Note on Gopala

Summary

The note critiques Jogendra Chandra Ghosh's claims in the December 1909 issue of the *Uttara* regarding the origins of the Pala dynasty. Ghosh argued that Gopala, the dynasty's founder, was a feudatory of Bhaskaravarman of Kamaripa, and that Dharmapala's mother, Deddadevi, was the daughter of Maharija Jyesthabhadra, a feudatory mentioned in the Nidhanpur copper plate. The author challenges this by highlighting inconsistencies in Ghosh's reliance on Vijadnesvary's dictum on land grants, which is often violated in contemporary inscriptions. They argue that later Pala records omit figures like Vapyata and Dayitavishnu, suggesting mythical genealogies were later fabrications to elevate the dynasty's status. The author disputes Ghosh's interpretation of the Khalimpur copper plate, where Deddadevi is called *Bhadritmaja*, proposing instead that the term might describe her as a wife of Kubera. They also question the timeline, noting uncertainties in dating Gopala and discrepancies in connecting him to the Nidhanpur plates. The analysis concludes that Gopala's humble origins likely prompted court poets to craft elevated lineages, though the exact identity of Gopala remains unresolved due to insufficient evidence. The note emphasizes the lack of consensus among sources and the speculative nature of Ghosh's claims.