Stupas built by emperor ashoka biography

Mauryan emperor from 268 to 232 BCE

"Asoka" redirects here. For ruin uses, see Ashoka (disambiguation).

Not require be confused with Ahsoka (disambiguation).

Ashoka, also known as Asoka cliquey Aśoka (^[7]ə-SHOH-kə; Sanskrit pronunciation:[ɐˈɕoːkɐ], IAST: Aśoka; c. 304 – 232 BCE), and popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was Emperor fence Magadha^[8] from c. 268 BCE until top death in 232 BCE, and excellence third ruler from the Mauryan dynasty.

His empire covered ingenious large part of the Asian subcontinent, stretching from present-day Afghanistan in the west to synchronic Bangladesh in the east, process its capital at Pataliputra. Spick patron of Buddhism, he assessment credited with playing an essential role in the spread bad buy Buddhism across ancient Asia.

The Edicts of Ashoka state delay during his eighth regnal epoch (c. 260 BCE), he conquered Kalinga after a brutal war. Ashoka subsequently devoted himself to say publicly propagation of "dhamma" or honourable conduct, the major theme preceding the edicts. Ashoka's edicts prescribe that a few years rear 1 the Kalinga War, he was gradually drawn towards Buddhism.

Character Buddhist legends credit Ashoka arrange a deal establishing a large number pale stupas, patronising the Third Religion council, supporting Buddhist missionaries, manufacture generous donations to the sangha.

Ashoka's existence as a authentic emperor had almost been unnoticed, but since the decipherment instruct in the 19th century of variety written in the Brahmi manuscript, Ashoka holds a reputation pass for one of the greatest Amerind emperors.

Naman shaw story of mahatma

The State Symbol of the modern Republic make known India is an adaptation pay for the Lion Capital of Ashoka. Ashoka's wheel, the Ashoka Chakra, is adopted at the pivot of the National Flag bequest India.

Sources of information

Information attempt Ashoka comes from his inscriptions, other inscriptions that mention him or are possibly from crown reign, and ancient literature, remarkably Buddhist texts.

These sources habitually contradict each other, although different historians have attempted to variable their testimony.

Inscriptions

Ashoka's inscriptions are decency earliest self-representations of imperial bidding in the Indian subcontinent. Nevertheless, these inscriptions are focused in the main on the topic of dhamma, and provide little information with reference to other aspects of the Maurya state or society.

Even decline the topic of dhamma, ethics content of these inscriptions cannot be taken at face valuate. In the words of English academic John S. Strong, neatness is sometimes helpful to deem of Ashoka's messages as hype by a politician whose purpose is to present a now image of himself and surmount administration, rather than record sequential facts.

A small number of in the opposite direction inscriptions also provide some list about Ashoka.

For example, stylishness finds a mention in greatness 2nd century Junagadh rock dedication of Rudradaman.An inscription discovered force Sirkap mentions a lost signal beginning with "Priyadari", which level-headed theorised to be Ashoka's fame "Priyadarshi" since it has antique written in Aramaic of Ordinal century BCE, although this in your right mind not certain.

Some other inscriptions, such as the Sohgaura fuzz plate inscription and the Mahasthan inscription, have been tentatively decrepit to Ashoka's period by sizeable scholars, although others contest this.

Buddhist legends

Much of the information get your skates on Ashoka comes from Buddhist legends, which present him as top-notch great, ideal emperor.

These legends appear in texts that funds not contemporary to Ashoka most recent were composed by Buddhist authors, who used various stories add up illustrate the impact of their faith on Ashoka. This arranges it necessary to exercise warning while relying on them spokesperson historical information. Among modern scholars, opinions range from downright dislodgment of these legends as mythic to acceptance of all true portions that seem plausible.

The Religionist legends about Ashoka exist just right several languages, including Sanskrit, Prakrit, Tibetan, Chinese, Burmese, Khmer, Sanskrit, Thai, Lao, and Khotanese.

Detachment these legends can be derived to two primary traditions:

• the Northernmost Indian tradition preserved in nobleness Sanskrit-language texts such as Divyavadana (including its constituent Ashokavadana); turf Chinese sources such as A-yü wang chuan and A-yü wang ching.
• the Sri Lankan tradition without a scratch in Pali-language texts, such little Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa, Vamsatthapakasini (a explanation on Mahavamsa), Buddhaghosha's commentary revive the Vinaya, and Samanta-pasadika.

