BHARATVARSH

ASHOKA THE GREAT

After being coronated, Ashok's reign of terror began. This cruel avatar of his is called Chand (pronounced चंद) Ashok.

Ashok's harem had hundreds of women, who disliked him and didn't even wanted to touch him as his skin was very rough.

When Ashok came to know that, he ordered them all to be burned alive, yes ! He was that cruel.

Any minister who tried to oppose him would be brutally killed. There was also something called Ashok's hell, where he torchered people.

Cruel he was indeed but he was also brave and valorious as he extended the borders of Mauryan empire very much.

Just look at Mauryan empire under Chandragupt Maurya :

And Mauryan empire under Ashok :

Two incidents of his life changed Ashok forever.

1) A Buddhist Monk came to Ashok's court and introduced himself to be Nigrodh, the son of Sushim. Ashok was surprised to see that Nigrodh didn't had an ounce of anger or fear towards him. Ashok asked him to sit anywhere he pleases and Nigrodh sat on the main throne. Nigrodh told Ashok about Buddhist principles and teachings.

2) The famous War of Kalinga was taking place and was taking too long. Ashok had never spent so much time in battlefield, everyday he was seeing the bloodshed and dead bodies and even the war was not turning out to be in his favour. Finally after days they won the war of Kalinga, but by then Ashok was completely exhausted, he was seeing blood and dead bodies everywhere. You can say he got sort of PTSD.

1 lakh people had died and 1.5 lakh were displaced due to this war and from there a new Avatar of Ashok comes forward, whom we call Ashoka the Great.

A man like Ashok completely gave up war, he helped refugees, he took upon Buddhist principles and lived a life of peace.

His administration system was present at local level, meaning he was available to everyone.

He patronized art, most famous being the pillar of Ashok, aka Lion Capitol of Sarnath, which is our national emblem.

The pillars of Ashokan era had inscriptions on them, principles of Dhamma (Buddhist Dharma) and how to live peacefully.

Not only Ashok was now kind to humans, he was also kind to animals and nature.

He propagated Buddhism to Sri Lanka, he gave great amount of alms.

In the year 232 BC the emperor fell severely ill during his last days. He started using state funds to make donations to the Buddhist monks, prompting his ministers to deny him access to the state treasury.

Ashok then started donating his personal possessions, but was similarly restricted from doing so. It is said he used to eat in gold utensils and then donated it, he then started eating in silver utensils but gave them away also. Lastly the emperor used to eat in clay utensils.

On his deathbed, his only possession was the half eaten Aamla which he offered to the Buddhist monks as his final donation.

So you see, Ashok wasn't called great because he extended the boundaries of Mauryan empire with a lot of bloodshed or how lawlessly powerful it was.

Ashok was called as Ashoka his actions in the administration and management of State reflect piety, love, magnanimity, high moral discipline and ethical conduct in his personal as well as public life.

That's why Ashok will always be one of the greatest Kings who graced this glorious Land Bharatvarsh. And thus the cover of this book is the Chakra of Ashok.

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Information based on Ashokvadan.

Coming up next is the proofs of Ramayan and Mahabharat.