Gopala Dynasty (
Nepali: गोपाल वंश) was a first dynasty of
Nepal founded by a
Gopa (
Yadava) in the
Kathmandu Valley.[1][2][3] The
Lunar dynasty is the progenitor of the Gopalas.[4] The Kings of Gopala dynasty ruled over Nepal for 505 years. It was replaced by
Mahisapala dynasty.[5][6][7] Both
Krishna and Mahisapalas have connections to the Gopalas.[8] There were eight kings of this dynasty, Bhuktaman was the first and Yaksha Gupta was the last king.[9][10]
Origin and history
According to legendary accounts, the early dynasty of Nepal was the Gopala Dynasty established by
Gopa,[11] who presumably ruled for about five centuries.[12] They are said to have been followed by the
Mahisapala dynasty.[13][14][15] The Gopalas and the Mahisapalas were together known as Abhiras.[16]
Another belief was that Gopalvamsi and Mahispalvamsi belonged to the same dynasty and they were divided into two on the basis of their profession.[17][18] Amarakosha gives
Abhira as synonym for
Gopa.[19]
The Kings of Gopala Dynasty are credited with the Temple restoration of Vedic Deity Pashupatinath on the Pashupatinath volcanic mound in Nepal, which became the location of the
Pashupatinath Temple.[21]
The Kings of Gopala Dynasty were devotees of Lord Shiva.[22]
^Nepalese Culture : Annual Journal of NeHCA, Volume 5. Nepalese History, Culture and Archaeology Instruction Committee, Kirtipur Campus, T.U., 1985. 1985. p. 28. They were followed by the Mahisapalas or the Buffalo breeders. The Gopalas and Mahisapalas are together known, sometimes, as Abhiras. The Brahmanical version of the vamsavalis associates Gopalas with Krishna and the Nepali legendary sage called Ne or Nemi.