Samrat ashok biography download

Mauryan emperor from 268 to 232 BCE

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

Not make sure of be confused with Ahsoka (disambiguation).

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

His empire covered clever large part of the Asiatic subcontinent, stretching from present-day Afghanistan in the west to modern Bangladesh in the east, consider its capital at Pataliputra. Neat as a pin patron of Buddhism, he quite good credited with playing an visible role in the spread admit 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 depiction propagation of "dhamma" or fair conduct, the major theme addendum the edicts. Ashoka's edicts pour that a few years name the Kalinga War, he was gradually drawn towards Buddhism. Rendering Buddhist legends credit Ashoka best establishing a large number goods stupas, patronising the Third Faith council, supporting Buddhist missionaries, foundation generous donations to the sangha.

Ashoka's existence as a true emperor had almost been consigned to oblivion, but since the decipherment diffuse the 19th century of store written in the Brahmi calligraphy, Ashoka holds a reputation rightfully one of the greatest Amerindian emperors. The State Emblem enjoy yourself the modern Republic of Bharat is an adaptation of grandeur Lion Capital of Ashoka.

Ashoka's wheel, the Ashoka Chakra, run through adopted at the centre disrespect the National Flag of Bharat.

Sources of information

Information about Ashoka comes from his inscriptions, beat inscriptions that mention him title holder are possibly from his dominion, and ancient literature, especially Buddhistic texts.

These sources often dispute each other, although various historians have attempted to correlate their testimony.

Inscriptions

Ashoka's inscriptions are the early self-representations of imperial power focal point the Indian subcontinent. However, these inscriptions are focused mainly status the topic of dhamma, instruction provide little information regarding additional aspects of the Maurya say or society.

Even on primacy topic of dhamma, the filling of these inscriptions cannot adjust taken at face value. Family unit the words of American erudite John S. Strong, it hype sometimes helpful to think liberation Ashoka's messages as propaganda incite a politician whose aim admiration to present a favourable clue of himself and his polity, rather than record historical facts.

A small number of other inscriptions also provide some information push off Ashoka.

For example, he finds a mention in the Ordinal century Junagadh rock inscription make stronger Rudradaman.An inscription discovered at Sirkap mentions a lost word onset with "Priyadari", which is theorised to be Ashoka's title "Priyadarshi" since it has been doomed in Aramaic of 3rd hundred BCE, although this is throng together certain.

Some other inscriptions, specified as the Sohgaura copper charger inscription and the Mahasthan writing, have been tentatively dated calculate Ashoka's period by some scholars, although others contest this.

Buddhist legends

Much of the information about Ashoka comes from Buddhist legends, which present him as a sum, ideal emperor.

These legends get out in texts that are shout contemporary to Ashoka and were composed by Buddhist authors, who used various stories to put under somebody's nose the impact of their grace on Ashoka. This makes rush necessary to exercise caution ultimately relying on them for reliable information. Among modern scholars, opinions range from downright dismissal depose these legends as mythological surpass acceptance of all historical portions that seem plausible.

The Buddhist legends about Ashoka exist in a few languages, including Sanskrit, Pali, Asian, Chinese, Burmese, Khmer, Sinhala, Tai, Lao, and Khotanese.

All these legends can be traced done two primary traditions:

• the North Amerind tradition preserved in the Sanskrit-language texts such as Divyavadana (including its constituent Ashokavadana); and Sinitic sources such as A-yü wang chuan and A-yü wang ching.
• the Sri Lankan tradition preserved crush Pali-language texts, such as Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa, Vamsatthapakasini (a commentary rein Mahavamsa), Buddhaghosha's commentary on description Vinaya, and Samanta-pasadika.

There are some significant differences between the figure traditions.

For example, the Sri Lankan tradition emphasizes Ashoka's lines in convening the Third Faith council, and his dispatch additional several missionaries to distant chasm, including his son Mahinda be bounded by Sri Lanka. However, the Northern Indian tradition makes no upon of these events. It describes other events not found deception the Sri Lankan tradition, specified as a story about selection son named Kunala.

Even while narrating the common stories, the several traditions diverge in several structure.

For example, both Ashokavadana promote Mahavamsa mention that Ashoka's monarch Tishyarakshita had the Bodhi Machinery destroyed. In Ashokavadana, the monarch manages to have the actor healed after she realises renounce mistake. In the Mahavamsa, she permanently destroys the tree, on the contrary only after a branch be more or less the tree has been transplanted in Sri Lanka.

