India Culture, Business, Sports and Food. Get all the buzz in India now

Ashoka Third Maurya emperor Ashoka is considered to be not only the greatest kings of India but also of the whole world. He was the son of Bindusara and the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya. He was born in 304  BC and died in 232 BC. He ruled the Maurya kingdom from 273 till his death. His was the vastest empire of any Indian king. His kingdom Included modern Pakistan, Afghanistan, some parts of Iran and the entire India.

Struggle His name ‘Ashoka’ means ‘without sorrow’ according to Sanskrit. He is also known with two more names as ‘Devanampriya’ means ‘the beloved of the Gods’ and ‘Priyadarsan’ means ‘he who regards everyone amiably’. During his life as a ruler he suppressed the revolt in Texila and fought the Kalinga war. But before it he had to fought against his own brothers to become the emperor. His eldest brother Prince Susima was wary of his growing popularity. Though, according to the Hindu code of law Susima was the heir to the thrown but he feared that Bindusara favored Ashoka will become the next emperor. He conspired many times to keep Ashoka away from his father and even was instrumental to send Ashoka on dangerous and deadly missions. Even he had incited Bindusara to send Ashoka into exile. Revolt of Ujjain forced Bindusara to summon Ashoka back from the exile who suppressed the revolt successfully. It is said that he had got injured in the battle and was treated in hiding by Buddhism monks. It was his first encounter with Buddhism.    

Kalinga War With his victory in Kalinga he had won almost all the Modern India and Nepal except some friendly states. In the war of Kalinga more than one lakh people have been killed. Ashoka was very much moved to see the death and destruction. It has been mentioned in inscriptions that he could not sleep for many nights as the scenes of death and destruction continued to haunt him. He was so much moved  and filled with sorrow that he decided to give up war and violence.

The Pious Ashoka Kalinga war completely  transformed him. He adopted Buddhism and freed all his prisoners. He followed the Buddhist rules of truth, charity and non-violence. There are different versions about his transformation but it is evident that he adopted Buddhism after the Kalinga war. Prince Mohindra and Princess Sanghamitra had joined Buddhism and he sent them to Sri Lanka to spread Buddhism. It is said that with the Kalinga victory he not only won the territory of Kalinga but also his inner self and with this victory he became ‘the pious Ashoka’ from the earlier ‘ the cruel Ashoka’.

Policy He was the first Buddhist Indian king who had the policy of nonviolence or ahinsa. He built thousands of stupas  and viharas for the Boddh monks. He also built thousands of rest houses for the travelers and pilgrims where they can stay free of charge. It has been mentioned in Buddimt inscriptions that nonviolence and was the official policy during his reign. He made laws against hunting to protect the wildlife and also promoted vegetarianism. During his rule India prospered a lot as he built roads, hospitals and universities. He also helped the farmers by establishing irrigation systems. He reign is considered to be the most liberal rule as the citizens of all religions had the rights to freedom, tolerance and equality. Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath and Stupas of Sanchi are some of the most popular relics left by Ashoka. It is said that most of the Greek population living in his kingdom had converted to Buddhism.

Some critics have given their views that Ashoka policy of Ahinsa (nonviolence) was main reason of the downfall of Maurya Dynasty. After Ashoka’s death Maurya dynasty could survive only fifty years.

History India has the past of thousands of years. The Hindu religious history has the record of millions of years. According to the Hindu belief the world is created and destroyed after every few millions of years. The Hindu historians claim that their history is almost 7000 years old but the modern historians claim that it is not more older than 5000 years. India’s geography and climate has always attracted and suited the human mankind. Food and easy availability of food used to be the main necessities of out ancestors. Ans In India at it was in abundance. Its rivers, forests and fertile land provided enough food and facilities that were necessary for the human existence. Who ever came to India, where it were invaders or traders,They all preferred to stay in India.

Geography Geographical conditions had divided India into many parts and different Kingdoms had been established in different parts. It is believed that Aryans were the first known invaders who pushed the local Dravidians towards southwards and got settled in the north Indian region. After Aryans, many other invaders came to India. They were Greeks, Scythians, Kushans and Huns. After the gap of hundreds of years it were Turks, Arabs, Afghans and then Europeans. North India was the most prosperous and naturally suitable area for human existence. All the invaders entered into India from the modern Afghanisthan. So Punjab and some other northern state of India and Pakistan had to face the invasions. Delhi had always remained the center of governing power from thousands of years. It can not be said that how many times it has been invaded, looted, destroyed and reestablished.

Maurya Dynasty Many dynasties ruled India. India has not always remained united. Some times it was divided into small parts and some times it was a united nation. There are many historical characters who united the divided India into one country. There is the Marya Empire which is considered to be the first empire that united the divided states into one nation. Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka are the two main Maurya rulers who are considered to be the most successful and powerful rulers of their time. Maurya dynasty ruled the subcontinent during the 4^th and 3^rd centuries BCE. Its capital was Pataliputra near the modern Patna city. Chandragupta Maurya under the guidance of his guru Chanakaya had overthrown the Nanda Dynasty and had won the kingdom of Magadha. Magadha was the most prosperous and strongest state of that time. Chandragupta Maurya had won the some part of the modern Afghanistan also. His heirs expanded the kingdom towards modern south India.

Gupta Dynasty It was followed by Gupta dynasty. It ruled most of the northern India from around 320 to 550 C.E. During the rule of Gupta Empire India was at its peak in the fields of science, mathematics, astronomy, religion, literature and India philosophy. Chandra Gupta and Samudragupta were the two most successful Gupta rulers and their time is called the golden age of India. During the rule of Chandra Gupta II, the Gupta empire witnessed its highest point. After his death the decline of the empire started. The other two prominent Gupta rulers were Kumaragupta I and Skandagupta. After Skandagupta, Gupta empire broke away because of the continuous invasions of Huns. But various Gupta emperors continued to resist the Huns with the help of independent Kingdoms.