Executive Summary
India’s rich history includes the Mauryan Empire, which represents a particularly brilliant and opulent period. It was one of the greatest civilizations in human history, lasting almost a century (321–185 BC). This empire, especially one of its emperors, is historically notable for its tremendous moral and humanitarian legacies to humanity.
The Mauryan Empire’s third ruler, Ashoka the Great, ruled from 268 to 232 BCE. Early in his reign, Ashoka was claimed to have been highly ruthless—until he converted to Buddhism and gave up the battle. He is most well-known for abstaining from war, creating the idea of dhamma, promoting Buddhism, and establishing a functional, virtually pan-Indian political organization.
Introduction
Emperor Ashoka is regarded as one of India’s greatest monarchs. At its height, the Mauryan Empire, which Ashoka ruled, spanned nearly the whole Indian subcontinent from modern-day Iran. No other king in the world established as many dharma-asanas as Ashoka did. However, because Ashoka focused on spreading Buddhism, he neglected to delve into governmental affairs. He did not punish even the most heinous acts.
As a result, robbery and dacoity were rampant among the public. Many people declared independence from his control because he did not keep a regular army. During his death, he bequeathed all his money and possessions to Buddhist monks, leaving only the Mauryan Empire to his child. The Mauryans died only 50 years after his death. As a result, he might be considered the quiet murderer of the empire his grandpa worked so hard to establish.
Ashoka’s popularity stems from his pillar and rock edicts, allowing him to address a vast audience and leave a permanent historical record. In addition, he is renowned as a role model for a king who maintained peace and respect while governing an extensive and varied Mauryan kingdom with dharma at the core of his philosophy. When Ashoka’s reign ended in 232 BC, after his loss of the Kalingas in 256 BC and the following grief, he had not begun another war. In fact, after his victory, he spent most of his time imitating the Buddha and constructing stupas at important pilgrimage sites with moral commandments engraved on them.
Although Ashoka did not significantly alter the political structure he inherited, he did establish a new and potent moral idealism known as the “Law of Piety.”The law is defined as a moral code or “way of life” in the Buddhist meaning. Although this regulation adhered to the Buddha’s teachings, it was unique to Asoka and different from them.
Critique Analysis of the Pros and Cons in the Chapter
The chapter conveys relatively complex ideas of how Emperor Ashoka administered his rule in the Mauryan Empire and uses a visual representation to substantiate all the arguments. In the chapter, the author brings in significant political, economic, social, and cultural forces that have shaped the history of the Indians under the rule of Ashoka. The chapter, however, falls short of rewriting history from India’s point of view so that the demand may be understood in all facets and a decision can be made without hatred or malice. Moreover, there are gaps in the chapter since it exclusively emphasizes the triumphs of Emperor Ashoka and seldom reveals his flaws during his reign, such as his failure to punish for generous acts. The chapter also fails to compare Ashoka to other notable rulers from other regions, as the chapter concentrates mainly on the history of northern India.
A thorough historical research calls for analyzing and assessing much historical evidence. There is typically more evidence in this chapter than in other sorts of evidence from works documenting the Ashoka reign, and it generally persists in some shape or form to the current day. For instance, the law of diety can still be used when discussing personal moral diety.
However, the chapter’s writing for personal and political motivations has distorted its value to the historian. The institutional organization of his political administration is poorly described throughout Ashoka’s rule. His reign is seen as being analogous to politics through repression, power uprisings, and deploying an army and troops to wage war.
Conclusion
Emperor Ashoka was a proponent of humanitarian ideas and one of history’s greatest moral reformers. His gradual conversion to Buddhism was influenced by the agony and damage he witnessed during a battle won by his troops. Ashoka never claimed to be the inventor of Buddhist moral principles; instead, he saw them as self-evident facts of transcendental validity that could stand independently. He was a courageous and creative reformer with Universalist thoughts and progressive moral standards of great dignity. The Law of Piety dictated, among other things, respect for elders, empathy for the helpless, the oppressed, and all living things, and the acceptance of the goodwill of people who practice different faiths and beliefs.
References
Amin, Tariq, and Prof. MC Dubey. “Development of Srinagar under Ashoka.” International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development Volume-3, no. Issue-2 (2019): 472–73. Web.
Hermann Kulke, and Dietmar Rothermund. A History of India. 6th edition. Routledge, 2016.
Kumar, Satyajeet. “Decline of Mauryan Empire: A Historic Debate.” Research Review International Journal of Multidisciplinary 5, no. 9 (2020): 188–90. Web.
Sharma, Avantika. “Mauryan Intervention in the Deccan: A Study of Archaeological Data.” Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education 14, no. 2 (2018): 01. Web.