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The name Nalanda University is like a time machine, taking you back to ancient India’s knowledge hub. It’s the second oldest university in India, right after Takshila. People came from places as far as Tibet, China, Greece, and Persia to study here. This university dates back over 2100 years, with evidence of its existence going back to at least 1200 BCE. It was founded by Kumargupta I.
Once, a Turkish conqueror named Bakhtiyar Khilji got seriously ill while trying to conquer parts of North India. Despite trying various treatments that didn’t work, he became desperate. Someone suggested he seek treatment from Acharya Rahul Sribhadra, who headed the Ayurveda department at Nalanda University. At first, Khilji refused, but eventually, he agreed with one unusual condition.
He insisted that he wouldn’t take any medicine. Acharya Rahul Sribhadra used his clever thinking and applied medicine to the pages of the Quran, giving it to Khilji. Surprisingly, after reading the Quran with the medicine, Khilji recovered. However, he refused to admit that Indian doctors and their knowledge were superior to his wife’s and their masters’.
In a regrettable decision, Bakhtiyar Khilji chose to destroy the roots of Ayurveda. In 1202 AD, he set fire to the grand library of Nalanda University, which reportedly housed over 9 million manuscripts. The fire raged for three months, destroying countless books, along with the great scholars, Acharyas, and the rich tradition of Ayurveda. It was a devastating loss for knowledge and history.
Rise of Nalanda University
Nalanda University, situated in the ancient region of Bihar, India, stands as a testament to the greatness of Indian academia. Founded over two millennia ago, it is not only India’s second-oldest university but also one of the most prestigious centers of learning in the ancient world.
Nalanda was not just an educational institution; it was a beacon of knowledge that illuminated the minds of scholars, philosophers, and seekers of wisdom from various corners of the globe. The legacy of Nalanda extends back to the time of the Mauryan Empire, with roots that run deep into India’s intellectual heritage.
It reached its zenith under the patronage of the Gupta dynasty when scholars and students flocked to its hallowed halls to explore a diverse range of subjects. From astronomy to mathematics, logic to philosophy, and medicine to the arts, Nalanda offered a holistic education that was unmatched in its breadth and depth.
Multinational Enrollment
What set Nalanda apart from many other ancient educational institutions was its cosmopolitan character. Nalanda was not just a hub for Indian scholars; it attracted students and teachers from across the known world.
The echoes of debates and discussions in Nalanda’s courtyards reverberated not only in the languages of Sanskrit and Pali but also in Tibetan, Chinese, Greek, and Persian. This multicultural milieu made Nalanda a true melting pot of ideas and philosophies, fostering an environment of intellectual growth and cross-cultural exchange.
Bakhtiyar Khilji’s Invasion
Turkish Invader’s Arrival
In the early 13th century, the Indian subcontinent witnessed the arrival of Bakhtiyar Khilji, a Turkish military leader with ambitions of conquest. Khilji’s military campaigns led him to capture several regions in North India, including those in close proximity to Nalanda University.
However, it was not his military prowess that would make him infamous in history, but rather his actions within the walls of this venerable institution.
Desperate Search for Health
Khilji’s initial association with Nalanda was marked by his personal health crisis. Falling critically ill, he sought medical assistance, but conventional treatments failed to provide relief. It was in this dire state that he received a recommendation – an unconventional one at that.
He was advised to seek help from Acharya Rahul Sribhadra, the distinguished head of the Ayurveda department at Nalanda University.
At first, Khilji hesitated to follow this advice. The condition he set forth was unconventional, to say the least – he would accept treatment but without consuming any form of medicinal concoction. This presented a unique challenge to Acharya Rahul Sribhadra, as Ayurveda, like any ancient system of medicine, relied heavily on herbal remedies and concoctions.
Ingenious Solution
Acharya Rahul Sribhadra, a master of Ayurveda, was faced with a daunting task. Treating a patient without administering any medicine seemed impossible, given the principles of Ayurveda. However, Sribhadra displayed his intellectual prowess and resourcefulness in a critical moment. He devised a solution that was as ingenious as it was unexpected.