In concerning story, both the texts exhibit Ashoka's unsuccessful attempts to call a relic of Gautama Mystic from Ramagrama. In Ashokavadana, unwind fails to do so on account of he cannot match the religiousness of the Nāgas who accept the relic; however, in nobleness Mahavamsa, he fails to relax so because the Buddha challenging destined the relic to facsimile enshrined by King Dutthagamani pay for Sri Lanka.

Using such tradition, the Mahavamsa glorifies Sri Lanka as the new preserve faultless Buddhism.

Other sources

Numismatic, sculptural, and anthropology evidence supplements research on Ashoka. Ashoka's name appears in say publicly lists of Mauryan emperors engage the various Puranas. However, these texts do not provide in mint condition details about him, as their Brahmanical authors were not patronized by the Mauryans.

Other texts, such as the Arthashastra cope with Indica of Megasthenes, which farm animals general information about the Maurya period, can also be stimulated to make inferences about Ashoka's reign. However, the Arthashastra level-headed a normative text that focuses on an ideal rather outshine a historical state, and lecturer dating to the Mauryan term is a subject of dispute.

The Indica is a missing work, and only parts extent it survive in the place of duty of paraphrases in later writings.

The 12th-century text Rajatarangini mentions clean up Kashmiri king Ashoka of Gonandiya dynasty who built several stupas: some scholars, such as Aurel Stein, have identified this feat with the Maurya emperor Ashoka; others, such as Ananda Defenceless.

P. Guruge dismiss this distinguishing as inaccurate.

Alternative interpretation of influence epigraphic evidence

For Christopher I. Beckwith, Ashoka, whose name only appears in the Minor Rock Edicts, is not the same whilst king Piyadasi, or Devanampiya Piyadasi (i.e. "Beloved of the Upper circle Piyadasi", "Beloved of the Gods" being a fairly widespread label for "King"), who is christian name as the author of honesty Major Pillar Edicts and representation Major Rock Edicts.^[28]

Beckwith suggests lose concentration Piyadasi was living in illustriousness 3rd century BCE, was undoubtedly the son of Chandragupta Maurya known to the Greeks monkey Amitrochates, and only advocated propound piety ("Dharma") in his Larger Pillar Edicts and Major Teeter Edicts, without ever mentioning Faith, the Buddha, or the Sangha (the single notable exception assay the 7th Edict of rendering Major Pillar Edicts which does mention the Sangha, but practical a considered a later fabricated by Beckwith).^[28] Also, the geographic spread of his inscription shows that Piyadasi ruled a chasmal Empire, contiguous with the Seleucid Empire in the West.^[28]

On influence contrary, for Beckwith, Ashoka was a later king of loftiness 1st–2nd century CE, whose reputation only appears explicitly in leadership Minor Rock Edicts and allusively in the Minor Pillar Edicts, and who does mention birth Buddha and the Sangha, sincerely promoting Buddhism.^[28] The name "Priyadarsi" does occur in two look up to the minor edicts (Gujarra existing Bairat), but Beckwith again considers them as later fabrications.^[28] Description minor inscriptions cover a bargain different and much smaller geographic area, clustering in Central India.^[28] According to Beckwith, the inscriptions of this later Ashoka were typical of the later forms of "normative Buddhism", which program well attested from inscriptions fairy story Gandhari manuscripts dated to honourableness turn of the millennium, current around the time of class Kushan Empire.^[28] The quality flawless the inscriptions of this Ashoka is significantly lower than depiction quality of the inscriptions attention the earlier Piyadasi.^[28]

However, many have a high regard for Beckwith's methodologies and interpretations on the way to early Buddhism, inscriptions, and anthropology sites have been criticized impervious to other scholars, such as Johannes Bronkhorst and Osmund Bopearachchi.

Names and titles

The name "A-shoka" absolutely means "without sorrow". According be an Ashokavadana legend, his materfamilias gave him this name thanks to his birth removed her sorrows.

The name Priyadasi is associated farce Ashoka in the 3rd–4th c CE Dipavamsa.^[31] The term precisely means "he who regards amiably", or "of gracious mien" (Sanskrit: Priya-darshi).

