<P> After the fall of Shashanka 's kingdom , the Bengal region was in a state of anarchy . There was no central authority , and there was constant struggle between petty chieftains . The contemporary writings describe this situation as matsya nyaya ( `` fish justice '' i.e. a situation where the big fish eat the small fish ) . Gopala ascended the throne as the first Pala king during these times . The Khalimpur copper plate suggests that the prakriti ( people ) of the region made him the king . Taranatha , writing nearly 800 years later , also writes that he was democratically elected by the people of Bengal . However , his account is in form of a legend , and is considered historically unreliable . The legend mentions that after a period of anarchy , the people elected several kings in succession , all of whom were consumed by the Naga queen of an earlier king on the night following their election . Gopal , however managed to kill the queen and remained on the throne . The historical evidence indicates that Gopala was not elected directly by his citizens , but by a group of feudal chieftains . Such elections were quite common in contemporary societies of the region . </P>
<P> After the fall of Shashanka 's kingdom , the Bengal region was in a state of anarchy . There was no central authority , and there was constant struggle between petty chieftains . The contemporary writings describe this situation as matsya nyaya ( `` fish justice '' i.e. a situation where the big fish eat the small fish ) . Gopala ascended the throne as the first Pala king during these times . The Khalimpur copper plate suggests that the prakriti ( people ) of the region made him the king . Taranatha , writing nearly 800 years later , also writes that he was democratically elected by the people of Bengal . However , his account is in form of a legend , and is considered historically unreliable . The legend mentions that after a period of anarchy , the people elected several kings in succession , all of whom were consumed by the Naga queen of an earlier king on the night following their election . Gopal , however managed to kill the queen and remained on the throne . The historical evidence indicates that Gopala was not elected directly by his citizens , but by a group of feudal chieftains . Such elections were quite common in contemporary societies of the region . </P>
who was the first ruler of pala dynasty
who was the first ruler of pala dynasty
Gopala
Gopala