Sribhadra applied Ayurvedic remedies to the pages of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, and presented it to Khilji. After reading these specially treated pages, Khilji experienced a miraculous recovery. This unexpected turn of events left Khilji both astonished and skeptical about Indian physicians’ knowledge compared to his own wife and their masters.
Destruction of Nalanda University
Despite his recovery through Ayurvedic treatment, Bakhtiyar Khilji harbored a deep-seated resentment towards Indian knowledge systems, particularly Ayurveda. His subsequent actions revealed a sinister motive – to eradicate the roots of Ayurveda from Indian soil. It was not merely a conquest of territory that motivated him; it was an assault on India’s intellectual and cultural heritage.
In the year 1202 AD, Bakhtiyar Khilji ordered the burning of Nalanda University’s great library. This library was more than just a repository of books; it was a treasure trove of knowledge that had accumulated over centuries.
It was reported to have housed more than 9 million manuscripts, making it one of the largest libraries of the ancient world. What followed was a tragedy of monumental proportions.
The library continued to burn for three agonizing months, consuming not only priceless texts but also the legacy of great scholars and Acharyas who had imparted knowledge at the university. The loss was immeasurable, with centuries of accumulated wisdom reduced to ashes.
The very heart of Nalanda University, which had once pulsed with the vibrant energy of learning, was reduced to smoldering ruins. The destruction of Nalanda University’s library was not merely an attack on an academic institution; it was a catastrophic blow to Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine.
Within the library’s vast collection lay a wealth of knowledge related to herbal remedies, medicinal practices, and holistic healthcare methods. These manuscripts held the collective wisdom of generations of Ayurvedic practitioners and scholars, and their loss was a tragedy that India would grapple with for centuries to come.
Legacy of Destruction
The destruction of Nalanda University and its library left an indelible mark on India’s history and collective memory. The loss of such a repository of knowledge was a tragedy that reverberated through time, a wound that continued to ache in the hearts of scholars and the descendants of those who once thrived in Nalanda’s academic embrace.
Decline of Ayurveda
The devastation inflicted by Bakhtiyar Khilji’s actions had far-reaching consequences for Ayurveda. With the destruction of Nalanda University’s Ayurveda department and the loss of countless manuscripts, the dissemination of ancient medicinal knowledge was severely hampered.
India’s indigenous healing system faced a decline in prominence, a decline that it struggled to recover from in the subsequent centuries.
Ayurveda, which had once flourished in the hallowed halls of Nalanda, now found itself on the brink of obscurity. The vast repository of knowledge that had been lost could never be fully recovered, and the interruption in the transmission of Ayurvedic wisdom had lasting effects.
Frequently Asked Questions on Nalanda University Bihar
What was Nalanda University known for in ancient India?
Nalanda University was known for its rich history and status as India's second oldest university. It attracted scholars from around the world and offered a wide range of subjects, including philosophy, medicine, and mathematics.
Who was Bakhtiyar Khilji at Nalanda University?
Bakhtiyar Khilji was a Turkish invader who, after a miraculous recovery from illness through Ayurvedic treatment at Nalanda, decided to destroy the university's library in 1202 AD.
What condition did Bakhtiyar Khilji impose for his treatment at Nalanda's Ayurveda department?
Khilji insisted on not consuming any form of medicine during his treatment. Instead, Ayurvedic remedies were applied to the pages of the Quran and given to him, leading to his recovery.
How many manuscripts were estimated to be lost during the burning of Nalanda's library?
It is estimated that more than 9 million manuscripts were lost during the burning of Nalanda's library in 1202 AD.
What impact did the destruction of Nalanda University have on Ayurveda?
The destruction of Nalanda University disrupted the transmission of Ayurvedic knowledge and contributed to a decline in the prominence of Ayurveda as an ancient Indian system of medicine.
