The Indian History: ASHOKA THE GREAT !

KING ASHOKA

King Ashoka, the third monarch of the Indian Mauryan dynasty, has come to be regarded as one of the most exemplary rulers in world history. The British historian H.G. Wells has written: "Amidst the tens of thousands of names of monarchs that crowd the columns of history ... the name of Ashoka shines, and shines almost alone, a star."

Although Buddhist literature preserved the legend of this ruler -- the story of a cruel and ruthless king who converted to Buddhism and thereafter established a reign of virtue -- definitive historical records of his reign were lacking. Then in the nineteenth century there came to light a large number of edicts, in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan. These edicts, inscribed on rocks and pillars, proclaim Ashoka's reforms and policies. These edicts, based on earlier translations, offers us an insight into a powerful and capable ruler's attempt to establish an empire, a reign which makes the moral and spiritual welfare of his subjects its primary concern.

In 1837, James Prinsep succeeded in deciphering (decoding) an ancient inscription on a large stone pillar in Delhi. Several other pillars and rocks with similar inscriptions had been known for some time and had attracted the curiosity of scholars. Prinsep's inscription proved to be a series of edicts issued by a king calling himself "Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi."

In the following decades, more and more edicts by this same king were discovered and with increasingly accurate decipherment (decoding) of their language, a more complete picture of this man and his deeds began to emerge. Gradually, it dawned on scholars that the King Piyadasi of the edicts might be the King Ashoka so often praised in Buddhist legends. However, it was not until 1915, when another edict actually mentioning the name Ashoka was discovered, that the identification was confirmed. Having been forgotten for nearly 700 years, one of the greatest men in history became known to the world once again.

Questionable Hereditary Succession

Ashoka became the new emperor or ruler of the Mauryan Empire in 274 BC. His grandfather, Chandragupta Maurya, had set out to conquer the weaker surrounding kingdoms to expand the territory of his people in 324 BC, and was the first to rule over a unified India. Ashoka's father, Bindusara, established a reign much the same as his father's, controlling a larger kingdom than ever before known. When Bindusara became gravely ill, Ashoka succeeded him, although one hundred of his other brothers were eligible for the throne.But Ashoka becomes the king with the help of a minister Radhagupta. Many historians believe that Ashoka killed his 99 brothers leaving only one brother Tissa to become the king.

A Sudden Change of Heart

Ashoka's reign as an emperor began with a series of wars and bloodshed. He was very short tempered person. At that time he was called ‘Chandaashoka’, which means "Ashoka the Fierce".

Eight years after his rule, Ashoka's army attacked and conquered Kalinga, a country that roughly corresponds to the modern state of Orissa. The loss of life caused by battle, reprisals and the turmoil that always exists in the aftermath of war horrified Ashoka so much that it brought about a complete change in his personality. He subsequently became deeply influenced by Buddhism, and adopted the dharma, which consists of basic virtuous teachings that can be practiced by all men regardless of social origins. "Dharma" is derived from the Sanskrit word for "duty".Ashoka saw dharma as a righteous path showing the utmost respect for all living things. The dharma would bring harmony and unity to India in the form of much needed compassion. Serving as a guiding light, a voice of conscious that is the dharma can lead one to be a respectful and highly responsible human being.

Ashoka's dream was to unify a nation so large that its people of one region shared little in common with those of another region. Diversity of religion, ethnicity and many cultural aspects held citizens against each other, creating social barriers (I guess this was the time from where we get our present scenario). The moral order of dharma could be agreed upon as beneficial and progressive by all who could understand its merits. In fact, the dharma had long been a primary practice for members of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Dharma became the link between king and commoner. Everyone lived by the same law of moral, religious and civil obligations towards others.

Pillars of the Earth

The reign of AshokaMaurya could easily have disappeared into history as the ages passed by, if hadn't he left behind a record of his trials. The testimony of this wise king was discovered in the form of magnificently sculpted pillars and boulders with the various actions and teachings he wished to be published, etched into the stone. What Ashoka left behind was the first written language in India since the ancient city of Harrapa. Rather than Sanskrit, the language used for inscription was the current spoken form called Prakrita. In translating these monuments, historians learn the bulk of what is assumed to have been true fact of the Mauryan Empire. It is difficult to determine whether or not some actual events ever happened, but the stone etchings clearly depict how Ashoka wanted to be thought of and remembered.

