhutasagara, it was mentioned that Ballala Sena conquered Mithila while Vijaya Sena was still alive.

Banglapedia says, “Vallalasena is known to have attempted the establishment of an orthodox Hindu social order with caste rigidity. It was an attempt to bring back Hindu orthodoxy in a society that had long lived in a social milieu of religious toleration and Hindu-Buddhist amity. The decline of Buddhism in Bengal may be ascribed to this change in social order.”

Hinduism saw a decline in Bengal during the Pala rulers. But Hindu Sena rulers as a whole made a revival of Hinduism in Bengal. During the Sena period, the whole of Bengal’s territory was brought under a single rule that consolidated the Hindu caste system in Bengal. The Sena period is also famous for building Hindu temples and monasteries. The famous Dhakeshwari Temple, located in Dhaka, Bangladesh was founded during the Sena rule. Literature also flourished under the patronization of Sena rulers.    

During the Pala dynasty and the Sena dynasty, major growth in Bengali was witnessed. Some Bengali authors believe that Jayadeva, the famous Sanskrit poet and author of Gita Govinda, was one of the Pancharatnas (five gems) in the court of Lakshmana Sena.

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