History of India(upto A.D 900) 18UHIC11– Paper 1 Achievements of Asoka

1. Dr. M. FATHIMA BEGUM
Department of History,
V.V.Vanniaperumal College for Women,
Virudhunagar

2. The Kalinga War (ended c. 262 BCE)[1] was fought in what is now India
between the Maurya Empire under Ashoka and King of Raja Anantha of the
state of Kalinga, an independent feudal kingdom located on the east coast, in
the present-day state of Odisha and north of Andhra Pradesh. The Kalinga War
included one of the largest and bloodiest battles in Indian history.[6][citation
needed] Kalinga did not have a king as it was culturally run without any.[7]

3.  Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty, who ruled almost all of the Indian
subcontinent from c. 268 to 232 BCE] The grandson of the founder of the Maurya Dynasty, Chandragupta
Maurya, Ashoka promoted the spread of Buddhism across ancient Asia. Considered by many to be one of
India's greatest emperors, Ashoka expanded Chandragupta's empire to reign over a realm stretching from
present-day Afghanistan in the west to Bangladesh in the east. It covered the entire Indian subcontinent
except for parts of present-day Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. The empire's capital
was Pataliputra (in Magadha, present-day Patna), with provincial capitals at Taxila and Ujjain.

4.  Ashoka waged a destructive war against the state of Kalinga (modern Odisha) which he conquered in about
260 BCE.In about 263 BCE, he converted to Buddhism after witnessing the mass deaths of the Kalinga
War, which he had waged out of a desire for conquest and which reportedly directly resulted in more than
100,000 deaths and 150,000 deportations. He is remembered for the Ashoka pillars and edicts, for sending
Buddhist monks to Sri Lanka and Central Asia, and for establishing monuments marking several significant
sites in the life of Gautama Buddha.

5.  Ashoka, also spelled Aśoka, (died 238? BCE, India), last major emperor in the Mauryan dynasty of India.
His vigorous patronage of Buddhism during his reign (c. 265–238 BCE; also given as c. 273–232 BCE)
furthered the expansion of that religion throughout India. Following his successful but bloody conquest of
the Kalinga country on the east coast, Ashoka renounced armed conquest and adopted a policy that he
called “conquest by dharma” (i.e., by principles of right life).

6.  The principles of Dhamma were formulated to be acceptable to people belonging to
different communities and following any religion. Dhamma was not given any formal definition or
structure. It emphasized tolerance of people and the notion of showing consideration towards slaves and
servants; there is stress on obedience to elders; generosity towards the needy, Brahmans and Sarmanas.
Ashoka pleaded for tolerance of different religious sects in an attempt to create a sense of harmony.[The
policy of Dhamma also laid stress on non-violence, which was to be practiced by giving up war and
conquests and also as a restraint on the killing of animals. However, Ashoka realized that a certain display
of his political might may be necessary to keep the primitive forest-dwelling tribes in check.
 Ashoka's Edict at Maski, Raichur district, Karnataka. This Edict Confirmed the Name Ashoka for
"Devanampiya Piadassi"
 The policy of Dhamma also included other welfare measures, like the planting of trees and digging of
wells. Ashoka attacked ceremonies and sacrifices as meaningless. A group of officers known as Dhamma
mahamattas were instituted to implement and publicize the various aspects of Dhamma. Ashoka made them
responsible for carrying his message to various sections of society, However, they gradually developed into
a type of priesthood of Dhamma with great powers and soon began to interfere in politics.

7.  The first known inscription by Ashoka, the Kandahar Bilingual Rock Inscription, in Greek and in Aramaic,
written in the 10th year of his reign (260 BCE).[17][18][19]
 The Edicts are divided into four categories, according to their size (Minor or Major) and according to their
medium (Rock or Pillar). Chronologically, the minor inscriptions tend to precede the larger ones, while
rock inscriptions generally seem to have been started earlier than the pillar inscriptions:
 Minor Rock Edicts: Edicts inscribed at the beginning of Ashoka's reign; in Prakrit, Greek and Aramaic.
 Minor Pillar Edicts: Schism Edict, Queen's Edict, Rummindei Edict, Nigali Sagar Edict; in Prakrit.
 Major Rock Edicts: 14 Edicts (termed 1st to 14th) and 2 separate ones found in Odisha;
in Prakrit and Greek.
 Major Pillar Edicts: 7 Edicts, inscribed at the end of Ashoka's reign; in Prakrit.

8. Minor Pillar Edict Major Pillar Edict

9.  Mauryan rule marks an important phase in our cultural history. Mainly in the period of Ashoka, the art and architecture was
at its zenith and fall within the category of court art. Ashoka embraced Buddhism and the immense Buddhist missionary
activities that followed encouraged the development of distinct sculptural and architectural styles. Let us find out various art
and architecture of Mauryan period which had connected to the lives, activities and patronage of ordinary people.

10.  Mainly in the period of Ashoka, the art and architecture was at its zenith and fall within the category of
court art. Ashoka embraced Buddhism and the immense Buddhist missionary activities that followed
encouraged the development of distinct sculptural and architectural styles.

11.  The pillars of Ashoka are a series of columns dispersed throughout the Indian subcontinent, erected or at
least inscribed with edicts by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka during his reign from c. 268 to 232 BC.
Ashoka used the expression Dhaṃma thaṃbhā (Dharma stambha), i.e. "pillars of the Dharma" to describe
his own pillars. These pillars constitute important monuments of the architecture of India, most of them
exhibiting the characteristic Mauryan polish

12.  The Maurya were the first family to unify India. The Mauryas created their empire through series of wars
and conquest. After one brutal battle Ashoka decided to stop violence and follow the Buddha's ways. He
used his wise edicts to keep them in order. Those edicts were: Buddhist Values, General Welfare, Justice,
and Security. Ashoka wrote these edicts on pillars, walls, and rocks. The pillars were 40-50 feet high and
they polished them till they were so shiny, it was like glass.