Ashoka
Ashoka (272BC-232BC)
He was son & successor of Emperor Bindusara and his wife Devi Dharma born in 304BC. He was the third Mauryan Emperor, who ruled Indian Subcontinent for nearly 40 years.
Ashoka means “without sorrow” and he had the title Devanampriya which means “beloved of Gods” and people loved and called him Priyadarshini meaning “he who regards kindly”.
Ashoka was initially called "Kamashoka" because he spent many years in pleasurable pursuits; he was then called "Chandashoka", because he spent some years performing extremely wicked deeds; and finally, he came to be known as “Dhammashoka”, after his conversion to Buddhism.
Source of Information
The sources of Ashoka’s history are Buddhist books Dipavamsa & Mahavansha, Sanskrit books Divyavadana and Ashokavadana. Inscriptions at Stupas, Edicts and Pillars constructed by Ashoka and his successors give more details about life and glory of Samrat Ashoka
Queen Devi Dharma
Subhadrangi, was the daughter of a Brahmin in Champa village in present day Bihar. A astrologer once forecasted that her son will become a great king. So she forced her father to move to Pataliputra. Somehow her father managed to get her into the palace and she was appointed as a hairdresser in Queens’s quarters. Emperor Bindusara liked her work and one day he saw her beauty and married her. He called her Devi Dharma. She practiced Ajivika tradition although she was born as a Brahmin. The ruler also liked the tradition and started practicing the same in his later years.
Ashoka’s Childhood
Ashoka and Vitashoka were born to the couples. They were never pampered by their father, on the contrary Sushim, their step brother was the favourite son. According to the book Ashokavadana, Ashoka was disliked by his father because of his rough skin.
Rani Dharma was never given proper royal treatment in the palace. The Chief queen Charumati and other senior queens never wanted Subhadrangi’s sons to dominate their children and kept her at a distance from the king.
Ashoka was trained in military hardware and war science in his childhood. He was a strong and adamant boy. He had fights with his step brothers and always he was forced to compromise with them by his mother.
Rebellion at Taxila:
Prince Ashoka was a teen, when he was sent to suppress the rebellion at Taxila. Ashoka reached to the subjects and found the actual reason for the rebellion. People disliked the administration of viceroy and his officers, but had respect for the Emperor and his rule. Ashoka promised the subjects of Taxila that they would have better governance henceforth and he suppressed the rebellion.
As Viceroy of Ujjain:
On his successful Taxila campaign, Bindusara appointed him as Viceroy of Avanthi region. The appointment was instigated by the Prime Queen Charumati, mother of Sushim. She wanted Ashoka to be kept far from the Capital.
Ashoka governed the Avanthi region very well and his subjects were very happy below his responsibility. The state was happy and rich during his reign as Governor.
Ashoka married Devi, also called Vidishamahadevi, daughter of a merchant. She belonged to the Shakya clan of Buddha’s origin who settled in Vidisha.
Subhadrangi settled in Ujjain, the capital of Avanthi permanently and she was called as “JanapadaKalyani”.
Ashoka Captures Mauryan Crown
During the last days of Emperor Bindusara, Ashoka was called to Pataliputra by Prime Minister Radha Gupta, as the Emperor was very ill and was on his deathbed. Ashoka rushed to Pataliputra hearing his father’s illness but before reaching the capital heard the death news of Bindusara. Immediately he captured the throne with the help of Prime ministers Kallatak and Radha Gupta. The ministers convinced the 500 officials of Bindusara’s court and helped Ashoka to kill and close the chapters of his step brothers. When Sushim, hearing the deaths of father and brothers, returned to the capital, on the way he reached Ujjain to take revenge on Ashoka by killing his family. Queen Devi Dharma, widow of Bindusara died saving her daughter-in-law Devi and her children Mahindra and Sanghamitra.
Sushim rushed to Pataliputra but was tricked into a pit of charcoal by minister Radha Gupta. Sushim died a painful death.
