Ramapala ruled for 46 years, inclusive of some years after the death of Abhayakaragupta. Before he died, his son Yakshapala was placed on the throne. Ramapala died after 3 years. After this Yakshapala could rule for only one year, when his minister Lavasena usurped the throne. Taranath informs that the Pala dynasty was also called the Surya dynasty while the line of the Senas was that of the Candras. After Yakshapala and Lavasena, many were still born in the line of the Palas, but, none of them ever became king.

Rule of the Senas

Four Sena kings i.e Lavasena, Kasasena, Manitasena, Rathikasena, each being son of the former in ascending order, ruled for more than about 80 years even as their exact individual reignal years remains unknown. During their period, several scholars like Subhakargupta, Ravisrijnana, Nayakapasri,  Dasabalasri  and other followers of Abhayakara flourished. To the period of the last prominent king Rathikasena, belonged scholars like maha-pandita Sakyasribhadra of Kashmir, Buddhasri of Nepal, Maha-acarya Ratnarakshita, Jnanakaragupt, Buddhasrimitra, Samghamajnana, Ravisribhadra, Candrakaragupta, and others, who were famous as the 24 great mahantas. Ratnarakshita, the Tantra-acarya of Vikramshila, ordained in the Mahasamghika sect, was the most famous having had visions of many tutelary deities like Cakrasamvara, Kalacakra and Yamari. It is said that his offerings were directly received by the dakinis, and his magic stare was powerful enough to immobilize mad elephants. However, surprisingly, he predicted the fall of Magadha two years in advance and at the time of the imminent attack, went to the north, with some of his disciples. His famous magic stare which still could subdue a wild buffalo that attacked him near Tirahuti, however, seems not to have been strong enough to repulse the Turuskas, this time. Anyway, after working extensively in Nepal, he also visited Tibet for a short period.

To be continued....