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WHO ATTACKED NALANDA BEFORE KHILJI


Nalanda University was attacked three times. First attack was done by order of Brahmin General named Pushyamitra who took advantage of declining Mauryan dynasty and its weak rulers. It should be noted they attacked the university and the monks but not burnt down the libraries. The attack was against only the Buddhists.

Guptas came to power after decline of Mauryan dynasty . When Guptas came to power they reconstructed the University and restored the glory of Nalanda once again.

But after decline of Guptas dynasty, there was another which came to power in eastern India that was Gauda Dynasty (of present day Bengal). King Shashanka was one of the most powerful ruler of Gaudiya Dynasty. The development of the Bengali calendar is often attributed to Shashanka because the starting date falls within his reign. During his time, Buddhists were heavily persecuted and Nalanda University was attacked.

In the inscriptions of Chinese monk Xuanzang ( who travelled to India during that period) mention Shashanka as a vile serpent and Brahmin scholar Bhanabhatta also describes about King Shashanka's cruelty with Buddhists of Nalanda. After Harshavardhan of Vardhana Dynasty (present day Haryana) came to power defeating the Gauda ruler and restored Nalanda University.

Following invasion of North India by Turks in 12th century before Khilji laid out attack in Nalanda, the last ruler of Nalanda fled to Tibet. An inscription found in Tibetan script of 12th century also mentions about the attacks on Nalanda University before Khilji completely destroyed it and Nalanda University never regained it's glory once again.

In conclusion, though some fanatics from left and right wings will try to distort the history. Left will blame whole of Hinduism for the destruction of Nalanda University instead of blaming the particular rulers who left a dark spot in Hinduism and right will go the other way. Instead it should be recognise as the fault of particular rulers of that period , When Pushyamitra and Shashanka ordered attacks on Nalanda University it was mentioned and written by Hindu scholars of other rulers who saw the devastation and they never knew that their works will be used in such a way one day.

Source: Quora  

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