Jain Journal 2007 01

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 16

Chitta Ranjan Pal:Alessknown causeofprosperityofthe Jainasinthe Palakingdom
disaster on the part of the Pālas took place during the reign of Nārāyanapāla I. The Pratīhāras did not lose time to take advantage of the situation in which their hereditary enemy, the Pālas had fallen and their King Mihir Bhoja formed a strong military alliance with neighbouring powers and defeated Nārāyanapala 1. Mihira Bhoja's son Mahendra Pāla followed in the foot-steps of his father and defeated the Pāla King squarely in the battle field more than once. Not less than six inscriptions of Mahendra Pāla have been found at Patna and Gaya regions which prove the annexation of Magadha (a part of the Pāla Empire) to the Pratihāra Kingdom. Except the above-mentioned six inscriptions two more inscriptions of Pratihāra King Mahendra Pāla-one issued in the 5th year and the other in the 15th year of his reign have been found at Paharpur (Rajshahi Dist.) and Mahisantosh (Dinajpur Dist) respectively. These inscriptions decisively prove that Nārāyaṇapāla I had lost not only Magadha but also north Bengal to the Pratīhāraking* temporarily and the military decline of the Pala Kingdom had its impact upon the religious life of the people of Bengal.
The successive military defeats inflicted upon the Pālas by the Pratīhāra Kings heightened the religious quarrels and acrimonies between the Hinayānists and the Tantrayānists of Bengal which had its origin carlier during the reign of Dharmapāla. At that time the Saindhava Srävakas (Hinayanists) burned the image of Heruka (worshipped by the Tantrayānists) and the Tantrika books" (read by them). From the Nālanda stone inscription of Vipulasrimitra we come to know that Vipulasrimitra's grand Preceptor's preceptor (Parama guru's guru) Karunāśrimitra while residing at the Somapurī monastery was burnt to death by an army of Vangal". This "deadly quarrel” between the Saindhava Srävakas and the Tantrayānists of Bengal continued unabated for a few generatios. According to Dr. N. Dutta the Saindhava Srāvakas were probably instigated and patronized by
5.
I bid p 33 D.B. Chatterji (Ed.) - Taranatha's Ilistory of Buddhism in India p. 279 N.N. Dasgupta - Banglay Bauddhadharma p. 94 (in Bangali) N.R. Roy - Bāngālīr Itihāsa (Ādiparva) p 605