who was ashoka?
Emperor Ashoka (274–232 BC) is a famous personality in the Indian history .Ashoka is the third Emperor of the Mauryan dynasty, Ashoka is also referenced as Priyadarshani a Prakrit word meaning good looking. He set very high standard to rule his kingdom which is followed in developed nations in recent times. Ahoka was the first ruler of India which united all India uniquely first time very successfully. During his rule today's India,Pakistan, Bangladesh,Parts of Afganistan and Iran was part of the Mauryan Empire.
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Early life of Ashoka before to become Emperor
Ashoka was son of Bindusara the Second Emperor of Mauryan dynasty and grandson of world famous Chandragupta the founder of Mauryan Empire. He had given royal military training.He was awesome fighter,hunter and he had fabulous skills with swords.
During rule of Bindusara many ministers rebelled against the Empire. Ashoka got responsibility to get control over rebels and to stop riots in Avanti province because he had reputation as a awesome warrior. Until the last moments of Bindusara the Empire was not stable.Many of Bindusara's son started fight over succeeding the Mauryan Empire. Many of them were not capable as compared to Ashoka. It is said that ill Bindusara near to death was in favour of his son sushim to succeed the throne but ministers strongly supported Ashoka.
After becoming Emperor the war of Kalinga
With support of prominent and other ministers Ashoka declared himself Emperor of Mauryan dynasty. Ashoka killed his brothers to get rid of conspiracies against him.
Further He declared war against prosperous state of Kalinga i.e Orissa when kalinga state denied to come into fold of his Empire. War of Kanlinga caused tremendous violence. Though finally he won the war and state,he suffered by outcome of bloody war. Ashoka was already seen as heartless and cruel.
The change of Heart
Even after winning a war and fulfilment of ambitions, he was not happy. He realised first time that violence never brings good outcomes. He suffered nervous breakdown by looking the numerous crying widows, parent less children,corpus of soldiers,infants,and civilians, He found himself the most unfortunate man on the earth who made this things to mankind.
After passing through war field he found the Buddhist monks busy to helping injured and finding unfortunates to save thier lives. For them no one was stranger to help and cure. Ashoka came in contact with buddhist monk Upagupta and after impressed by Buddhism principles,he embraced Buddhism.
Ashoka was a wise secular
Though Ashoka is seen mostly related to Buddhism, it should be noted that he was a wise secular.Mauryan were Jain since the founding their empire. He did not banned other religions,sects which were present in India since earlier time. Although he banned animal sacrifice offered in Yagnya or rituals by vedik religion.
Archaeologists have found epigraphs in which Ashoka had ordered to every states of his empire to respect each religion,sects,cultures and offer them freedom and mutual respect.
The Ashoka has significant role to spread Buddhism to different parts of known world of that time. He sent his only daughter Sanghamitra and son Mahendra to Shrilanka to propagate Buddhism and scholar monks to east west Asia as well as far east Asia and many countries of Europe.
The Buddhism survived in original form called as Theravada in Sri Lanka and south east Asian countries. It is available in Pali language which Buddha himself used for preaching in common mass.
Ashoka raised about 84,000 structures of Vihars,Stupa,chaitya for propagating and preserving Buddhism in his empire which consisted Indian Subcontinental countries,some parts of Iran/Persia and Afghanistan as well.
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