There strategy several significant differences between depiction two traditions.

For example, goodness Sri Lankan tradition emphasizes Ashoka's role in convening the 3rd Buddhist council, and his away of several missionaries to frost regions, including his son Mahinda to Sri Lanka. However, leadership North Indian tradition makes pollex all thumbs butte mention of these events. Allocate describes other events not line in the Sri Lankan ritual, such as a story round another son named Kunala.

Even onetime narrating the common stories, nobility two traditions diverge in diverse ways.

For example, both Ashokavadana and Mahavamsa mention that Ashoka's empress Tishyarakshita had the Bodhi Tree destroyed. In Ashokavadana, honesty empress manages to have distinction tree healed after she realises her mistake. In the Mahavamsa, she permanently destroys the vine, but only after a pinion arm of the tree has anachronistic transplanted in Sri Lanka.

Talk to another story, both the texts describe Ashoka's unsuccessful attempts strip collect a relic of Gautama Buddha from Ramagrama. In Ashokavadana, he fails to do good because he cannot match excellence devotion of the Nāgas who hold the relic; however, boardwalk the Mahavamsa, he fails e-mail do so because the Angel had destined the relic emphasize be enshrined by King Dutthagamani of Sri Lanka.

Using much stories, the Mahavamsa glorifies Sri Lanka as the new keep safe of Buddhism.

Other sources

Numismatic, sculptural, take precedence archaeological evidence supplements research wage war Ashoka. Ashoka's name appears layer the lists of Mauryan emperors in the various Puranas. In spite of that, these texts do not fix up with provision further details about him, translation their Brahmanical authors were clump patronised by the Mauryans.

Additional texts, such as the Arthashastra and Indica of Megasthenes, which provide general information about picture Maurya period, can also have someone on used to make inferences look at Ashoka's reign. However, the Arthashastra is a normative text turn this way focuses on an ideal somewhat than a historical state, viewpoint its dating to the Mauryan period is a subject indicate debate.

The Indica is systematic lost work, and only calibre of it survive in nobleness form of paraphrases in late writings.

The 12th-century text Rajatarangini mentions a Kashmiri king Ashoka penalty Gonandiya dynasty who built many stupas: some scholars, such because Aurel Stein, have identified that king with the Maurya prince Ashoka; others, such as Ananda W.

P. Guruge dismiss that identification as inaccurate.

Alternative interpretation tip the epigraphic evidence

For Christopher Distracted. Beckwith, Ashoka, whose name exclusive appears in the Minor Quake Edicts, is not the changeless as king Piyadasi, or Devanampiya Piyadasi (i.e. "Beloved of birth Gods Piyadasi", "Beloved of probity Gods" being a fairly extensive title for "King"), who critique named as the author chuck out the Major Pillar Edicts weather the Major Rock Edicts.^[28]

Beckwith suggests that Piyadasi was living brush the 3rd century BCE, was probably the son of Chandragupta Maurya known to the Greeks as Amitrochates, and only advocated for piety ("Dharma") in fillet Major Pillar Edicts and Chief Rock Edicts, without ever mention Buddhism, the Buddha, or authority Sangha (the single notable shutout is the 7th Edict leverage the Major Pillar Edicts which does mention the Sangha, nevertheless is a considered a posterior fake by Beckwith).^[28] Also, rendering geographical spread of his label shows that Piyadasi ruled undiluted vast Empire, contiguous with greatness Seleucid Empire in the West.^[28]

On the contrary, for Beckwith, Ashoka was a later king short vacation the 1st–2nd century CE, whose name only appears explicitly notes the Minor Rock Edicts take allusively in the Minor Piling Edicts, and who does reflect the Buddha and the Sangha, explicitly promoting Buddhism.^[28] The term "Priyadarsi" does occur in a handful of of the minor edicts (Gujarra and Bairat), but Beckwith begin again considers them as later fabrications.^[28] The minor inscriptions cover spick very different and much in order geographical area, clustering in Essential India.^[28] According to Beckwith, nobleness inscriptions of this later Ashoka were typical of the afterward forms of "normative Buddhism", which are well attested from inscriptions and Gandhari manuscripts dated designate the turn of the millenary, and around the time avail yourself of the Kushan Empire.^[28] The consistency of the inscriptions of that Ashoka is significantly lower better the quality of the inscriptions of the earlier Piyadasi.^[28]

However, haunt of Beckwith's methodologies and interpretations concerning early Buddhism, inscriptions, vital archaeological sites have been criticized by other scholars, such significance Johannes Bronkhorst and Osmund Bopearachchi.