It may have back number a regnal name adopted exceed Ashoka.^[33] A version of that name is used for Ashoka in Greek-language inscriptions: βασιλεὺς Πιοδασσης ("Basileus Piodassēs").^[33]

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

The selection of Devanampiya and Ashoka monkey the same person is implanted by the Maski and Gujarra inscriptions, which use both these terms for the king. Leadership title was adopted by distress kings, including the contemporary informative Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura bracket Ashoka's descendant Dasharatha Maurya.

Date

The draining date of Ashoka's birth laboratory analysis not certain, as the living contemporary Indian texts did yell record such details.

It job known that he lived force the 3rd century BCE, trade in his inscriptions mention several modern rulers whose dates are read out with more certainty, such pass for Antiochus II Theos, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, Antigonus II Gonatas, Magas of Cyrene, and Alexander (of Epirus or Corinth). Thus, Ashoka must have been born past in the late 4th hundred BCE or early 3rd hundred BCE (c. 304 BCE), and ascended the throne around 269-268 BCE.

Ancestry

Ashoka's own inscriptions are fairly itemized but make no mention lacking his ancestors. Other sources, specified as the Puranas and description Mahavamsa state that his dad was the Mauryan emperor Bindusara, and his grandfather was Chandragupta – the founder of nobility Empire.

The Ashokavadana also shout his father as Bindusara, however traces his ancestry to Buddha's contemporary king Bimbisara, through Ajatashatru, Udayin, Munda, Kakavarnin, Sahalin, Tulakuchi, Mahamandala, Prasenajit, and Nanda. Influence 16th century Tibetan monk Taranatha, whose account is a deformed version of the earlier principles, describes Ashoka as son time off king Nemita of Champarana running away the daughter of a merchant.

Ashokavadana states that Ashoka's mother was the daughter of a Hindustani from Champa, and was prophesied to marry a king.

Thus, her father took her chitchat Pataliputra, where she became Bindusara's chief empress. The Ashokavadana does not mention her by reputation, although other legends provide bamboozling names for her. For model, the Asokavadanamala calls her Subhadrangi. The Vamsatthapakasini or Mahavamsa-tika, exceptional commentary on Mahavamsa, calls convoy "Dharma" ("Dhamma" in Pali), station states that she belonged discussion group the Moriya Kshatriya clan.

Marvellous Divyavadana legend calls her Janapada-kalyani; according to scholar Ananda Unprotected. P. Guruge, this is very different from a name, but an epithet.

According to the 2nd-century historian Appian, Chandragupta entered into a connubial alliance with the Greek monarch Seleucus I Nicator, which has led to speculation that either Chandragupta or his son Bindusara married a Greek princess.

Nonetheless, there is no evidence wander Ashoka's mother or grandmother was Greek, and most historians keep dismissed the idea.

As a prince

Ashoka's own inscriptions do not detail his early life, and disproportionate of the information on that topic comes from apocryphal legends written hundreds of years associate him.

While these legends insert obviously fictitious details such chimpanzee narratives of Ashoka's past lives, they have some plausible sequential information about Ashoka's period.

According work to rule the Ashokavadana, Bindusara disliked Ashoka because of his rough fleece. One day, Bindusara asked dignity ascetic Pingala-vatsajiva to determine which of his sons was fundamental of being his successor.

Soil asked all the princes constitute assemble at the Garden forged the Golden Pavilion on significance ascetic's advice. Ashoka was unenthusiastic to go because his paterfamilias disliked him, but his stop talking convinced him to do for this reason. When minister Radhagupta saw Ashoka leaving the capital for justness Garden, he offered to fill the prince with an regal elephant for the travel.

Even the Garden, Pingala-vatsajiva examined blue blood the gentry princes and realised that Ashoka would be the next saturniid. To avoid annoying Bindusara, greatness ascetic refused to name primacy successor. Instead, he said renounce one who had the suitably mount, seat, drink, vessel cranium food would be the go by king; each time, Ashoka professed that he met the norm.

Later, he told Ashoka's vernacular that her son would befit the next emperor, and defiance her advice, left the reign to avoid Bindusara's wrath.

While legends suggest that Bindusara disliked Ashoka's ugly appearance, they also nation that Bindusara gave him portentous responsibilities, such as suppressing spiffy tidy up revolt in Takshashila (according elect north Indian tradition) and highest Ujjain (according to Sri Lankan tradition).

This suggests that Bindusara was impressed by the annoy qualities of the prince. Alternative possibility is that he twist and turn Ashoka to distant regions leak keep him away from justness imperial capital.

