Early Life of Ashoka The Great : Extent, Achievements

EARLY LIFE Of ASHOKA THE GREAT By : ExcellenceLibrary.Com Online Free E-Learning Platform

Introduction 

Ashoka was an Indian Emperor and the third Great Emperor of Maurya Dynasty.

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He ruled almost all of the Indian sub-continent from regin of 268 BC To 232 BC.

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He was Also Known As the Name Of Ashoka The Great

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Great Ashoka was the grand son of the founder of Maurya Dynasty , Chandragupta Maurya And the Son of One of The Greatest Emperor of Mauryan Dynasty, Bindusara.

Early Life Of Ashoka 

According to Buddhism, His birth date is unknown, and he is said to have been one of a hundred sons of his father Bindusara’s wives.

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Ashoka Was the Son Of Bindusara, Second Powerful Emperor of Mauryan Dynasty.

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His mother’s name is given as Subhadrangi in one text but as Dharma in another.

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The story of the 100 sons of Bindusara is dismissed by most scholars who believe Ashoka was the second son of Binusara.

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According to the Sri Lankan tradition, Ashoka killed his 99 half-brothers.

Family Of Ashoka 

There were many sources mention five consorts of Ashoka:  Devi  Karuvaki,  Asandhimitra  Padmavati, and  Tishyarakshita

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There are Three Sons Of Ashoka The Great  Mahinda  Tivara  Kunala

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According to Sri Lankan tradition, Ashoka had a daughter named Sanghamitta, who became a Buddhist nun.

Extent of Ashoka The Great 

Ashoka appear to have extended the empire southwards.

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The distribution of Ashoka's inscriptions suggests that his empire included almost the entire Indian subcontinent, except its southernmost parts.

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The Rock Edicts 2 and 13 suggest that these southernmost parts were controlled by the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Keralaputras, and the Satiyaputras.

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In the north-west, Ashoka's kingdom extended up to Kandahar, to the east of the Seleucid Empire ruled by Antiochus II.

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The capital of Ashoka's empire was Pataliputra in the Magadha Region.

Achievements of Ashoka The Great 

Ashoka brought about the political unification of the country. He bound it further by one dharma, one language, and virtually one script called Brahmi which was used in most of his inscriptions.

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His multi-script and multi-lingual inscriptions enabled him to contact literate people.

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Ashoka followed a tolerant religious policy, not attempting to foist his Buddhist faith on his subjects; on the contrary, he made gifts to nonBuddhist and even anti- Buddhist sects.

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Ashoka was fired with a zeal for missionary activity.

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The material culture, characteristic of the heart of the empire, spread to Kalinga, the lower Deccan, and northern Bengal.

Death Of Ashoka The Great 

According to the Sri Lankan tradition, Ashoka died during his 37th regnal year, which suggests that he died around 232 BCE.

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According to the Ashokavadana, the emperor fell severely ill during his last days.

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On his deathbed, his only possession was the half of a Myrobalan fruit, which he offered to the Sangha as his final donation.

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Legend states that during his cremation, his body burned for seven days and nights.

Successors of Ashoka The Great 

Dasharatha was a Mauryan emperor from 232 to 224 BC.

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He was a grandson of Ashoka and is commonly held to have succeeded him as the imperial ruler of India.

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The last of the Maurya rulers was Brihadratha Maurya.

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Brihadratha Maurya was killed by his own commander-in-chief, Pushyamitra.

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Here The End Of Mauryan Empire After Murder of Brihadratha Maurya, And New Dynasty Nanda Dynasty Comes to Power.

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Early Life Of Ashoka The Great

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