According to court histories, he had originally decided on a monastic life, abandoning material desires and embarking on pilgrimages as an itinerant mendicant.
[3] It was while he was visiting the holy city of Benares in 1431 that he received news of his father's death, as well as of the violent struggle for the vacant throne which had ensued among his brothers and the military leaders.
[4] Early in Dharma's reign, his territories were invaded by the Sultan of Bengal, Shamsuddin Ahmad Shah, who compelled a tribute of money and elephants.
[7] Traditions describe Dharma as a powerful administrator as well as a patron of learning and culture; the latter of which is most evident in his commissioning of the Rajmala, a history of the Manikya dynasty.
His religious zeal is also notable, shown both through donations of large amounts of lands to Brahmins, as well as by his construction projects, which include temples and the famous Dharmasagar tank in Comilla.