- Interesting facts about Ashoka the Great is he was the third ruler of the Mauryan Empire.
- King ashoka lived from 304 to 232 BCE and was the third ruler of the Indian Mauryan Empire.
- Asoka quickly grew into an excellent warrior. Under ashoka the Mauryan army started growing day by day.
- Ashoka ruled the largest ever in the Indian subcontinent and one of the world’s largest empires at that time.
- He became a model of kingship in the Buddhist tradition.
- Under Ashoka India had an estimated population of 30 million, It was the highest ever population calculated under a Kingdom.
- Ashoka support of the monastic Buddhist communities, his decision to establish many Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
- A particular story telling that Ashoka built 84,000 stupas called as Buddhists building a place for meditation.
- Stupas served as an example to many Chinese and Japanese rulers who imitated Ashoka’s initiative.
- 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 bydharma” (Means principles of right life).
- King Ashoka was the grandson of the great Chandragupta Maurya, the founder emperor of the Maurya Dynasty.
- The Maurya empire was started dying, after the death of Indian ruler Ashoka.
Kalinga War:
- He conquered Kalinga which was considered as one of his great achievement that had not done by his ancestors.
- At 261 BCE, King Ashoka done a war against a feudal state named Kalinga with the goal of enlarging their territory, it is still considering one of the most brutal and bloodiest wars in world history.
- After Kalinga war, Ashoka controlled all the Indian subcontinent except extreme southern part.
- In that war Ashoka conquers Kalinga. But 100,000 to 150,000 of people died that bloodshed makes him speechless, and he turns towards non-violence.
Some edict of ashoka:
- 1. Medical care for human as well as animals throughout his Empire.
- 2. One should always respect one’s parents, priests and monks.
- 3. Prisoners to be treated humanely.
- 4. He welcomed all religions as they desire self-control and purity of heart.
- 5. He considered giving the dharma to others is the best gift anyone can have.
- 6. Ashoka had 14 edicts in stone pillars and had them placed at strategic places around his kingdom.
- King ashoka creates rock edicts and pillar edicts.
- In the rock edicts, He talks about religious freedom.
- Pillar edits found at Sarnath, that become India’s national emblem.
Quick Facts:
| Header | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ashoka Maurya |
| Born | 304 B.C. |
| Birthplace | Pataliputra (modern day Patna) |
| Reign | 268 –232 B.C. |
| Title | Devanam Priyadarshi |
| Relion and Belief | Buddhism |
| Queens | Asandhimitra, Devi, Karuvaki, Padmavati, Tishyaraksha |
| Children | Mahendra, Sanghamitra, Tivala, Kunala, Charumati |
| Predecessor | Bindusara |
| Successor | Dasharatha |
| Father | Bindusara |
| Mother | Devi Dharma |
| Success in War’s | Kalinga |
| Ruled Area | All the Indian subcontinent except extreme southern part |
| Arts and Creations | The Great Sanchi Stupa, rock edicts and pillar edicts |
| Death | 232 BCE |
| Symbol | Lion |
| Dynasty | Maurya |
Interesting facts about Ashoka the Great:
- One of his stupas, The Great stupa at sanchi, has been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
- The Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath has a four-lion capital, which was considered as the national emblem of Indian republic.
