The name of King Ashoka forever entered the history of India. This third ruler of the Maurian empire is considered one of the greatest people who led the state. King Ashoka is not known for military successes at all, like his grandfather. First of all, history knows him as a Buddhist ruler who has made an invaluable contribution to supporting this religious movement. The personal name of King Ashoka according to dharma (religious piety) is Piyadasi.
Empire of Mauriev
By its area, this kingdom was the largest in the history of the state. Its territory extended not only to those lands where modern India is located. It occupied Nepal and Bhutan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Afghanistan, as well as part of Iran. Most of these lands were conquered by Ashoka's grandfather, Chandragupta Maurya, who was the first ruler of the dynasty. His personality is still considered heroic and legendary in India. Chandragupt rules from 317 to 293 BC. e. He came from a noble family of Moriah.
Being young, Chandragupta served with the kings of Magadha (Nandov), with whom he tried to fight for the throne. But, having failed, he fled to the northwestern region of the country, where he joined the Greco-Macedonians who invaded India. A little later, Chandragupta resumed the struggle for the royal throne. And in the end, he managed to overthrow Duan Nanda and seize power. Further, the new ruler subjugated Northern India, establishing the all-Indian empire of the Mauryev dynasty, which ruled the country until 184 BC. e. The capital of this state was the city of Pantaliputra (today it is the city of Patna in the state of Bihar).
The heir of the great ruler was his son Bindusar. Subsequently, he further strengthened the throne in Patapiputra.
Childhood
King Ashoka was born in 304 BC. e. in the family of the ruler of Bindusara, the second of the representatives of the powerful dynasty. Ashoka's mother, Subhadrangi, among the other wives of the emperor had a rather low status. Her father, being a poor brahmin, gave his daughter in a harem, because, according to legend, he received a prediction that his grandson was destined for the path of a great ruler. Perhaps that is why they called the boy. Indeed, the personal name of King Ashoka literally means "devoid of sorrow."
The same low status as that of the mother was in the harem of the future ruler. He had a large number of brothers born of the other wives of the king, possessing a high position already in their origin. Ashoka also had one sibling.
In childhood, the future pimperator was a playful and very lively child. The only activity he liked was hunting. The boy was enthusiastically engaged in his favorite business. He soon became a good hunter.
Ashoku could not be called handsome. However, there was not a single prince surpassing him in courage and valor, mastery in management and a love of adventure. That is why the future king Ashoku was respected and loved not only by all officials, but even ordinary people.
All the above traits of the young man’s character were noticed by his father Bindusar, who, despite his son’s youth, appointed him to the post of governor Avanti.
Rise to power
The biography of King Ashoka as ruler began after his arrival in Ujjain. This city was the capital of Avanti. Here the young man started a family, taking as his wife the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Two children appeared in the family, whose names were Sangamitra and Mahendra.
During this period, a rebellion arose in Taxil, which was located on the territory of modern Pakistan. People were unhappy with the rule of Magadhi. Susuma, the eldest son of King Bindusara, was in Taxila. However, he failed to reassure the people. And then, to suppress the uprising, his father sent Ashoka to Taksila. And although the young ruler did not have enough soldiers, he boldly set off for the city and besieged him. The citizens of Taxila decided not to confront Ashoka, giving him a warm welcome.
The eldest son of Bindusara, who had every chance of becoming king, showed his inability to rule the country. Then a council was convened that decided that Susuma, ascending the throne, would destroy justice in the country, and this, in turn, would cause popular uprisings and the decline of the empire. And the noble people who participated in this council decided that the throne should remain Ashoke. This was the time when Bandusara was dying. The son hastened to him. In 272 BC e. the emperor died, and Ashoka became king of Magaji. His coronation took place in 268 BC. e., on the fifth day of the third month of Justamas.
Expansion of the country
After coming to power, King Ashoka began to strengthen the empire. In 261 BC e. he was unleashed a war with the state of Kalinga. After a stubborn struggle, the king Aschok conquered not only these territories located on the shores of the Bengal Strait, but also subjugated the country of Andhra, located in the neighborhood. All these actions made it possible to complete the unification of India, which Chandragupta began in the 4th century. BC e. Under the rule of King Ashoka, only three small countries located in the south of India did not fall - Keralaputra, Pandia and Chop.
Worldview change
The Indian king Ashoka managed to achieve his goal. Kalinga was a very important area both commercially and strategically, and its accession greatly strengthened the empire. However, here Ashoka came across stubborn resistance from the locals. And ordinary people and nobles did not want to put up with the advent of the new government, because of which the most severe methods of punishment were first applied to them. But later, in order to defuse the situation, Ashoka even granted this region greater independence.
