46 
U. C. Batavyal— Copper-plate Grant of Dharmapala. [No. 1, 
Dliarma Pala’s successors after a time seem to have been driven 
more and more towards the East, as Kannauj, we find, gradually re¬ 
covered much of its lost ground. The last king of the Pala dynasty— 
according to a Sanskrit Manuscript which I have unearthed from the 
Muhammadan Mosque at Pandua,—was Rama Pala , and the manuscript 
gives the date of his death, as the year 922 of the Qaka Era. I think 
this is a mistake for 977 Qaka Era, which would correspond to 1055 
A. D. The wording of the chronogram is (written 
in Bangali character)—where TW I think, is a clerical mistake for 1 
This slight clerical mistake being corrected, the result is 977 Qaka. 
Thus the Palas reigned for nearly three centuries : at first over a wide 
empire spreading from the borders of Kannauj to East Bengal, but 
latterly over Northern and Eastern Bengal mainly, with their capital 
very near to the present town of English-bazar, where the remains of the 
palace of Ballfila Sena are still pointed out. The Muhammadan city 
of Gaur sprung up a little to the south of the old Hindu capital. 
TRANSLATION. 
Prosperity— 
May the Ten Forces of Vajrasana, 2 who has steadfastly accepted 
omniscience as the greatest good, protected by the Great Queen, Bene¬ 
volence, and victorious over the ten quarters of the globe, 'where nume¬ 
rous hosts of Maras are seen,—protect you ! 
1 The gldlia containing this date (as corrected above) runs thus- 
Chapter XI of the MS. ifar is a flute, expressing the 7 notes of the 
vj 
gamut. It thus stands for 7. yields 77. refers to the 9 openings of 
'j t 
the human body, and thus stands for 9. Following the principle XRT 
the whole thing means 977. The exact date, as above given, is year 977 Qaka : month 
KdrttiJca( when the sun enters the sign of Virgo) : the 14th day of the waning moon. 
Thursday : noon. 
2 Vajrasana is a name of the Buddha. The Ten Forces are thus enumerat¬ 
ed : * Charity, good character, mercy, bravery, meditation, prudence, strength, 
means of performance, attention, and knowledge. The Maras are the evil passions 
personified. 
