Ashoka The Great belonged to the Mauryan dynasty. The founder of the Mauryan dynasty was Chandragupta Maurya. This was more than 2300 years ago. One of the greatest rulers of Indian history, the great Ashoka's Kingdom was known as an empire. Ashoka the king, was one of the greatest rulers of his time and invested a lot of effort inscribing a lot of instructions around his Kingdom. His empire included cities like Pataliputra, Taxila, Ujjain, etc.
How are Empires different from Kingdoms?
Empire is comparatively larger than the Kingdom in terms of area under a single ruler. Therefore empires need more resources to function efficiently. They also require more taxes in order to run the territory. To keep the territory fully functional they also required an adequate number of officials to manage the whole area.
Ruling the Empire
The Mauryan Empire was ruled differently in each part due to its vast area. The same rule in each part was Virtually impossible as every locality had a different set of customs and local rules. Various officials were appointed to collect taxes from different areas in the kingdom. Certain regions like Pataliputra were under the direct control of the king. Here officials were appointed to directly collect taxes from various farmers, craft persons, traders, and others who lived in this region.
Other regions were controlled by provincial capitals like Ujjain or Taxila. The control from Pataliputra was minimal here. The Royal Princes often were the governors of these regions and follow the local customs and rules. All the officials who collected taxes and were under the emperor supervised by the help of the royal family, senior ministers, or spies.
As the kingdom was and resourceful it was Virtually impossible to rule it fully from the capital. The emperor therefore important resources under his control like roads, rivers, forests, etc. In certain regions, the tax was collected in terms of resources rather than money. People in the forest regions when expected to pay taxes in terms of elephant timber wax and honey.
Ashoka : A Unique Ruler
Ashoka the great king was a unique ruler in how he sent messages to his people. He was the first king of his times who inscribed messages on Pillars and slabs to connect to his people. He gave instructions in those inscriptions and set them up at various important locations for people to see and understand them. These instructions were mostly written in Brahmi And Prakrit script.
Ashoka’s War in Kalinga
We have understood a lot about Ashoka the Great King. Let's learn a bit about Ashoka the great history. One of the famous regions of Orissa was Kalinga. It is not only famous for its history but it has links to the transformation of one of the greatest Kings in history. Ashoka the great emperor had thought of war here which created a message of bloodshed and violence. Sing The bloodshed and violence all around him was so horrified that he gave up war. He is probably the only king in history who gave up war after winning one.
What was Ashoka’s Dhamma?
Ashoka's Dhamma did not involve the usual rituals and customs of worship. He was inspired by Buddhist teachings. He felt that as the king, he had a duty to teach his people just like a father. Due to the large Empire, there were a lot of issues among the subjects in his Empire. People belonged to different religions, followed different customs and this led to a number of problems amongst themselves. The great Ashoka noticed that animals were ill-treated and so were the slaves or servants. There were frequent quarrels among the neighbours which led to more problems.
Ashoka appointed dhamma mahamatta who were officials appointed to teach people about Dhamma. They went from place to place and taught everyone about this. Ashoka also inscribed his messages on Pillars and rocks so that people could read them and understand them. For people who could not read there were people who are instructed to read them out for the illiterate. He also sent messengers to two other kingdoms to spread his idea of dhamma. The messengers spread the ideas to Sri Lanka Greece Egypt Syria etc. He also built roads wells and rest houses for his people. He set up hospitals to treat humans and animals both.
Did You Know?
Chandashoka was another name of Ashoka.
The four-headed lion used as the national emblem was actually made to spread Buddhism.
Ashoka was appointed as Dharma Mahapatro, and was responsible for spreading Buddhism in his kingdom.
FAQs on Ashoka The Great
1. Why is Ashoka called 'the Great'?
Ashoka is called 'the Great' not just for the vastness of his empire, but primarily for his revolutionary shift in governance after the Kalinga War. He is celebrated for his policy of Dhamma (pious social conduct), his renunciation of warfare for conquest, and his efforts to establish a welfare state based on peace, compassion, and tolerance. His model of ruling a culturally diverse empire with a moral and ethical code was unique in ancient history.