Nevertheless, bloody battles were not complete in these territories. 150 thousand people were captured. The dead counted 100 thousand people. But this is not all human losses. After all, many died of hunger and wounds.
From the scale of the massacre, from the suffering and grief brought by the war, Ashoka himself was horrified. This was the beginning of his spiritual and moral transformation, as well as the rejection of violent acts.
The ruler was tormented by remorse. He experienced the deepest sadness, and as a result of thought, he repented and forever renounced the previously planned path. After the war with Kalinga, Ashoka ceased to pursue a policy of conquest. Subsequently, the Mauritian emperor tried to resort to diplomatic and ideological devices. He strengthened his influence in unrequited areas by sending special missions and officials there. They promised the local population the care and love of the emperor, as well as his full support.
Buddha Warrior
At the time when King Ashoka (see the photo with his image below) had just entered the throne, there were several religions in India.
Among them were Hinduism and Buddhism. However, the country needed a single common religion. And the policy of King Ashoka was most consistent with Buddhism. After all, this direction opposed territorial and narrow-caste restrictions and for a single state. That is why the further rule of King Ashoka was carried out in accordance with the views of Buddhism. The ruler of India fully accepted the dharma - "righteousness", as well as the "law of morality." His social activities began to submit not to force. The basis of all deeds was "the power of dharma."
During the reign of King Ashoka in India, a third Buddhist cathedral was convened in Patalipur. The ruler emphasized on it the importance of ethnic norms of behavior. He especially insisted on the need for tolerance of other religions.
It is worth noting that the teachings of Ashoka in their distribution and significance stand next to the activities of the Buddha himself. After all, the representative of the Mauryev clan brought Buddhism to Ceylon. In addition, the powerful streams of this religion swept over much of Asia. Then the messages of the Buddha reached the countries of the Middle East, as well as the Mediterranean basin. The doctrine had a noble effect on the population of Central Asia, Afghanistan and Mongolia.
All this allowed Buddhism to become a world religion and play a civilizing role in many Asian states, replacing rather primitive communal cults. Reached this direction of Egypt and Syria.
Ashoka inscriptions
This monument of ancient Indian culture is also called the edicts of the ruler. The inscriptions of King Ashoka are a collection of 33 texts, engraved on the walls of caves and on stone columns. Such edicts were found not only in India, but also in Pakistan. Columns of King Ashoka became the first reliable evidence of the spread of Buddhism. A fragment of one of them with embossed Brahmi text is in the British Museum. Estimated date of its creation - 238 BC. e.
The inscriptions of King Ashoka cover a rather narrow range of issues regarding the adoption and further spread of Buddhism by the representative of the Mauryev clan, religious and moral laws, as well as the ruler’s concern for the well-being of not only citizens but also animals.
In history, there were many kings who sought to capture their victories, achievements and much more on stone. However, only Ashoka did this on pillars and rocks. They are called to lead people from death directly to immortality, from ignorance to truth, to light from the dark.
In addition to cave temples and majestic columns, Ashoka also commanded the construction of stupas. These mound-shaped religious buildings also symbolized the spread of Buddhism in the universe, as well as power over it.
Columns were placed throughout the territory where King Ashoka ruled. The description of the king’s life, as well as his decrees, were carved on the rocks. Moreover, many of these monuments have survived to this day. The geographic location of such texts on stone provides researchers with the most reliable information on where King Ashoka ruled and what the size of his possessions was. And the inscriptions themselves are nothing more than the main source telling about the activities of the great ruler.
Domestic policy
After King Ashoka in India subjugated the entire territory, in addition to the regions of the extreme south, he launched a huge reform program. The country began a fairly extensive construction. For example, in Pataliputra, on the orders of the king, wooden buildings were replaced by stone palaces. The large city of Srinagar has grown in Kashmir. In addition, the entire empire was divided by Ashoka into several large areas, the management of which was given into the hands of representatives of the royal family. Moreover, all threads of power converged to the palace of the ruler.
The emperor emphatically encouraged the development of medicine and the construction of irrigation systems, built caravanserais and roads, and made the system of justice softer, inherited from the previous kings. Ashoka spread the idea of non-violence by banning sacrifices for which it was necessary to kill animals. Under his rule, the slaughter of certain types of cattle was stopped, the meat of which was sent for food. The ruler even compiled a list of animals that came under state protection. They were forbidden to hunt for pleasure, as well as burning forests and feasts of gluttony, carried out without any special need.
