ASHOKA THE GREAT 300 BCE 232 BCE Presentation

ASHOKA THE GREAT 300 BCE – 232 BCE Presentation by: Sameer Agrawal

Location India

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ASHOKA BELONGS TO MAURYAN DYNASTY HE IS THE THIRD KING OF MAURYAN DYNASTY

Timeline Birth of Asoka Reign begins 300 BCE 272 BCE Marriage 284 BCE Conversion to Buddhism 263 BCE Death in 232 BCE

MAURYA DYNASTY CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA (Founder & grand father of Ashoka) BINDUSARA (Second king & father of Ashoka) ASHOKA THE EMPEROR (Third king)

CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA Founded Mauryan Dynasty in 322 BC Gained power shortly after Alexander ‘s death. Was crowned King at Taxila Had capital at Pataliputra His minister Chanakya wrote Arthashastra

ASHOKA THE GREAT BEFORE THE KALINGA WAR AFTER THE KALINGA WAR LEGACY OF ASHOKA

ASHOKA THE GREAT PART-I BEFORE THE KALINGA WAR

Kalinga War Ashoka's reign as emperor began with a series of wars. He conquered more lands and added them to his empire. The Kalinga War of 260 BC was the worst of all.

A change of heart The huge loss of life and suffering witnessed on the battlefield made him turn away from war. So he was deeply influenced by Buddhism, and adopted the dharma principles

ASHOKA THE GREAT PART - II AFTER THE KALINGA WAR

AFTER KALINGA WAR A. Dharma Principles B. Spread of Buddhism C. Ashoka the Administrator

A. The Dharma Principles The main principles of dharma (dhamma) nonviolence, tolerance of all sects, obedience to parents, respect for Brahmans , teachers & priests liberality towards friends, humane treatment of servants,

SPREAD OF BUDDHISM Ashoka built shrines and monasteries and inscribed Buddhist teachings on rocks and pillars in many places. He sent missionaries to countries. His own son Kunal became a monk & carried Buddhism to Sri Lanka

Ashoka the administrator Ashoka taught and convinced people to love and respect all living things. He insisted on the recognition of the sanctity of all human life. He abolished the unnecessary slaughter or mutilation of animals. Ashoka banned sport hunting & thus protected wildlife. He became vegetarian & most people chose to become vegetarians on their own. He allowed one day leave to prisoners to go outside for a day of the year.

ASHOKA THE GREAT PART-III LEGACIES OF ASHOKA

LEGACIES OF ASHOKA SYMBOLIC LEGACY BOLLYWOOD LEGACY

SYMBOLIC Legacy Indian government has adopted the famous lion capital from his pillar at Sarnath as official national emblem.

India’s Flag After Asoka’s death in 232 BCE the people of India decided to commemorate Ashoka by using his personal chakra. It can still be seen today on the Indian flag. The word chakra is sandskrit and it means cycle or a repeating process.

Ashoka’s Wheel of Law Asoka’s chakra is also know as the wheel of the dharma (way) and it symbolizes the 24 virtues in Buddhism. Some of these 24 virtues include: love, patience, peacefulness, courage, justice and mercy.

BOLLYWOOD LEGACY The film-ASHOKA- was directed by Santosh Sivan and stars Shahrukh Khan as Ashoka and Kareena Kapoor as Kaurwaki, Kaurwaki a princess of Kalinga

Historical Importance After the death of Asoka's father, Binder Sar, Ashoka and his older brother competed for the throne. The prime minister and other important ministers at the time though Asoka to be more discreet, capable and efficient ruler. The next three years Ashoka focused on reestablishing peace. During Asoka's rule theft declined and science, medicine and technology all flourished. Buddhism received a significant boost of popularity when Ashoka converted to Buddhism.

Personal Information Asoka married a commoner called Karuwaki, she was a fisher. He met her before his reign when he was sent to Taxshila to subdue an uprising as a general of the Mauryan empire. Due to Ashoka’s success in the quelling of the uprising and his growing popularity, his step-brothers forced him into exile to prevent him from obtaining the throne. Asoka however returned two years later being summoned by the emperor to quell another uprising.

Asoka the terrible Before Ashoka’s conquest of Kalinga he was known as Chandashok ( Chanda-cruel, shok-associated with Hindu goddess of eternal energy) Asoka was considered a bloodthirsty and power greedy individual. It was not until later, after the conquest of Kalinga, where Asoka received his revelation that he was considered great.

THANK YOU "