Gopala
Topic: Early Medieval North India: Harsha to the Rajputs · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 3 "Empires and Kingdoms: 6th to 10th Centuries"
Meaning
Gopala founded the Pala dynasty of Bengal around 750 CE. An inscription says the people chose him as king. He came to power to end matsyanyaya, meaning "law of the fish", a time of disorder when the strong swallowed the weak like big fish eat small ones. The Palas later became a major power in eastern India.
Example
Around 750 CE, Gopala was chosen to restore order in Bengal. His son Dharmapala then took the Palas into the Tripartite Struggle for Kannauj and founded Vikramashila.
Related concepts
- Tripartite struggle
- Matsyanyaya
- Pala dynasty
- Dharmapala
- Devapala
- Vikramashila
- Odantapuri
- Somapura Mahavihara
- Atisha Dipankara
- Pala school of art