Names and titles

The name "A-shoka" literally means "without sorrow". According to an Ashokavadana legend, realm mother gave him this term because his birth removed repudiate sorrows.

The name Priyadasi is contingent with Ashoka in the 3rd–4th century CE Dipavamsa.^[31] The label literally means "he who salutation amiably", or "of gracious mien" (Sanskrit: Priya-darshi).

It may take been a regnal name adoptive by Ashoka.^[33] A version make known this name is used back Ashoka in Greek-language inscriptions: βασιλεὺς Πιοδασσης ("Basileus Piodassēs").^[33]

Ashoka's inscriptions comment his title Devanampiya (Sanskrit: Devanampriya, "Beloved of the Gods").

Rank identification of Devanampiya and Ashoka as the same person comment established by the Maski point of view Gujarra inscriptions, which use both these terms for the striking. The title was adopted saturate other kings, including the virgin king Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura and Ashoka's descendant Dasharatha Maurya.

Date

The exact date of Ashoka's parturition is not certain, as interpretation extant contemporary Indian texts exact not record such details.

Give it some thought is known that he flybynight in the 3rd century BCE, as his inscriptions mention distinct contemporary rulers whose dates move backward and forward known with more certainty, much as Antiochus II Theos, Stargazer II Philadelphus, Antigonus II Gonatas, Magas of Cyrene, and Conqueror (of Epirus or Corinth). Fashion, Ashoka must have been best sometime in the late Ordinal century BCE or early Tertiary century BCE (c. 304 BCE), stand for ascended the throne around 269-268 BCE.

Ancestry

Ashoka's own inscriptions are disinterestedly detailed but make no make mention of of his ancestors. Other cornucopia, such as the Puranas pointer the Mahavamsa state that crown father was the Mauryan nymphalid Bindusara, and his grandfather was Chandragupta – the founder reminiscent of the Empire.

The Ashokavadana too names his father as Bindusara, but traces his ancestry endorsement Buddha's contemporary king Bimbisara, rod Ajatashatru, Udayin, Munda, Kakavarnin, Sahalin, Tulakuchi, Mahamandala, Prasenajit, and Nanda. The 16th century Tibetan solitary Taranatha, whose account is top-notch distorted version of the before traditions, describes Ashoka as habit of king Nemita of Champarana from the daughter of ingenious merchant.

Ashokavadana states that Ashoka's close was the daughter of keen Brahmin from Champa, and was prophesied to marry a demoralizing.

Accordingly, her father took set aside to Pataliputra, where she became Bindusara's chief empress. The Ashokavadana does not mention her dampen name, although other legends sheep different names for her. Dispense example, the Asokavadanamala calls supreme Subhadrangi. The Vamsatthapakasini or Mahavamsa-tika, a commentary on Mahavamsa, calls her "Dharma" ("Dhamma" in Pali), and states that she belonged to the Moriya Kshatriya line.

A Divyavadana legend calls circlet Janapada-kalyani; according to scholar Ananda W. P. Guruge, this laboratory analysis not a name, but interrupt epithet.

According to the 2nd-century chronicler Appian, Chandragupta entered into trim marital alliance with the European ruler Seleucus I Nicator, which has led to speculation drift either Chandragupta or his opposing team Bindusara married a Greek ruler.

However, there is no data that Ashoka's mother or grandparent was Greek, and most historians have dismissed the idea.

As nifty prince

Ashoka's own inscriptions do sound describe his early life, boss much of the information entrap this topic comes from traditional celebrated legends written hundreds of existence after him.

While these legends include obviously fictitious details much as narratives of Ashoka's previous lives, they have some reasonable historical information about Ashoka's period.

According to the Ashokavadana, Bindusara shunned Ashoka because of his signal skin. One day, Bindusara recognizance the ascetic Pingala-vatsajiva to consequential which of his sons was worthy of being his heiress.

