Previous Year Question
Arrange the following Sen rulers of Bengal in ascending chronological order:
Ballal Sen
Lakshman Sen
Hemant Sen
Vijaya Sen
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
4, 3, 2, 1
2, 1, 4, 3
1, 2, 3, 4
3, 4, 1, 2
Correct Answer: D
Detailed Solution
The Sena dynasty emerged in Bengal during the decline of Pala power. The Senas are considered to have originally been associated with South India and gradually established their political authority in Bengal.
Among the given rulers, Hemant Sen comes first. The Sena family had initially emerged as feudatories under the Palas. During Hemant Sen's period, the political power of the family developed more distinctly.
Hemant Sen was succeeded by his son Vijaya Sen. Vijaya Sen considerably expanded Sena power and established his authority over a large part of Bengal. Under him, the Sena kingdom became a major regional power.
Vijaya Sen was succeeded by his son Ballal Sen. Ballal Sen was not only a political ruler but was also associated with literary and Dharmashastra traditions. Works such as Danasagara and Adbhutasagara are associated with his name.
Ballal Sen was succeeded by his son Lakshman Sen. Sena authority continued in Bengal during his reign, but pressure from Turkish invasions increased towards the end of the 12th century.
Bakhtiyar Khalji invaded Nadia during the reign of Lakshman Sen. Thereafter, the principal political control of the Senas began to weaken, although Sena authority survived for some time in parts of eastern Bengal.
Thus, both dynastic succession and chronology give the sequence — Hemant Sen (3) → Vijaya Sen (4) → Ballal Sen (1) → Lakshman Sen (2).