INTRODUCTION
The high point of the Mauryanempire
Conquered the kingdom of Kalinga, 260
BC.
Ruled through tightly organized
bureaucracy
Established capital at Pataliputra
Policies of encouraging agriculture and
trade
Dedicated his life to Buddhism.
Built Extensive roads.
Conflict How to balance Kautilya’s
method of keeping power and Buddha’s
demands to become a selfless person?
CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA
( FOUNDER & GRANDFATHER OF ASHOKA)
BINDUSARA
(Second king & father of Ashoka)
ASHOKA THE EMPEROR
( Third king )
Founder of MauryanDynasty in 322 BC.
Gained power shortly after Alexander’s death.
Was crowned king at Taxila.
Had capital at Patliputra.
His minister Chanakyawrote Arthashastra.
ASHOKA BELONG TO MAURYAN DYNASTY
HE IS THE THIRD KING OF MAURYAN
DYNASTY
BIRTH OF ASHOKA REIGN BEGINS MARRIAGE CONVERSION DEATH IN
TO
BUDDHISM
300 272 284 263 232
BCE BCE BCE BCE BCE
-----------------------------------------
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Quicklygrewintoanexcellentwarrior
Hiscommandonthemauryanarmystartedgrowingdayby
day
Hiselderbrothersbecamesuspiciousofhimbeing
favouredasthenextemperor.
Theeldestsonofbindusara,princesusima,convincedhim
tosendasokatotakshashila
Wenttokalinga,wherehemetafisherwomannamed
kaurwaki.
RISE TO POWER
Ashokawas stationed at ujjayinias governor.
Bindusara'sdeath in 273 bcled to a war over
succession
Ashokawas supported by his father's ministers.
Ashokamanaged to become the king by getting
rid of the legitimate heir to the throne
THE KALINGA WAR
AFTER THE KALINGA WAR
LEGACY OF ASHOKA
Ashoka’sreign as emperor began with a
series of wars.
He conquered more lands and added them to
his empire.
The KalingaWar of 260BC was the worst of
all.
The huge loss of life and suffering witnessed
on the battlefield made him turn away from
war.
So he was deeply influenced by Buddhism,
and adopted the dharma principles.
Began in the 8th year of Ashoka'sreign, probably in 261
BC
After a bloody battle, Ashokatried to annex kalinga
In the aftermath of the battle of kalingathe dayariver
running next to the battle field turned red with the blood of
the slain
100,000 kalingacivilians and more than 10,000 of
ashoka'sown warriors were among those slain
After the battle in a tour of city, he could see nothing except
burnt houses and scattered corpses.
This sight made him sick and he cried the famous monologue:
What have I done? If this is a victory, what's a defeat then? Is
this a victory or a defeat? Is this justice or injustice? Is it
gallantry or a rout? Is it valor to kill innocent children and
women? Do I do it to widen the empire and for prosperity or to
destroy the other's kingdom and splendor? One has lost her
husband, someone else a father, someone a child, someone an
unborn infant.... What's this debris of the corpses? Are these
marks of victory or defeat? Are these vultures, crows, eagles
the messengers of death or evil?
A Sudden Change of Heart
•The mammoth loss of life and suffering witnessed on
the battlefield made him turn away from war
•He felt that he was the cause of the destruction
•His queen, Devi, who was a Buddhist, left him after
seeing the brutality at Kalinga
•Ashokarealized the consequences of wars and battles
AFTER THE KALINGA WAR
Dharma Principles
Spread of Buddhism
Ashokathe Administrator
The main principals of dharma.
Non violence.
Tolerance of all sects.
Obedience to parents.
Respects for Brahmans, teachers & priests.
Liberality towards friends.
Humane treatment of servants.
Ashokabuilt shrines and monasteries and
inscribed Buddhist teaching on rocks and
pillars in many places.
He sent missionaries to countries.
His own son Kunalbecame a monk & carried
Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
Kashmir-
Gandhara
Majjhantika
Mahisamandala
(Mysore) -
Mahadeva
Vanavasi (Tamil
Nadu) -
Rakkhita
Maharattha
(Maharashtra) -
Mahadhammara
kkhita
"Country of the
Yona" (Bactria/
Seleucid
Empire) -
Maharakkhita
Himavanta
(Nepal) -
Majjhima
Suvannabhumi
(Thailand/
Myanmar) -
Sona and
Uttara
Lankadipa(Sri
Lanka) -
Mahamahinda
Aparantaka
(Gujarat and
Sindh) -Yona
Dhammarakkhit
a
He sent his missionaries to the following places:
Missions to Spread Buddhism
Ashokataught and convinced people to love
and respect all living things.
He insisted the on the recognition of the
sancityof all human life.
He abolished the theunnecessary slaughter
or mutilation of animals.
Ashokabanned sport hunting and thus
protected wildlife.
He became vegetarian & most people chose
to become vegetarians on their own.
PART –III
LEGACIES OF ASHOKA
* SYMBOLIC LEGACY
* BOLLYWOOD LEGACY
Indian government has adopted the famous
lion capital from his pillar at Sarnathas
official national emblem.
After Ashoka’sdeath in 232 BCE the people
of India decided to commemorate Ashokaby
using his personal chakra. It can still be seen
today on the Indian flag.
The word chakra is sanskritand it means
cycle or a repetingprocess.
The Edicts of King Ashoka
The Rock Edicts -
THE FOURTEEN ROCK EDICTS
KALINGA ROCK EDICTS
MINOR ROCK EDICTS
THE SEVEN PILLAR EDICTS
MINOR PILLAR EDICTS
The pillars of Ashokawere erected by him during his reign in the 3rd
century BC
The Stupasof Sanchiare world famous and the stupanamed
SanchiStupawas built by Emperor Ashoka
Ashoka'sown words as known from his Edicts are:
"All men are my children. I am like a father to them. As every
father desires the good and the happiness of his children, I wish
that all men should be happy always”.
ROCK EDICTS OF AHOKA
Elephant atKalingawar site-
Orissa
Minor Rock Edict site-Madhya
Pradesh
Rock Edict at Junagadh
Major Rock Edict at Girnar,
Gujarat
Ashokaruled for an estimated forty years
He had numerous wives and many heirs but most of their
name are lost
He had entrusted to Mahindra and Sanghamitrathe job of
making his state religion
Ashokadied in 232 BC
After his death, the Mauryandynasty lasted just fifty more
years
Right from his childhood days Ashoka showed great promise in the field
of weaponry skills as well as academics
Although Ashoka was known as Cruel Ashoka but He felt that he was the
cause of the destruction which made him turn away from war and adopt
Buddhism
In fact, he can be credited with making the first serious attempt to
develop a Buddhist policy.
Buddhism received a significant boost of popularity when Ashoka
converted to Buddhism.
Throughout his life, 'Asoka the Great' followed the policy of nonviolence
He is acclaimed for constructing hospitals for animals and renovating
major roads throughout India. After this transformation, Ashoka came to
be known as Dhammashoka
Ashoka tried to make the lives better and Ashoka is honored today