Ashoka ascended the Magadha throne at the age of 34 years after killing his 99 step brothers. Devi, his wife, wanted to stay away from horrific politics in Pataliputra and stayed back in Vidisha with her children.
Ashoka becomes Chandashoka
Ashoka was called as Chandashoka because of his cruelty. After becoming the Emperor, there was a change in his behavior because of his mother’s death and separation from his family. There are three incidents, which record his cruelty.
Ashoka wanted to test the loyalty of 500 officials at the court and gave them an illogical order to cut down every fruit and flower bearing tree in the capital. When they failed, he personally cut off their heads.
He was in the palace garden with many concubines and slept below an Ashoka tree, the concubines joked comparing the tree's roughness with Ashoka’s skin and chopped off the leaves from the tree. After Ashoka woke up, he burned all the concubines because of their deeds.
Ashoka ordered Radha Gupta to punish and massacre people who were against his rule. Chanda Girika, a village boy from village was called to the capital and upon his request, Ashoka built a jail in Pataliputra, which was known as Ashoka’s hell. The Prison building looked lovely from outside, but inside it Girika brutally tortured the prisoners.
According to Divyavandana, someone in Pundravardhana drew an image of Buddha bowing before Nirgrantha, a Digambar Jain monk. The Buddhist followers complained to the king. Ashoka ordered the Ajivikas to be put to death and announced a reward for killing Nirgrantha. Nearly 18000 Ajivika sect followers were executed as a result. Someone killed Vitashoka, taking the name Nirgrantha. His severed head was presented to Ashoka. After identifying that he was his brother, Ashoka stopped the order of executions.
Kalinga War(261BC)
Ashoka had ruled a vast empire which comprised the Indian Subcontinent with Afghanistan and Baluchistan. The three southern kingdoms of Chola, Chera and Satyaputras were friendly with Mauryans and were never attacked by the Empire. The small part of Indian Subcontinent – Kalinga was not under the control of the Mauryan Empire. Ashoka wanted to occupy the region and invaded the small kingdom.
According to his records in edict 13, during his conquest of Kalinga, around 1lakh people of Kalinga were killed which included women and children. Around 1.5 lakh people were carried away as captives. The whole area of Kalinga was plundered and destroyed. According to legends, river Daya looked red for nearly three months because of blood.
Ashoka conquered Kalinga, in the eighth year of his ascension to the throne.
After the war, when he visited the site, Ashoka saw the bloodshed and felt that he was the cause of the destruction. The Kalinga War prompted Ashoka, already a non-engaged Buddhist, to devote the rest of his life to ahimsa (non-violence) and to promote dharma. Following the conquest of Kalinga, Ashoka ended the military expansion of the empire and began an era of more than 30 years of relative peace, harmony, and prosperity.
Ashoka transformed from Chand to Dharma Ashoka.
Dhammashoka
After some years of Kalinga War, Ashoka turned towards Dharma and thereafter called Dharmashoka.
Ashoka followed the non-Buddhist tradition during his initial reign as Emperor. His Grandfather Chandra Gupta converted to Jainism and his father Bindusara became an Ajivika, he himself was in confusion of practicing many religions from Childhood.
After the Kalinga War, Ashoka felt sad and wished to know about the religions which can make his mind calm and peaceful. First he tried to understand Hindu, Jain and Ajivika traditions, not convinced with them; he came across Buddhism for the first time when he saw Buddhist monk Samudra, an ex-merchant of Shravasti. Samudra was a prisoner in Ashoka’s hell and came out miraculously. When Ashoka heard this, he visited the monk and was impressed by Samudra’s miracles. He became his follower and later a Buddhist. This story is mentioned in the Divyavadana Book.
After converting to Buddhism, Ashoka sent monks to spread the teachings of Buddha all over the world, but never forced his subjects for conversion. People were free to follow the religion they wished.
Stupas
Ashoka collected seven out of eight relics of Buddha and kept their portions in 84000 Gold and Silver boxes. He ordered the construction of 84000 stupas around his empire. Today only some of the stupas are present, others being destroyed in period. The stupa at Sanchi, was built in the memory of his first wife Devi as her wish. He constructed stupas at Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, Nalanda, Taxila, Butkara, Sannati and many more. Some of the stupas were reconstructed or modified during later years.