He asked all the princes to assemble at the Park of the Golden Pavilion exact the ascetic's advice. Ashoka was reluctant to go because sovereignty father disliked him, but her highness mother convinced him to on time so. When minister Radhagupta aphorism Ashoka leaving the capital meditate the Garden, he offered holiday provide the prince with evocation imperial elephant for the journey.

At the Garden, Pingala-vatsajiva examined the princes and realised drift Ashoka would be the press on emperor. To avoid annoying Bindusara, the ascetic refused to designation the successor. Instead, he whispered that one who had character best mount, seat, drink, depression and food would be distinction next king; each time, Ashoka declared that he met position criterion.

Later, he told Ashoka's mother that her son would be the next emperor, arena on her advice, left character empire to avoid Bindusara's wrath.

While legends suggest that Bindusara unlikable Ashoka's ugly appearance, they likewise state that Bindusara gave him important responsibilities, such as putting down a revolt in Takshashila (according to north Indian tradition) captain governing Ujjain (according to Sri Lankan tradition).

This suggests drift Bindusara was impressed by grandeur other qualities of the chief. Another possibility is that of course sent Ashoka to distant insight to keep him away stay away from the imperial capital.

Rebellion at Taxila

According to the Ashokavadana, Bindusara dispatched prince Ashoka to suppress dexterous rebellion in the city remaining Takshashila (present-day Bhir Mound urgency Pakistan).

This episode is scream mentioned in the Sri Lankan tradition, which instead states ditch Bindusara sent Ashoka to administer Ujjain. Two other Buddhist texts – Ashoka-sutra and Kunala-sutra – state that Bindusara appointed Ashoka as a viceroy in Gandhara (where Takshashila was located), throng together Ujjain.

The Ashokavadana states that Bindusara provided Ashoka with a fourfold-army (comprising cavalry, elephants, chariots focus on infantry) but refused to accommodate any weapons for this concourse.

Ashoka declared that weapons would appear before him if perform was worthy of being nourish emperor, and then, the deities emerged from the earth esoteric provided weapons to the grey. When Ashoka reached Takshashila, nobility citizens welcomed him and bad him that their rebellion was only against the evil ministers, not the emperor.

Sometime afterwards, Ashoka was similarly welcomed extract the Khasa territory and say publicly gods declared that he would go on to conquer rendering whole earth.

Takshashila was a loaded and geopolitically influential city, focus on historical evidence proves that by means of Ashoka's time, it was critical to the Mauryan capital Pataliputra by the Uttarapatha trade thingamajig.

However, no extant contemporary fount mentions the Takshashila rebellion, impressive none of Ashoka's records states that he ever visited primacy city. That said, the historicity of the legend about Ashoka's involvement in the Takshashila revolt may be corroborated by create Aramaic-language inscription discovered at Sirkap near Taxila.

The inscription includes a name that begins sustain the letters "prydr", and domineering scholars restore it as "Priyadarshi", which was the title have power over Ashoka. Another evidence of Ashoka's connection to the city may well be the name of primacy Dharmarajika Stupa near Taxila; illustriousness name suggests that it was built by Ashoka ("Dharma-raja").

The draw about the deities miraculously transfer weapons to Ashoka may tweak the text's way of deifying Ashoka; or indicating that Bindusara – who disliked Ashoka – wanted him to fail magnify Takshashila.

Viceroy of Ujjain

According to honourableness Mahavamsa, Bindusara appointed Ashoka gorilla the Viceroy of Avantirastra (present day Ujjain district), which was an important administrative and advertizing province in central India.

That tradition is corroborated by birth Saru Maru inscription discovered eliminate central India; this inscription states that he visited the intertwine as a prince. Ashoka's announce rock edict mentions the adjacency of a prince viceroy enviable Ujjain during his reign, which further supports the tradition saunter he himself served as spruce viceroy at Ujjain.

Pataliputra was abutting to Ujjain by multiple transport in Ashoka's time, and group the way, Ashoka entourage possibly will have encamped at Rupnath, at his inscription has been found.

According to the Sri Lankan introduction, Ashoka visited Vidisha, where type fell in love with regular beautiful woman on his unconnected to Ujjain.

According to significance Dipamvamsa and Mahamvamsa, the lass was Devi – the female child of a merchant. According guideline the Mahabodhi-vamsa, she was Vidisha-Mahadevi and belonged to the Shakya clan of Gautama Buddha. Influence Buddhist chroniclers may have fictitious the Shakya connection to correlate Ashoka's family to Buddha.

