During our Springfest celebration here in The Orient, one of our focus events was to solicit articles from our citizens on the various ancient wonders of our world. King Asoka, an altogether fascinating figure from India's distant past, is such an enigmatic figure in shaping India's history that for me he is an ancient wonder all his own. Writing this article simply provided me with an excuse to educate myself more about him and his rule. So I invite you to enjoy this article and learn with me. Please note however, this is not a purely academic article, and is really just one who is intrigued researching into the history of an interesting man.

India's history, from prehistoric to British rule is marked by several dynastic eras. Asoka the great falls under the relatively short lived Mauryan rule, started by his grandfather Chandragupta Maurya. (not to be confused with Chandragupta II, a later Gupta era ruler). There is much fascinating history to be learned about the founder of the Mauryan dynasty and his brilliant advisor Kautilya but for now we'll dwell briefly on how his grandfather and father may have influenced him.

Chandragupta Maurya; 321 b.c. - Forging his new found kingdom through both warfare and diplomatic tactics, Chandragupta appears by all records to have been a true figure of power. He was born of a low caste, or commoner, and apprenticed to Kautilya, who later became his chief advisor. This founder of the Mauryan rule placed his kingdom center in Magadha, present day Bihar, at the time the reign of the Nanda rulers and India's powerful Brahman class and considered a religious center due to the world's first university constructed there. His empire united much of the surrounding area's formerly regional kingdoms, with their chieftains paying him tribute and owing allegiance to his rule. His conquests began with Magadha itself, then on to the northwest up to the Indus, after diplomatic treaties were founded with the invading Greeks and this northern territory claimed, he eventually moved on and conquered most of central India, then continued on in the north again to extend his rule well into modern day Afghanistan. At the end of his life he abandoned rule over his kingdom to his son Bindusara for life as an aesthetic Jain priest. An act of religious obedience that may have influenced his grandson Ashoka?

Bindusara Maurya; 297 b.c. -Bindusara, also known as Amitrochates to his Greek contemporaries, evidently possessed his father's military mind and intelligence. He expanded Mauryan rule through conquest to modern day Bangladesh and the area known as the southern Deccan. His strength in warfare was tempered in historical accounts by his appreciation for knowledge and exotic goods and luxuries of Greece, available to him through his father's diplomatic treaties. His rule lasted 29 years until his death in 272 b.c.

On to Ashoka, or Asoka the Great. While his father was alive, he acted as a military general for his father's kingdom, and governor of Ujjan and Taxila. It appears he may have been a bit bloodthirsty here, as some accounts depict him murdering his brothers in order to secure the throne for himself. Other sources simply state that he "sidelined" the others and rose to rule by some other means. It is commonly noted that regardless of how he rose to power, he was already considered the most trustworthy of all of Bindusara's sons. Either way, a famously adept warrior hungry for power is not exactly what one pictures when they consider a Buddhist leader. I guess people really can change.

After his mysterious coronation as the new Mauryan king following his father's death, he immediately sets about extending Mauryan rule even further to include parts of central Asia and the south to southeast India minus the very bottom peninsula. The only region left unconquered is Kalinga, modern day Orissa, located on the far east coast of India's mainland. One may think this is enough, but personally I see the young Ashoka as being a ruler raised on the belief that a kingdom is only as strong as it's continued conquests are far-flung. It is only 50 years at this point that the Mauryan rule has even existed, built on the might of his grandfather's sword and he a commoner at it's start. I imagine that for him, the royal throne and war are inseparable, one cannot have the first without the second.

As most know or have heard, it is Kalinga that broke the camel's proverbial back, causing Ashoka to convert to Buddhism and abandon his urge to conquest. The victory over Kalinga, hard won and bloody, was so vicious it is often considered a massacre. Figures agreed upon by every source that noted it in my research list the war tallies as over 100,000 dead & 150,000 prisoners claimed after. Though these numbers seem so high as to be inconceivable, it is often noted that Kalinga's proud defenders were so beloved of their land they refused surrender of it to Asoka's army, so unto the death it was for a great number of it's citizens. Contemporary accounts claim that disgusted at so much bloodshed, he converted to Buddhism directly on the battlefield. Melodramatic perhaps, but possibly true.

After Kalinga, his story takes a fascinating turn. From here to the end of his life, he forsakes warfare and conquest altogether, refrains from hunting and the eating of meat, and turns to the teachings of Buddhism (a religion born in Magadha itself some 300 years earlier). He also completely alters his method of rule, so drastically as to make him remarkable among nearly every ruler in all memory. Evident from contemporary accounts and his infamous edicts, Ashoka embraces the concept of a fair ruler including the belief that a king's responsibilities surpass any personal need. He instituted many governmental reforms throughout his now massive kingdom; creating an intelligence network of secret agents to protect his kingdom and it's citizens from attacks by neighboring lands, a system of land taxation that provided better representation and fairness to the people under his rule, enabled state sponsored loans to citizens in need and established vast international trade. He also improved national quality of life in many ways including state-run hospitals, roads, safety for travellers, protection of cities with the building of guarded walls and ordered improved agricultural methods to be developed including irrigation and land-ownership for farmers.

Ashoka's belief that mankind should follow tolerance, obedience and respect in the Buddhist tradition was transcribed in Sanskrit on a series of stone monuments called Edicts and placed at intervals throughout his kingdom. He also erected many Buddhist shrines known as Stupas, and sent peace emissaries and Buddhist missionaries to distant lands, successfully spreading Buddhism during his reign to many countries throughout nearby Asia. Ashoka attempted to embrace Buddhism in all his methods of government, but felt he failed to this end for the most part, and several of his methods were abandoned towards the end of his life. Non-violent beliefs such as no death penalties for criminals and the lack of desire to go to war or maintain an army were perhaps at odds with governing an empire in this ancient period of India's history.

Asoka the Great's legacy..Although Hinduism's hold as the main religion resumed after the Mauryan empire ended (only half a century after his own rule), the vegetarian lifestyle instituted by Asoka and his court remain to this day the majority of India. Another presence of Asoka's lasting imprint; one of his Edicts is topped by a stone lion, now depicted in India's national flag to commemorate this first united kingdom of India's heritage held together by non-violent beliefs.

It is this king's remarkable vision and ability to truly embrace a change in his own belief system that place him in history as one of the most memorable men ever to rule a nation and make him one of my personal favorites in the tapestry of ancient India.

References and online sources for further study;

• Mauryan rule at webindia123.com
• The Mauryan Empire at indiansaga.info
• Mauryan timeline,features,economic&political structure at indiachild.com
• The history of India at indiaheritage.com

If you enjoyed this article and are interested in visiting Ancient World's online representation of Asoka's homeland and ruling seat of power, visit our sub-level "neighborhood" of Bihar, ancient Magadha.

Did you know..? Kautilya (also known as Chanakya), Chandragupta's advisor was not only a diplomatic genius, dispelling Alexander's army from destroying India through trade and peace treaties, but was also a master mathematician and considered 'India's Machievelli'. Find out more in Sankira Qin's An Examination of Kautilya's Arthasastra, Part One.

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