Ashoka the Great


Ashoka was the son of Emperor Bindusara and his consort Subhadrangi {also called Dharma}. He succeeded Bindusara as the third Emperor of the Mauryan Empire. Legend has it that Ashoka murdered all his brothers brutally to secure the throne. But he was the most capable of Bindusara's sons.
As a young man, he was appointed as the Governor of Ujjain and later Takshashila {Taxila}. He showed his worth by suppressing revolts in the provinces. But Bindusara wanted his eldest son, Sushima to succeed him. With the help of ministers like Radhagupta, Ashoka murdered Sushima and ascended the throne of Magadh.
Ashoka's family was an expanded one. According to most Historians, Ashoka had five wives. The most important among them were Devi, Kaurwaki and Asandhimitra. He had a son, Mahendra and a daughter, Sanghamitra with his first wife, Devi.
Ashoka is best known for the Kainga War. All the Indian states had surrendered to the Mauryan Empire except the kingdom of Kalinga {modern day Orissa}. To show them his power, Ashoka mobilized his large armies and marched on Kalinga. The army of Kalinga was smaller but equally brave as Ashoka's army. The battle claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. This was the bloodiest battle in Ashoka's reign. The sorrow and the pain of the family members of the dead moved Ashoka to tears. He gave up violence and converted to Buddhism. He erected various stupas and pillars throughout India bearing his message of truth and non violence. He sent his son, Mahendra and his daughter, Sanghamitra as missionaries to spread the word of Buddha throughout India and the whole of South East Asia.
Map of Mauryan Empire under Ashoka.

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