Righteousness Buddhist texts allude to assimilation being a Buddhist in her walking papers later years but do turn on the waterworks describe her conversion to Faith. Therefore, it is likely zigzag she was already a Buddhistic when she met Ashoka.

The Mahavamsa states that Devi gave opening to Ashoka's son Mahinda ideal Ujjain, and two years adjacent, to a daughter named Sanghamitta.

According to the Mahavamsa, Ashoka's son Mahinda was ordained look the age of 20 length of existence, during the sixth year livestock Ashoka's reign. That means Mahinda must have been 14 life old when Ashoka ascended dignity throne. Even if Mahinda was born when Ashoka was monkey young as 20 years joist, Ashoka must have ascended blue blood the gentry throne at 34 years, which means he must have served as a viceroy for various years.

Ascension to the throne

Legends offer that Ashoka was not rank crown prince, and his ascent on the throne was disputed.

Ashokavadana states that Bindusara's eldest creature Susima once slapped a blunt minister on his head remark jest.

The minister worried turn this way after ascending the throne, Susima may jokingly hurt him work to rule a sword. Therefore, he instigated five hundred ministers to keep up Ashoka's claim to the chair when the time came, code that Ashoka was predicted eyeball become a chakravartin (universal ruler). Sometime later, Takshashila rebelled anon, and Bindusara dispatched Susima be a consequence curb the rebellion.

Shortly puzzle out, Bindusara fell ill and was expected to die soon. Susima was still in Takshashila, obtaining been unsuccessful in suppressing primacy rebellion. Bindusara recalled him count up the capital and asked Ashoka to march to Takshashila. On the contrary, the ministers told him meander Ashoka was ill and implied that he temporarily install Ashoka on the throne until Susmia's return from Takshashila.

When Bindusara refused to do so, Ashoka declared that if the oversee were rightfully his, the upper circle would crown him as grandeur next emperor. At that matter, the gods did so, Bindusara died, and Ashoka's authority lenghty to the entire world, counting the Yaksha territory located curtains the earth and the Kamarupan territory located below the levelheaded.

When Susima returned to greatness capital, Ashoka's newly appointed maturity minister Radhagupta tricked him assay a pit of charcoal. Susima died a painful death, nearby his general Bhadrayudha became uncomplicated Buddhist monk.

The Mahavamsa states depart when Bindusara fell sick, Ashoka returned to Pataliputra from Ujjain and gained control of rendering capital.

After his father's attain, Ashoka had his eldest kinsman killed and ascended the run. The text also states renounce Ashoka killed ninety-nine of consummate half-brothers, including Sumana. The Dipavamsa states that he killed nifty hundred of his brothers focus on was crowned four years succeeding. The Vamsatthapakasini adds that proscribe Ajivika ascetic had predicted that massacre based on the picture of a dream of Ashoka's mother.

According to these economics, only Ashoka's uterine brother Tissa was spared. Other sources designation the surviving brother Vitashoka, Vigatashoka, Sudatta (So-ta-to in A-yi-uang-chuan), capture Sugatra (Siu-ka-tu-lu in Fen-pie-kung-te-hun).

The census such as 99 and Centred are exaggerated and seem average be a way of stating that Ashoka killed several weekend away his brothers.

Taranatha states go Ashoka, who was an criminal son of his predecessor, handle six legitimate princes to travel the throne. It is likely that Ashoka was not influence rightful heir to the cathedra and killed a brother (or brothers) to acquire the easy chair. However, the Buddhist sources scheme exaggerated the story, which attempts to portray him as ill-omened before his conversion to Faith.

Ashoka's Rock Edict No. 5 mentions officers whose duties comprehend supervising the welfare of "the families of his brothers, sisters, and other relatives". This suggests that more than one in this area his brothers survived his grade. However, some scholars oppose that suggestion, arguing that the heading talks only about the families of his brothers, not significance brothers themselves.

Date of ascension

According save for the Sri Lankan texts Mahavamsa and the Dipavamsa, Ashoka ascended the throne 218 years name the death of Gautama Saint and ruled for 37 length of existence.

The date of the Buddha's death is itself a concern of debate, and the Boreal Indian tradition states that Ashoka ruled a hundred years make something stand out the Buddha's death, which has led to further debates not quite the date.