In order for the subjects to unquestioningly comply with the rules of drachma, Ashoka introduced special posts of officials - dharmamahamatrov. Their duties included the fight against arbitrariness and the promotion of good relations among people.
In the lands where the reign of King Ashoka took place, education quickly became popular. The ruler worked very hard on this. He founded the most famous university in those days - Nalanda. This educational institution was located in Magadha and has become a real center of learning. University students were considered respected people.
The attitude of the Indian monarch to his subjects was also a completely new, inspiring ideal of royal power. Ashoka himself claimed that all his actions were aimed at fulfilling a duty in relation to every living being.
The king spent the money in the state treasury on the welfare of the state. Thanks to this, various crafts, trade and agriculture developed rapidly. Many locks and channels for merchant ships were built in the country. After all, trade in the empire was mostly waterways.
Ashoka encouraged forest planting. This trend has even become part of public policy. At the call of the ruler, gardens were cultivated, and roads turned into shady alleys.
Wells dug throughout the empire, built awnings and erected rest homes. During the reign of Ashoka, the population enjoyed free medical care, and it was not only for people, but also for animals. For smaller brothers, hospitals were first built.
At the behest of the ruler, he should have been informed of any difficulty at the same time. After all, Ashoka claimed that he was working for the good of his country.
All the king’s activities were aimed at winning the hearts of people and serving the world through good deeds and will, as well as through drachma. And such a government can be compared with a striking feat of devotion to its people.
Ashoka considered the Dharma as a kind of cosmic Law, whose functions were similar to the Vedic Truth (Rita). The king himself was the preacher and custodian of all the requirements of Buddhism. It was believed that people who respect their parents and lead a righteous lifestyle, thereby fulfilling the decree of the ruler.
Religious policy
There is one very important thing that King Ashoka did in order to spread the dharma among people. He introduced the pilgrimage. This happened two years after the end of the Kalinga war.
The pilgrimage began with a visit to Ashoka Sambodhi. She is known for having enlightened Buddha here. The ruler also visited other similar places located in his power.
Such actions were extremely important. Ashoka patronized Buddhism, but at the same time did not become his fan, pursuing throughout his reign a policy of tolerance for various religious trends. This is confirmed by the fact that the king presented the cave to the Ajevics as a gift. At that time, they were one of the main rivals of the Buddhists, enjoying considerable influence among the people. Ashoka also sent representatives of his authority to the communities of the Brahmins and Jains. By this, the ruler achieved harmony between different areas of religion.
Board Completion
Judging by the information contained in historical sources, King Ashoka presented such generous gifts for the development of the Buddhist community that in the end he ruined the treasury of the state. This happened by the end of his reign.
The sons of Ashoka, Tivala, Kunal and Mahendra, spread the teachings of Buddha throughout the world. Meanwhile, the grandchildren of the ruler began the struggle for the right to inherit the throne.
Ashoka's pro-Buddhist policies displeased the Jains and the followers of Brahmanism. The dignitaries of the king told Sampadi, the main contender for the throne, about the too generous gifts of the ruler. However, they demanded their cancellation. Sampadi ordered not to comply with the orders of the emperor and not to give the Buddhist community the means granted to him. Ashoka had to bitterly admit that formally he still remained in power, but in fact had already lost it.
Sampadi was a follower of Jainism. At the same time, he was fully supported by a certain circle of major dignitaries. The country experienced difficulties during this period. Her financial situation was difficult, at times here and there rebellions of ordinary people flashed. One of the biggest unrest was noted in Taxil. Moreover, it was headed by none other than the local ruler.
Queen Tishyarakshita, who was an opponent of Buddhism, became a participant in the conspiracy against the emperor. This is confirmed by the fact that one of the late edicts was not given by Ashoka. It was signed in the name of the queen. It was an order that spoke about the presentation of various gifts. In other words, the edict raised that sharp question, which became the basis of the conflict between Ashoka and his entourage.
Based on some sources, at the end of his reign, the king began to feel an aversion to life. That is why, as a Buddhist monk, he made a pilgrimage that would allow him to calm his mind. He came to Taxila and has already stayed there forever. Ashoka, loved by people and God, left this earth at 72 years old.
The heirs of the great ruler could not save a single empire. They divided it into two parts - eastern and western. The center of the first of them was the city of Pataliputra. The capital of the western territories was the city of Taxil.
Sources referring to Ashoka’s direct descendants provide conflicting information. However, many researchers believe that Sampadi became king of Pataliputra. Further, the once powerful empire fell into decay due to a conspiracy in 180 BC. e. has fallen.