Integrity Score 570
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Going back to the story of the destruction of Vikramshila, it is worthwhile to recall Persian sources[xxi] in which Bakhtiyar Khilji is stated to have attacked and destroyed the monasteries at Nalanda and Odantapuri and thereafter having proceeded towards Bengal. However, exact details of the stated invasion of Vikramshila are not clearly mentioned in such sources. It is often conjectured that Vikramshila too was destroyed by his troops, on the way to Bengal, owing to the same timing of the destruction, as mentioned by Taranath. However, whether or not Vikramshila fell on the route followed by him to Bengal remains yet to be ascertained. What, however, is clearly established is that Taranath has attributed the destruction of Vikramshila to the combined attack by several Turuskas, then based in Bengal, who took advantage of the situation that emerged after the raid of Bakhtiyar Khilji. Since no traces of the former magnificence of the Mahavihar survived in any local traditions or memories after the invasion, there seems to have been a strong local disconnect with the surrounding inhabitants, whose roles, probably having no prominence during the disturbances, are left unrecorded.
Significantly, some sort of non opposition to the Turuskas by the resurging yogi followers of Gorakshnath, is mentioned, albeit in a suspicious manner by Taranath. From such evidences, a growing phase of struggle between Hindu and Buddhist ascetics, regular debates between whom have been mentioned, is indeed indicated and most probably as a lament, Taranath has mentioned that even as many siddhas and sadhakas did live in that period of decline, however, since the karma of the people in general was unalterable, the end could not be prevented. However, even as the conflict is established from several historical references and also from the account of Taranath, there should be no ambiguity in appreciating the fact that Turk groups, then based in Bengal, were clearly formally responsible for the final destruction of the Mahavihar, as both Taranath and contemporary Dharmasvamin have stated the same without any iota of doubt. As per Dharmasvamin, the Turks had even thrown the foundation stones of Vikramshila into the Ganga.
To be continued....