King Ashoka, the third monarch of the Indian Mauryan dynasty, has come to be regarded as one of the most exemplary rulers in world history. Although Buddhist literature preserved the legend of this ruler - the story of a cruel and ruthless king who converted to Buddhism and thereafter established a reign of virtue - definitive historical records of his reign were lacking. Then in the nineteenth century there came to light a large number of edicts, in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan. These edicts, inscribed on rocks and pillars, proclaim Asoka's reforms and policies and promulgate his advice to his subjects. The present rendering of these edicts, based on earlier translations, offers us insights into a powerful and capable ruler's attempt to establish an empire on the foundation of righteousness, a reign which makes the moral and spiritual welfare of his subjects its primary concern.

The Nine Unknown Men

According to occult lore, the Nine Unknown Men are a two millennia-old secret society founded by the Indian Emperor Ashoka 273 BC. After he converted to Buddhism, the Emperor founded the society of the Nine to preserve and develop knowledge that would be dangerous to humanity if it fell into the wrong hands. It is said that the Emperor Ashoka once aware of the horrors of war, wished to forbid men ever to put their intelligence to evil uses. During his reign natural science, past and present, was vowed to secrecy. Henceforward, and for the next 2,000 years, all researches, ranging from the structure of matter to the techniques employed in collective psychology, were to be hidden behind the mystical mask of a people commonly believed to be exclusively concerned with ecstasy and supernatural phenomena. Ashoka founded the most powerful secret society on earth: that of the Nine Unknown Men.

One can imagine the extraordinary importance of secret knowledge in the hands of nine men benefiting directly from experiments, studies and documents accumulated over a period of more than 2,000 years. What can have been the aim of these men? Not to allow methods of destruction to fall into the hands of unqualified persons and to pursue knowledge which would benefit mankind. Their numbers would be renewed by co-option, so as to preserve the secrecy of techniques handed down from ancient times.

Each of the Nine is supposedly responsible for guarding and improving a single book. These books each deal with a different branch of potentially hazardous knowledge.

A Well Respected Man

Somewhere along the way Ashoka became a Buddhist, and as a result taught and persuaded his people to love and respect all living things. He insisted on the recognition of the sanctity of all human life. The horrors of war have often transformed savage hearts into compassionate ones. Even the unnecessary slaughter or mutilation of animals was immediately abolished. Wildlife became protected by the king's law against sport hunting and branding. Limited hunting was permitted for consumption reasons but the overwhelming majority of Indians, chose by their own free will to become vegetarians. Ashoka also showed mercy to those imprisoned, allowing them leave for the outside a day of the year. He attempted to raise the professional ambition of the common man by building universities for study and water transit and irrigation systems for trade and agriculture. He treated his subjects as equals regardless of their religion, politics and cast. The kingdoms surrounding his, so easily overthrown, were instead made to be well-respected allies.

In his Own Words

“All men are my children. I am like a father to them. As every father desires the good and the happiness of his children, I wish that all men should be happy always”

During his reign, Ashoka became an avid Buddhist practitioner, building 84,000 stupas across his empire to house the sacred relics of the Lord Buddha. He sent his family on religious pilgrimages to foreign places, and staged massive assemblies so holy men from the world over could converse upon the philosophies of the day. More than even Buddhism was Ashoka's deep involvement in the dharma. The dharma became the ultimate expression of the moral and ethical standards he desired his subjects to live by. Ashoka defined the main principles of dharma (dhamma) as nonviolence, tolerance of all sects and opinions, obedience to parents, respect for the Brahmans and other religious teachers and priests, liberality towards friends, humane treatment of servants, and generosity towards all. These principles suggest a general ethic of behaviour to which no religious or social group could object.

In perhaps a fitting tribute to this great man of vision and unity, the Indian government has adopted the famous lion capital from his pillar at Sarnath as its official national emblem. The wheel design on the capital's base has also become the central figure of the nation's flag. May the wheel keep on turning for the sake of all men who are brothers in this brave new millennium of ours, and may the teachings of the Light of Asia continue to reach every corner of the earth despite what some inferior men may do or say.

Today, the Ashoka Chakra, the Wheel of Dharma, is featured on the national flag of India. Ashoka used this image on many of his constructions. The wheel has 24 spokes which represent: