72 Hara Prasad Shastri — On the MS. of Ramacarita. [March, 



to the Pala Empire. Mabipala fought against the rebels, was taken 

 prisoner and put to death, fiirapala's reign was weak and inglorious. 

 Then came Rfimapala who made exteusive preparations to crush the 

 audacious Bhima. His maternal Uncle was Mathana or Mahana belong- 

 ing to the Rastrakuta race who held a high office under Ramapala's 

 Government. His two sons were Mahamaiidale9varas and his nephew 

 f ivaraja was the Mahapratihara the Commander of Household troops. 

 He was Ramapala's right-hand man. He went into Varendra to 

 reconnoitre and then made great preparations. He summoned all the 

 Pala feudatories. Among these was the lord of the Dandabhukti. The 

 word bhukti means province. We have in Sena inscriptions Paundra 

 vardhanabhukti and Vikramapurabhukti. We have Jejabhukti in the 

 Mahoba territory and Tirabhukti the modern Tirhut. Now the ques- 

 tion is what Province is known as Dandabhukti ? I believe the Province 

 of which the capital was Dandapura, modern Behara, as identified by 

 Sir A. Cunningham, was Dandabhukti. The Raja of Dandabhukti had 

 previously defeated Karna Ke^ari the Raja of Utkala. What strikes mo 

 as very curious is the fact that among the numerous feudatories there 

 was a Raja of Magadha, Bhimaja9as by name, who routed the cavalry 

 of the King of Kanoj. The cradle of the Pala Empire was Magadha. 

 Why should there be a feudatory Raja there is not clearly explained. 

 The other feudatories were, Viraguna the Raja of Pithi, described as the 

 lord of the south. Vikrama, Raja of Devagrama. Lakshmi9ura the 

 Raja of the Forest region and of the Mandara Hills ; pikhara of the 

 race of Tailakampa and an expert in war with elephants and Bhaskara 

 Pratapa pila. Two great warriors are also mentioned, not as feuda- 

 tories ; one is Devaraksita of Pithi and the other Sindhuraja. 



They crossed the Ganges and entered the Yarendra country. Bhima 

 fought as Ravana fought against Raina but was at last defeated and 

 made a prisoner. The army of Kaivarttas was dispersed and Bhima 

 was reduced to a very miserable condition. Here the Commentary breaks 

 off. The Poem has four Cantos, namely — 



1. Arambharama, the commencement of the career of Ram^r. 



2. Asuricakra, the circle of Demons. 



3. Ramapratyagamana, the return of Rama. 



4. Ramottaracarita, the last part of Rama's career. 



The information most interesting to students of Buddhism is tbat 

 Ramapala checked the progress of a religious revolution and led his 

 people into the path ' pointed out by the good ' and this is the time, we 

 know, when Mahayana doctrines received a fresh start and the Commen- 

 tary on the Bodhicaryyavatara and many other works were written. 