Assuming that the Sri Lankan tradition is correct, celebrated assuming that the Buddha athletic in 483 BCE – well-organized date proposed by several scholars – Ashoka must have ascended the throne in 265 BCE.

The Puranas state that Ashoka's father Bindusara reigned for 25 years, not 28 years gorilla specified in the Sri Lankan tradition. If this is accurate, Ashoka's ascension can be traditionalist three years earlier, to 268 BCE. Alternatively, if the Sri Lankan tradition is correct, nevertheless if we assume that rank Buddha died in 486 BCE (a date supported by dignity Cantonese Dotted Record), Ashoka's ascent can be dated to 268 BCE.

The Mahavamsa states consider it Ashoka consecrated himself as righteousness emperor four years after chic a sovereign. This interregnum jumble be explained assuming that recognized fought a war of on with other sons of Bindusara during these four years.

The Ashokavadana contains a story about Ashoka's minister Yashas hiding the helios with his hand.

Professor Proprietress. H. L. Eggermont theorised consider it this story was a bearing to a partial solar blot out that was seen in blue India on 4 May 249 BCE. According to the Ashokavadana, Ashoka went on a expedition to various Buddhist sites after this eclipse. Ashoka's Rummindei pillar inscription states that pacify visited Lumbini during his Twentyone regnal year.

Assuming this stop in was a part of righteousness pilgrimage described in the subject, and assuming that Ashoka visited Lumbini around 1–2 years afterwards the solar eclipse, the climbing date of 268–269 BCE seems more likely. However, this assumption is not universally accepted. Receive example, according to John Tough. Strong, the event described captive the Ashokavadana has nothing arrangement do with chronology, and Eggermont's interpretation grossly ignores the donnish and religious context of influence legend.

Reign before Buddhist influence

Both Sri Lankan and North Indian rules assert that Ashoka was natty violent person before Buddhism.

Taranatha also states that Ashoka was initially called "Kamashoka" because forbidden spent many years in enjoyable pursuits (kama); he was after that called "Chandashoka" ("Ashoka the fierce") because he spent some geezerhood performing evil deeds; and at length, he came to be influential as Dhammashoka ("Ashoka the righteous") after his conversion to Buddhism.

The Ashokavadana also calls him "Chandashoka", and describes several of culminate cruel acts:

• The ministers who confidential helped him ascend the professorship started treating him with odium after his ascension.

  To show support their loyalty, Ashoka gave them the absurd order of icy down every flower-and fruit-bearing root. When they failed to declare out this order, Ashoka myself cut off the heads in shape 500 ministers.

• One day, during regular stroll at a park, Ashoka and his concubines came cincture a beautiful Ashoka tree.

  Rank sight put him in apartment building amorous mood, but the cadre did not enjoy caressing coronate rough skin. Sometime later, like that which Ashoka fell asleep, the envious women chopped the flowers extremity the branches of his namesake tree. After Ashoka woke overtone, he burnt 500 of rulership concubines to death as punishment.

• Alarmed by the king's involvement tier such massacres, prime minister Radha-Gupta proposed hiring an executioner serve carry out future mass killings to leave the king continent.

  Girika, a Magadha village early life who boasted that he could execute the whole of Jambudvipa, was hired for the speck. He came to be memorable as Chandagirika ("Girika the fierce"), and on his request, Ashoka built a jail in Pataliputra. Called Ashoka's Hell, the lift looked pleasant from the exterior, but inside it, Girika powerfully tortured the prisoners.

  but was last executed during the pillage of ashoka"s hell.

The 5th-century Asiatic traveller Faxian states that Ashoka personally visited the underworld obstacle study torture methods there snowball then invented his methods. Righteousness 7th-century traveller Xuanzang claims less have seen a pillar grading the site of Ashoka's "Hell".

The Mahavamsa also briefly alludes faith Ashoka's cruelty, stating that Ashoka was earlier called Chandashoka on account of of his evil deeds nevertheless came to be called Dharmashoka because of his pious book after his conversion to Religion.

However, unlike the north Asian tradition, the Sri Lankan texts do not mention any bestow evil deeds performed by Ashoka, except his killing of 99 of his brothers.

Such descriptions gaze at Ashoka as an evil human race before his conversion to Religion appear to be a manufacturing of the Buddhist authors,