Ashoka The Great

Many rulers and kingdoms thrived on the land of India, from the Cholas and Pandavas in the ancient period to the Britishers in the modern era. Yet, no one is as great as Ashoka. He belonged to the Mauryan dynasty and ruled from 268 BCE-233 BCE. Under his reign, the empire reached its zenith with excellence in numerous areas. The empire ranged from modern-day India to Afghanistan and Bangladesh, with a total land boundary of five million square kilometres. He was a preacher of Buddhism, and his works earned him the title of Ashoka The Great or The Great Ashoka.

Early Life of Ashoka The Great:

• The Great Ashoka was the grandson of the founder of the Mauryan Empire, Chandragupta Maurya and the son of Bindusara. 
• He was born in Pataliputra, the capital city of the Mauryan Empire but spent his childhood in the provincial capitals, Ujjain and Taxila. 
• According to multiple theories of historians, Ashoka killed his 99 brothers for the throne of the Mauryan Empire. 
• Some sources say that he was disliked by his father, Bindusara, due to his appearance, but he was also impressed by his skills in warfare and administration. 
• Even at a young age, he was given the responsibility to suppress a revolt in Taxila and then for the governance of Ujjain, which is proved by an inscription found in the city.

Administration of Ashoka’s Empire:

• Ashoka was a great administrator as his methods are used in present times and helped maintain order throughout his vast empire.
• The administration was highly centred, and every sector had officials governing them.
• Power was also decentralised among the district and village levels.

Conquests of Ashoka:

• His efforts in suppressing revolts in the Avanti province of the Mauryan Empire made him the province’s ruler at the age of 18.
• During his rule of the first eight years, Ashoka was successful in his expansion policies. By 261 BCE, the Mauryan Empire was spread from Afghanistan in the West to Assam in the East, covering the whole Indian Gangetic plains and the north. In South India, he defeated many ancient Tamil Kingdoms and annexed the part of Modern-day Karnataka in the Indian Peninsula.
• The conquest of Kalinga is the most significant part of Ashoka The Great’s history. The region was politically and economically prosperous and held a strong navy, making it important for the Mauryans to conquer it. Earlier, Chandragupta attempted, but he was pushed back. These features made Ashoka resilient to capture it. However, the war ended in killing around one lakh soldiers and 1.5 million civilians, including men, women, and children. This event emerged as a turning point in the history of Ashoka, and he decided to quit violence and adopt Buddhism.

Buddhism under Ashoka’s Empire:

• After the Kalinga war, Ashoka went on adopting Buddhism to spread peace and non-violence in his kingdom.
• His emphasis was on spreading ideas of Buddhism throughout his empire. He formulated his beliefs and moral code of conduct called “Dhamma”, representing righteousness in life.
• He erected many pillars, stupas, chakras, and monuments like the Ashok Chakra and Ashok Pillar. He spread the ideas inscribed in his sayings and deeds on these pillars and rock edicts that work as important archaeological sources in today’s times. 
• Under his rule, Buddhism spread outside and began to be followed worldwide. It is alleged that he sent his son and daughter to Sri Lanka.

Ashok Chakra:

• Ashok Chakra, a major architectural work in the reign of Ashoka, is religiously significant. It consists of 24 chakras, where 12 spokes are the denomination of Dependent Origination and the 12 spokes of Dependent Termination.
• Ashok chakra can be found on many relics and pillars constructed during this time, like the Lion Capital of Sarnath and the Ashok Pillar.
• They portray the Dharmachakra,i.e., the wheel of law and the wheel of time. They are a representation of Gautum Buddha’s first sermon at Sarnath.
• Ashok Chakra is now a part of the Indian flag centred in the middle in navy blue colour.

Ashok Pillars:

• Ashok Pillars are one of the major architectural works of Ashoka The Great. He built these pillars throughout the Mauryan empire, symbols of pride, confidence and power. The figure of Asiatic lions at the top is now the National Emblem of India.
• The height of the pillars ranged from 12-15 metres and weighed 50 tonnes. Only a few pillars are left due to relocation done by new emperors and empires.
• The major attributes of these pillars were the inverted lotus and a lion sitting at the top. The pillar also comprised the Ashok Chakra.
• The lion was because Buddha belonged to the Shakya clan, meaning the Lion clan. It symbolises Buddhism.

Ashok pillars had edicts proclamations of Buddhist sayings written in Brahmi script. They describe the life of Ashoka, including his change of heart after the Kalinga war.

Conclusion:

Ashoka is one of the best rulers that ever ruled over Indian territory as he made the Mauryan empire reach its zenith. His efficient military, political and administrative skills expanded the Mauryan empire to a commendable extent. He was not only a conqueror but also a signifier of peace and order and spent half of his life preaching and spreading Buddhism. His efforts led to a worldwide recognition of the Buddhist religion and inspired many people.