Narayanapala (9th–10th century CE) was the seventh emperor of the Pala Empire of the Eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent, mainly the Bengal and Bihar regions.
| Succession: | Pala emperor |
| Reign: | 9th to 10th century |
| Predecessor: | Vigrahapala I |
| Successor: | Rajyapala |
| Dynasty: | Pala |
| Religion: | Shaivism |
| Father: | Vigrahapala I |
| Mother: | Lajjadevi |
| Spouse: | Mamma, daughter of Govindaraja[1] |
| Issue: | Rajyapala |
The Gaya temple inscription dated in his 7th regnal year, the Indian Museum (found in the erstwhile Patna district) stone inscription dated in his 9th regnal year, the Bhagalpur copper-plate grant dated in his 17th regnal year, Bihar votive image inscription dated in his 54th regnal year and the Badal pillar inscription of his minister Bhatta Guravamishra provide information about his reign.[2]
Based on the different interpretations of the various epigraphs and historical records, the different historians estimate Narayanapala's reign as follows:[3]
| Historian | Estimate of reign | |
|---|---|---|
| RC Majumdar (1971) | 854–908 CE | |
| AM Chowdhury (1967) | 866–920 CE | |
| BP Sinha (1977) | 865–920 CE | |
| DC Sircar (1975–76) | 860–917 CE |
He was the son of Vigrahapala I by his wife, the Kalachuri princess Lajjadevi.[4] [5] He was later succeeded by his son Rajyapala.[6]
Bhoja orchestrated a campaign targeting Bengal. Various historical records suggest he received support in this endeavor from Guņāmbhodhideva, the Chedi ruler of Gorakhpur, and Guhila II, the Guhilot chief, who happened to be the son of Harsharāja. Narayanapala suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Bhoja, who subsequently conquered a significant portion of his western territories.[7] [8] During a time of turmoil and weakness among their rivals, the Pratiharas seized the opportunity to expand their power. Their rulers, Bhoja and Mahendrapala, extended their influence towards the east, causing Narayanapala to lose control over Magadha (the southern region of Bihar) and even temporarily lose control of North Bengal, which had been the homeland of the Palas. This resulted in Mahendrapala, the Pratihara king, gaining control over North Bengal for a period.[9] [10]
Despite facing a humbling defeat at the hands of the Pratihara king, Mahendrapala, Narayanapala regained his status and prestige by successfully reclaiming North Bengal and Bihar in 908 CE,[11] [12] and asserting sovereignty over Kannauj, thereby restoring Pala-supremacy.[13]
Before the Pāla Dynasty, Shaivism struck roots in Bengal, but it was during that dynasty that Brahmaņa ministers enhanced their influence and established Hinduism over Buddhism. Especially during the reign of Narayanapala, Shaivism gained an extensive hold upon the minds of people of Bengal. Buddhism's prevalence in the region reduced, gradually becoming blended with Shaivism.[14]
. Akshay Kumar Maitreya. The fall of the Pāla Empire. 1987. University of North Bengal. 1.
. Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi. A Short History of Pakistan: Pre-Muslim period, by A. H. Dani. 1967. University of Karachi. Karachi. 181.