HISTORY

Tibetan Monk Pilgrim Dharmasvamin's Travel Account

Translated by G. Roerich, Published by K.P. Jayaswal Research Institute, Patna

Extracts from Introduction by Dr. A.S. Alteka:

"The Muslim Conquest in Bihar in 13th Century A.D."

Dharmasvamin's account is very valuable because it gives us first hand information of the effects produced by the Muslim conquest. The conquerors had overrun the country but had not yet succeeded in establishing any stable administration. In Bihar there were several Hindu or Buddhist kings, who were leading a precarious existence. They were too weak to oppose the Muslim forces, but strong enough to emerge from their forest retreats and re-establish their rule when the invading army had passed way. As is shown by the case of Buddhasena. We do not get reference to the Muslim administrative machinery except at Bihar Sharif, where there was a Muslim military headquarters.

Bands of Muslim soldiers were roaming about the country creating consternation among the population, probably by their loot and exactions.

When Dharmasvamin reached Vaisali on his way to Bodha Gaya. the town was all deserted on account of the apprehended arrival of a Muslim force. People used to desert their houses by day and come back to them at night (p. 62). Vikramasila had been completely destroyed before1206 AD and its foundation stones had been hurled into the Ganga. (p. 64). The Bodha Gaya establishment had been deserted by all except four monks. The ancient image had been walled up by a brick wall and a new one had beenput in the ante-chamber. The old image had, however, been already despoiled of its emerald eyes earlier. The king of Bodha Gaya had fled to forest. Dharmasvamin himself had to flee away for seventeen days. When it became clear that the Muslim force had gone away, people returned. The wall was removed. The ancient image was made available to devotees. King Buddhasena also reappeared on the scene along with his small force of 500 soldiers. Dharmasvamin refers to the ruins of the stone gate in front of the Bodha Gaya temple. This was also probably destroyed by the Muslims. Dharmasvamin mentions a number of small temples in the courtyard of the Vajrasana shrine, which were apparently undamaged.

The general impression that Nalanda was completely destroyed by the beginning of the 13th century is not confirmed by Dharmasvamin's account. He had lived there for about six months and gives us an eye witness’s account. Nalanda was still in existence, but was a mere ghost of its past glory. Once it had seven temples and 14big and 84 small monasteries. Dharmasvamin tells us that they were damaged by the Muslims and there was none to look after them or to make offerings (p. 90). Only two Viharas called Dha-na-bad and Ghu-na-ba were in a serviceable condition. The surrounding wall of the establishment still existed with its eastern and western gates; they were decorated with paintings of Tara and other deities near the entrances (p.93). Thousands ofmonks belonging to the establishment had fled away, but the chief abbot Rahula-sri-Bhadra continued to reside and had declined to flee. He was an old man of more than 90and probably felt that he should die at his post. At the time of Dharmasvamin's visit there were 70 monk scholars reading under him, being supported by king Buddhasena of Bodha Gaya and a rich lay Brahmana disciple named Jayadeva living at Odantapuri or Bihar Sharif.

If we are to believe the account of Dharmasvamin, the partial survival of Nalanda was due to the superstitious fears of the Muslims.

The partial survival of Nalanda was probably due to the following causes:

(1) The establishment had not many stone structures, which could supply stone for the erection of mosques.

(2) It was too big to be thoroughly destroyed in one effort.

(3) Nalanda was not, like Vikramasila, on the high way leading from Delhi to Bengal, and so the work of completing its destruction required a special expedition.

(4) Of its numerous temples and monasteries, two monasteries were in a serviceable condition in 1235A.D. So when the first avalanche of Muslim invasion was over, a few monks, about a hundred in number, returned with their head abbot to stay at the establishment, hoping that they would now be left undisturbed. Practically the whole province had been over-run by the Muslims and the constant danger of their harassment was present everywhere. Why then not stay in a place, which could at least afford some good accommodation for a limited number and wash allowed by its earlier associations?

In the summer of 1235 A.D. Nalanda suffered further from Muslim depredations. A military force had been stationed at Odantapuri (Bihar Sharif) and its commanding officer (attacked Nalanda). All the seventy disciples fled away leaving the old Guru and his Tibetan disciple eventually both decided to quit, the pupil carrying his Guru on his shoulders, along with rice, sugar and some books. They however only shifted to the temple of Jnananatha in whose miraculous powers to save his devotees the Guru had an implicit faith. This temple was to the south-west of the Nalanda establishment. While they were staying there, suddenly some 300 Muslim soldiers appeared, armed andready to fight. 'Though they were sure to kill them, they did not find them and went back' (p. 94). This party might have wrought further devastation at Nalanda, though Dharmasvamin is silent upon the point.

Apparently the Guru and his Tibetan pupil continued to stay in Nalanda during the ensuing rainy season after the departure of the Muslim soldiery. The text is not clear on the point. Towards the end of the 9th chapter we read of Dharmasvamin's completing his studies at Nalanda,when he asked his Guru's permission to depart. This would suggest that both of them were living at Nalanda, probably in the temple of Jnananatha.

Dharmasvamin does not refer to the libraries at Nalanda, nor did he get any MSS copied there. The library buildings seem to have been destroyed earlier than 1235A.D. The monks who were staying at Nalanda had however a few MSS with them.