2. What was Ashoka the Great most known for?
Ashoka the Great is most known for several key achievements that defined his reign:
The Kalinga War: His victory and subsequent remorse that led to his transformation.
The policy of Dhamma: A unique ethical code he promoted to govern his empire peacefully.
Promotion of Buddhism: He played a crucial role in spreading Buddhism across India and other parts of Asia.
Ashokan Edicts: Inscriptions on pillars and rocks that are primary sources of information about his rule and philosophy.
3. Who was Ashoka's father and how did he ascend to the throne?
Ashoka's father was Bindusara, the second Mauryan emperor, and his grandfather was the dynasty's founder, Chandragupta Maurya. Ashoka's ascension to the throne was not straightforward. According to several legends and texts, he was not the crown prince but came to power after a war of succession with his brothers following their father's death. He served as a provincial governor in Ujjain and Taxila before claiming the throne in Pataliputra.
4. What was the Kalinga War and why is it considered a turning point in Ashoka's rule?
The Kalinga War (c. 261 BCE) was a massive military campaign led by Ashoka to conquer the feudal republic of Kalinga (modern-day Odisha). The war resulted in immense death and destruction. Witnessing the suffering firsthand, Ashoka was filled with profound remorse. This event marked a major turning point in his life and reign, causing him to abandon the policy of physical conquest (Bherighosha) in favour of cultural and spiritual conquest (Dhammaghosha) and dedicate his life to Buddhism and non-violence.
5. What is the meaning of 'Dhamma' as promoted by Emperor Ashoka?
Ashoka's 'Dhamma' was not a specific religion but a moral and ethical code of conduct for all his subjects, regardless of their faith. Its main principles, as outlined in his edicts, included:
Ahimsa: Non-injury to all living beings.
Tolerance: Respect for all religions and sects.
Social Responsibility: Respect for elders, kindness to servants, and charity towards the needy.
Truthfulness and Purity: Maintaining a moral and simple life.
The goal of Dhamma was to create social harmony and a just society.
6. How did Ashoka spread his message of Dhamma throughout his empire?
Ashoka used several innovative methods to propagate his message of Dhamma. He inscribed his teachings on stone pillars and large rocks, known as the Major and Minor Rock Edicts and Pillar Edicts, which were placed in public areas across his vast empire. He also appointed a special class of officials called the 'Dhamma Mahamattas' whose job was to travel and explain the principles of Dhamma to the people and ensure their welfare.
7. Is it true that another king defeated Ashoka?
No, this is a common misconception. Historical records show that Emperor Ashoka was an extremely successful military commander who expanded the Mauryan Empire to its greatest extent. He was never defeated in battle by an external king. His famous transformation was not a result of defeat but a voluntary change of heart following his own victory in the brutal Kalinga War.
8. How was Ashoka's policy of Dhamma different from the core teachings of Buddhism?
While Ashoka was personally a Buddhist and his Dhamma was inspired by its teachings, they are not the same. Buddhism is a complete religion with specific doctrines like the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the goal of attaining Nirvana. In contrast, Ashoka's Dhamma was a secular ethical code focused on creating a harmonious and just society. It emphasised social behaviour like respect, tolerance, and non-violence, making it applicable to people of all faiths within his empire, not just Buddhists.
9. Why are Ashoka's pillar and rock edicts so important for historians today?
Ashoka's edicts are incredibly important because they are some of the earliest and most reliable primary written sources from ancient Indian history. They provide direct insight into:
The extent of the Mauryan Empire.
Ashoka’s administrative policies and public works.
His personal philosophy and the concept of Dhamma.
The language and script (Brahmi and Kharosthi) used during that period.
They are a direct window into the mind of the emperor and the society he governed.
10. Did Ashoka's non-violence policy lead to the fall of the Mauryan Empire?
This is a subject of historical debate, but it is not the sole reason. While Ashoka's policy of Ahimsa (non-violence) and disbanding a large standing army might have weakened the empire's military prowess, the decline of the Mauryan Empire after his death was caused by several combined factors. These include the rule of weak successors, the immense size of the empire becoming difficult to manage, economic pressures, and the rise of regional powers. His policy was a contributing factor but not the direct cause of the fall.
