Sena dynasty
The Sena dynasty was a medieval Hindu ruling house that governed much of Bengal from the 11th to 13th centuries, succeeding the Pala Empire.
Hemanta Sena: A founder of Sena power in Bengal and the father of Vijay Sena. His emergence marks the family’s transition from regional chiefs to rulers.
Ballala Sena: A Sena king of Bengal associated with Brahmanical patronage and the social text Dānasāgara. His reign linked royal authority with the ordering of Brahmanical society.
Sena inscriptions: Epigraphic records issued by Sena rulers, including grants and royal eulogies. They provide the principal evidence for the dynasty’s genealogy, territory, and claims.
Brahmanical Hinduism: A tradition of Hindu religious life centered on Vedic authority, Brahmin ritual, and Sanskrit learning. Sena rulers patronized Brahmanical institutions and rituals as sources of royal legitimacy.
Gita Govinda: A Sanskrit lyrical poem by Jayadeva depicting the love of Krishna and Radha. Its association with Lakshmana Sena’s court exemplifies the dynasty’s literary legacy.
Vijay Sena: A Sena ruler who expanded the dynasty’s authority across Bengal and neighboring regions. His campaigns established the dynasty as a major power after Pala decline.
Lakshmana Sena: The last major Sena ruler of Bengal, who reigned during the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. His rule preceded the conquest that ended Sena control over much of Bengal.
Copper-plate grants: Inscribed metal plates documenting land grants, legal privileges, or royal orders. Sena grants record the transfer of land and the institutions supported by royal patronage.
Kulinism: A hierarchy of social status among Brahmin and Kayastha lineages in Bengal, traditionally linked to Sena-era reforms. Later accounts associate Ballala Sena with its formation, though the chronology is debated.
Pala–Sena transition: The political and religious shift from Pala to Sena dominance in Bengal. This transition altered patterns of royal patronage and the prominence of Brahmanical institutions.