Gopala dynasty
Ancient Yadava-Abhira dynasty of Nepal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Gopala dynasty (also known as gambhira dynesty)[1] was a first dynasty of Nepal founded by Gops[2] or Ahirs in the Kathmandu valley.[3][4][5] The Lunar dynasty is the origin of the Gopala.[6] The Kings of Gopala Bansha ruled over Nepal for 505 or 521 years.[7] It was replaced by rulers of Mahisapala dynasty.[8][9][10] Both the Krishna and Mahisapalas have connections to the Gopalas.[11]
Origin and history
According to legendary accounts, the early dynasty of Nepal was the Gopala dynasty established by Gopa,[12] who presumably ruled for about five centuries.[13] They are said to have been followed by the Mahisapala dynasty.[14][15][16] The Gopalas and the Mahisapalas were together known as Abhiras.[17]
Another belief was that Gopalvamsi and Mahispalvamsi belonged to the same dynasty and they were divided into two on the basis of their profession.[18][19] Amarakosha gives Abhira as synonym for Gopa and Gopala.[20]
List of rulers
The 8 rulers of the Gopala dynasty (with their traditional reign lengths) were:[21][22]
| Name | Reign Length |
|---|---|
| Bhuktamana Gupta | 88 years |
| Jaya Gupta | 72 years |
| Parama Gupta | 60 years |
| Harsha Gupta | 93 years |
| Bhima Gupta | 38 years |
| Mani Gupta | 37 years |
| Vishnu Gupta | 42 years |
| Yakchhya Gupta | 71 years |
Each ruler was the son of the previous one.[22]
Pashupatinath Temple
The rulers of Gopala dynasty were devotees of Lord Shiva.[23] They are credited with restoring the temple of the Vedic deity Pashupatinath on the volcanic mound in Nepal, where the famous Pashupatinath Temple now stands.[24][25]
