Ashoka was the son of Bindusara. He was governor of Ujjain and Taxila during his father’s reign. Ashoka sat on the throne around 268 BC after successfully defeating his brothers. There were four years between Asoka’s assent to the throne 273 B.C. and his actual coronation 269 B.C. Therefore, it looks from the available evidence that there was a struggle for the throne after Bindusara’s death.
Ashoka's Family
Ashoka’s wife’s name was Devi or Vedisa who was the princess of Ujjaini.mother’s His mother’s name was Subhadrangi.wife’s His other two wives were Karuvaki and Asandhimitra. Mahendra, Tivara the only one mentioned in an inscription, Taluka and Kunala were prominent among Ashoka’s sons. Two of his daughters Charumati and Sanghamitra were known.
War with Kalinga
Ashoka defeats Kalinga in the 9th year of his reign. Kalinga was a modern Odisha. He decided to attack Kalinga due to its strategic location. Kalinga war was a horrifying as it was mentioned in 13th Rock Edict of Ashoka. Approximately a hundred & fifty thousand people were wounded while a hundred thousand people were killed in the course of the battle.
This horrific event deeply impacted Ashoka and led to a change in his heart. He vowed never to fight a war. He preferred now Dhammavijay over Dig-Vijay.
Ashoka Place in History
Ashoka instructs people to live and let live. His teachings were to strengthen the existing social classes and the institution of the family. He brought out the political unification of the country. Ashoka bound it by one language, one dharma, and practically one script called Brahmi, which was used in most of his inscriptions. He emphasized compassion towards animals. He asked his successors to give up the policy of aggression and conquest.
Ashoka and Buddhism
Ashoka embraced Buddhism in the ninth year of his reign after being inspired by Nigrodha, boy monks. He embraced Buddhism under the influence of Buddhist monks, Upagupta. Ashoka has stated in his Bhabru Edicts that he has full faith in Dhamma, Buddha, and Sangha. He also engraved Pillar Edicts and Rock Edicts to spread the message of Buddhism among masses.
He maintained a powerful and large army to maintain peace and authority. Ashoka expanded friendly relations with states across Europe and Asia and sponsored Buddhist missions. He sent missionaries to the kingdoms of Pandyas and Cholas and five states ruled by Greek kings. He also sent missionaries to Suvarnbhumi and Ceylon and also parts of South East Asia.
Ashoka Death
He died in 232 B.C. after ruling for forty years. It is believed that after Ashoka’s death, his Empire was divided into the western and eastern parts. Ashoka’s grandson Dasaratha ruled the eastern part while Samprati governed the western part. The size of his Empire in 265 B.C. was so vast.
Final Words
Under Ashoka, the Mauryan Empire reached its climax. For the Ist time, the whole Indian subcontinent, leaving out the extreme south, was under imperial control. It helped in the political union of India as a Nation. Great Ashoka was also instrumental in establishing Buddhism as a world religion.
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