Balaputra
Encyclopedia
Balaputra was the maharaja
of Srivijaya
in the 9th century CE as well as the former head of the Sailendra
dynasty
. He was the youngest son of the preceding Sailendran maharaja, Samaratunga, through marriage with Dewi Tara who was in turn the daughter of another maharaja, Dharmasetu
of Srivijaya.
Samaratunga died when Balaputra was a boy. As a young heir to the throne, his authority in Central Java was frequently challenged by local landlords. An extended family member by the name of Garung forced Balaputra to accept his tutorship. Garung was part of the Sanjaya Dynasty
and was related to Balaputra through marriage of Garung's son, Rakai Pikatan
to Pramodhawardhani, Balaputra's sister. During the regency of Garung, the Java political landscape was relatively peaceful. The regency ended in 832 when Garung disappeared.
Around 852, Rakai Pikatan of Sanjaya began garnering influence from the local nobles. This worried Balaputra and he tried to suppress Rakai Pikatan in order to regain control. His effort failed miserably however due to his inexperience and the Sailendras were eventually forced to leave Java for Palembang
, the seat of Srivijaya as well as the home of Balaputra's mother. The Balaputra's defeat to Jatiningrat (Pikatan) was recorded in Shivagrha inscription
that mentioned Balaputra has constructed a fortress made of heaped hundreds of stones for his refuge. With the retreat, Central Java fell to the hands of Sanjaya, ending Sailendra's rule over the area. The Sanjayas later founded the Medang Kingdom and continued to rule Java until Srivijaya reasserted its dominance over the island in the 11th century.
Soon after he left Java, Balaputra became the ruler of Srivijaya. While the record on Balaputra is scarce, it is known through the Nalanda inscription
that he ordered the construction of a Buddhist monastery
in Nalanda
, India
. He also sent an ambassador to China
.
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
of Srivijaya
Srivijaya
Srivijaya was a powerful ancient thalassocratic Malay empire based on the island of Sumatra, modern day Indonesia, which influenced much of Southeast Asia. The earliest solid proof of its existence dates from the 7th century; a Chinese monk, I-Tsing, wrote that he visited Srivijaya in 671 for 6...
in the 9th century CE as well as the former head of the Sailendra
Sailendra
Sailendra is the name of an influential Indonesian dynasty that emerged in 8th century Java.The Sailendras were active promoters of Mahayana Buddhism and covered the Kedu Plain of Central Java with Buddhist monuments, including the world famous Borobudur.The Sailendras are considered to be a...
dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
. He was the youngest son of the preceding Sailendran maharaja, Samaratunga, through marriage with Dewi Tara who was in turn the daughter of another maharaja, Dharmasetu
Dharmasetu
Dharmasetu was an 8th century maharaja of Srivijaya. Under his reign, he successfully incorporated Pan Pan, a kingdom located in the north of the Malay Peninsula into Srivijayan sphere of influence before 775 AD....
of Srivijaya.
Samaratunga died when Balaputra was a boy. As a young heir to the throne, his authority in Central Java was frequently challenged by local landlords. An extended family member by the name of Garung forced Balaputra to accept his tutorship. Garung was part of the Sanjaya Dynasty
Sanjaya Dynasty
The Sañjaya Dynasty was an ancient Javanese dynasty that ruled the Mataram kingdom in Java during first millennium CE. The dynasty was an active promoter of Hinduism in ancient Java.-Origin and formation:...
and was related to Balaputra through marriage of Garung's son, Rakai Pikatan
Rakai Pikatan
Rakai Pikatan was a king of the Sanjaya dynasty Medang Kingdom in Central Java who built the Prambanan temple, dedicated to Shiva, which was completed in 856 AD....
to Pramodhawardhani, Balaputra's sister. During the regency of Garung, the Java political landscape was relatively peaceful. The regency ended in 832 when Garung disappeared.
Around 852, Rakai Pikatan of Sanjaya began garnering influence from the local nobles. This worried Balaputra and he tried to suppress Rakai Pikatan in order to regain control. His effort failed miserably however due to his inexperience and the Sailendras were eventually forced to leave Java for Palembang
Palembang
Palembang is the capital city of the South Sumatra province in Indonesia. Palembang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, and has a history of being a capital of a maritime empire. Located on the Musi River banks on the east coast of southern Sumatra island, it has an area of 400.61 square...
, the seat of Srivijaya as well as the home of Balaputra's mother. The Balaputra's defeat to Jatiningrat (Pikatan) was recorded in Shivagrha inscription
Shivagrha inscription
The Shivagrha inscription is an inscription from the Medang Kingdom of Central Java, dated in chandrasengkala ”Wwalung gunung sang wiku”, that is, the year 856 CE...
that mentioned Balaputra has constructed a fortress made of heaped hundreds of stones for his refuge. With the retreat, Central Java fell to the hands of Sanjaya, ending Sailendra's rule over the area. The Sanjayas later founded the Medang Kingdom and continued to rule Java until Srivijaya reasserted its dominance over the island in the 11th century.
Soon after he left Java, Balaputra became the ruler of Srivijaya. While the record on Balaputra is scarce, it is known through the Nalanda inscription
Nalanda inscription
The Nalanda inscription is an inscription located Nalanda, Bihar, India, dated 860. The inscription mentioned about king Devapaladeva of Bengala had granted the request of Sri Maharaja of Suvarnadvipa, Balaputra, to build a Buddhist monastery near Bodh Gaya...
that he ordered the construction of a Buddhist monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in Nalanda
Nalanda
Nālandā is the name of an ancient center of higher learning in Bihar, India.The site of Nalanda is located in the Indian state of Bihar, about 55 miles south east of Patna, and was a Buddhist center of learning from the fifth or sixth century CE to 1197 CE. It has been called "one of the...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He also sent an ambassador to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.