how the Gods permitted the desecration of Somnath, Kashi and Mathura temple by the invaders

Question

This has vexed me for long. When the Hindu Gods were so powerful how could the Muslim invaders destroy the temples like Somnath, Kashi and Mathura where God were supposed to be living there after proper installation as pran pratistha in the Idols installed there. the shiv linga was broken and pieces taken away. how even the devotees in the campus of the Somnath temple could not avoid being massacred by Ghaznavi's forces?

Answer 1

Then Swamiji said that on the way back he returned to Srinagar by the common route by which the pilgrims return. A few days after returning to Srinagar, he went to visit Kshir Bhavani Devi and staying there for seven days worshipped the Devi and made Homa to her with offerings of Kshira (condensed milk). Every day he used to worship the Devi with a maund of Kshira as offering.

One day, while worshipping, the thought arose in Swamiji's mind: "Mother Bhavani has been manifesting Her Presence here for untold years. The Mohammedans came and destroyed her temple, yet the people of the place did nothing to protect Her. Alas, if I were then living I could never have borne it silently."

When, thinking in this strain, his mind was much oppressed with sorrow and anguish, he distinctly heard the voice of the Mother saying, "It was according to My desire that the Mohammedans destroyed this temple. It is My desire that I should live in a dilapidated temple, otherwise, can I not immediately erect a seven-storeyed temple of gold here if I like? What can you do? Shall I protect you or shall you protect me!"

Swamiji said, "Since hearing that divine voice, I cherish no more plans. The idea of building Maths etc. I have given up; as Mother wills, so it will be."

Later he said

Swamiji gravely said, "Whether it be internal or external, if you actually hear with your ears such a disembodied voice, as I have done, can you deny it and call it false? Divine Voices are actually heard, just as you and I are talking."

Reference - The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 7/Conversations And Dialogues/IV

Answer 2

The Bhavishya Purana details a conversation between Gabriel (who we can safely assume is the evil Kali) and king Bhoja. Gabriel is called Pisacha, possibly actually Paiśāca in Sanskrit, outside the quotes. Gabriel is probably lying about some things, but that does not matter for this point.

Sootjee said:-"In deep at night, the illusionist Dev pisacha, came towards King Bhoj and said: - Rajan! Your Arya Dharma is greatest above every other Dharma. I am only propagating this Dharma by the order of "Isha"**. The Dharma as it goes:-" Being in my Dharma, one have to cut his genital, he will have no shikha (the small amount of hair tied backward of head that belongs to Brahmin), He will talk bigger, shout loudly and will be omnivorous. Without kaultantra, they will eat animals, and they will perform purified act with the musala or a pestle as you purify your things with kusa. Therefore, they will be called as musalmaan, the people who will belong to this Dharma will pollute every pure Dharma. Likewise I will spread this paisachik Dharma," and he dictated his Dharma to the king."

Later, Gabriel, is also called the servant of Raudra. There should be an "and" to separate Muhammad and Gabriel, as they are clearly different people in the rest of the text. As a side note, it is weird the text says "seems", when this is not someone quoted.

Shobha, who seems not to have benefited from this edifying discourse, has become an almswoman and set herself to meditating on "the heroic Mahaamada, the Pisacha servant of Raudra"

Raudra is notable for Arjuna mistaking it for Rudra in the fall of Hiranyapura story, clearly showing he does not know what is going on. As for a real reference, the best seems to be from the Bhavishya Purana itself. Earlier (this book really expects you to jump all over the place) there is a snake called Raudra. He seems to be pretty evil and hence is possibly a reference to the snake from the Garden of Eden (either counting as a third reference to Christianity or one for Judaism).

Raudra snake replied: - “Hey low caste snake! By getting the body of this very king, sheltering myself in it, I get the happiness of the world. Hence roguish and wicked! How will I leave the body of the king, because, due to any reason of sadness only, one can left his own home! The king is foolish, because, why he didn't give boiled oil in your shelter? "

Anyway, all of this is to say the reason for the desecration of temples is because of an evil snake, who is possible the inspiration for the evil snake in the Bible, who has an evil Deva Gabriel at his command.