Edicts
Ashoka established edicts at many places around his empire to publicize his new policies and about Buddha’s teachings, which are called Dhamma. Edicts are the inscriptions on huge or small rocks written in Prakrit or Pali language. Ashokan Edicts are present in Junagadh (Gujarat), Dhauli (Odisha) and at many places through out India
Pillars
Ashoka constructed Pillars at many places across India like Greek emperors.
5 pillars were found at Rampurva, one each at Vaishali, Lauriya-Araraj and Lauria-Nandangarh. Two of Ashokan pillars were moved to Delhi from Meerut during the reign of Firoz Shah Tuglaq. Pillars are also found at Sanskissa, Sarnath and Sanchi. The Sarnath pillar with the Lion capital is India’s National Emblem. The Chakra of Ashoka is present in the National Flag.
Public Works
He did many public works such as construction of Hospitals, study centers and animal sheds. He planted trees and groves on the sides of roads. The digging of wells and construction of water bodies and rest houses for the travelers were done during his reign.
He banned the killing of Animals and reduced the tax burden on his subjects. He was called “Priyadarshi” by his people.
Third Buddhist Council
Ashoka arranged Third Buddhist Council in 240BC at Pataliputra, his capital. The council was attended by more than 1000 monks and presided by Moggaliputta-tissa, a Buddhist monk born at Magadha. The council is recognized and known to both the Theravada and Mahayana schools, though its importance is central only to the Theravada.
Ashoka’s Past lives
Buddhist scriptures mention the past lives of Ashoka. According to Mahavansha, Ashoka, Nigrodha and Tissa were brothers in a previous life. A Buddhist was looking for honey to cure another Buddhist, who was sick. A woman directed the Buddhist to a shop owned by the three brothers. Ashoka donated honey generously and wished to become the ruler of Jambudweep for his act of merit. The woman wished to become the queen of the ruler. In later life Ashoka became ruler and the woman born as Asandimitra his wife.
According to Ashokavadana, Ashoka was born as Jaya in a family of Rajagriha. When he was a boy, he gave Gautama Buddha dirt imaging as food. The text mentions JAya born as Ashoka, who had a rough skin because of his wrong deed. Vijaya, an aide of Jaya was reborn as Radha Gupta, his minister.
Ashoka and his family
His first wife was Devi and she lived in Ujjain & Vidisha till her death and followed Buddhist religion as she belonged to the Shakya sect. Her son Mahindra and Daughter Sanghamitra were sent to Sri Lanka to promote Buddhism by their father.
Kaurvaki was Ashoka’s favourite wife and mother of her only son Tivala. The names of Kaurvaki and Tivala are mentioned in many of the Ashokan inscriptions. Tivala died during his father’s reign.
Ashoka married Padmavathi when he was the emperor. She died after giving birth to a son named Kunala.
Ashoka’s Chief Queen was Asandimitra and raised Kunala as her own son since she was childless. She made Ashoka to turn towards Buddhism and she was responsible for the construction of 84000 stupas around the empire. She died when Kunala was a teen.
Ashoka married Tishyaraksha to raise his teen son Kunala, who had lost his mothers.
Ashoka had given kingship to her for seven days and she plotted against Kunala and treacherously blinded him by a royal order.
Ashoka had a daughter called Charumati, who was married to Devapala, a ruler of Nepal. She is credited to have founded the monastery of Chabahil, which is known as Charumati Vihara and is one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries of Nepal.
Ashoka falls down
Ashoka died in 232BC when he was 72 and it was his natural death. He was severely ill during his last days. He emptied the treasury by donating wealth to Buddhist Sanghas. He donated his personal funds and jewels to the Buddhist monasteries. On his deathbed he had only a fruit to eat, which he donated to a Buddhist monk as his final donation.
Legend states that his body burned for seven days and nights during his cremation.
After Ashoka's death, the Maurya Empire declined rapidly.