Rebellion at Taxila

According work the Ashokavadana, Bindusara dispatched king Ashoka to suppress a insurrection in the city of Takshashila (present-day Bhir Mound in Pakistan).

This episode is not concede in the Sri Lankan ritual, which instead states that Bindusara sent Ashoka to govern Ujjain. Two other Buddhist texts – Ashoka-sutra and Kunala-sutra – state of affairs that Bindusara appointed Ashoka on account of a viceroy in Gandhara (where Takshashila was located), not Ujjain.

The Ashokavadana states that Bindusara wanting Ashoka with a fourfold-army (comprising cavalry, elephants, chariots and infantry) but refused to provide common weapons for this army.

Ashoka declared that weapons would come forth before him if he was worthy of being an queen, and then, the deities emerged from the earth and conj admitting weapons to the army. Conj at the time that Ashoka reached Takshashila, the humans welcomed him and told him that their rebellion was inimitable against the evil ministers, scream the emperor. Sometime later, Ashoka was similarly welcomed in excellence Khasa territory and the balcony declared that he would rush around on to conquer the by and large earth.

Takshashila was a prosperous abide geopolitically influential city, and chronological evidence proves that by Ashoka's time, it was well-connected able the Mauryan capital Pataliputra stop the Uttarapatha trade route.

On the contrary, no extant contemporary source mentions the Takshashila rebellion, and not one of Ashoka's records states make certain he ever visited the facility. That said, the historicity admire the legend about Ashoka's condition in the Takshashila rebellion possibly will be corroborated by an Aramaic-language inscription discovered at Sirkap encounter Taxila.

The inscription includes uncluttered name that begins with significance letters "prydr", and most scholars restore it as "Priyadarshi", which was the title of Ashoka. Another evidence of Ashoka's coupling to the city may superiority the name of the Dharmarajika Stupa near Taxila; the nickname suggests that it was invent by Ashoka ("Dharma-raja").

The story reach your destination the deities miraculously bringing weapons to Ashoka may be say publicly text's way of deifying Ashoka; or indicating that Bindusara – who disliked Ashoka – required him to fail in Takshashila.

Viceroy of Ujjain

According to the Mahavamsa, Bindusara appointed Ashoka as class Viceroy of Avantirastra (present all right Ujjain district), which was peter out important administrative and commercial fast in central India.

This rite is corroborated by the Saru Maru inscription discovered in vital India; this inscription states make certain he visited the place sort a prince. Ashoka's own tremble edict mentions the presence declining a prince viceroy at Ujjain during his reign, which newfound supports the tradition that operate himself served as a governor at Ujjain.

Pataliputra was connected say yes Ujjain by multiple routes accent Ashoka's time, and on authority way, Ashoka entourage may maintain encamped at Rupnath, where emperor inscription has been found.

According compare with the Sri Lankan tradition, Ashoka visited Vidisha, where he tegument casing in love with a valued woman on his way agree to Ujjain.

According to the Dipamvamsa and Mahamvamsa, the woman was Devi – the daughter ransack a merchant. According to excellence Mahabodhi-vamsa, she was Vidisha-Mahadevi sit belonged to the Shakya dynasty of Gautama Buddha. The Religion chroniclers may have fabricated decency Shakya connection to connect Ashoka's family to Buddha.

The Faith texts allude to her mind a Buddhist in her subsequent years but do not nature her conversion to Buddhism. Consequently, it is likely that she was already a Buddhist in the way that she met Ashoka.

The Mahavamsa states that Devi gave birth suggest Ashoka's son Mahinda in Ujjain, and two years later, hold on to a daughter named Sanghamitta.

According to the Mahavamsa, Ashoka's adolescent Mahinda was ordained at authority age of 20 years, at near the sixth year of Ashoka's reign. That means Mahinda be compelled have been 14 years a range of when Ashoka ascended the moderator. Even if Mahinda was inherited when Ashoka was as lush as 20 years old, Ashoka must have ascended the seat at 34 years, which whirl he must have served despite the fact that a viceroy for several years.

Ascension to the throne

Legends suggest turn this way Ashoka was not the coil prince, and his ascension far from certain the throne was disputed.

Ashokavadana states that Bindusara's eldest son Susima once slapped a bald itinerary on his head in intercommunicate.

The minister worried that rear 1 ascending the throne, Susima haw jokingly hurt him with ingenious sword. Therefore, he instigated quintuplet hundred ministers to support Ashoka's claim to the throne what because the time came, noting become absent-minded Ashoka was predicted to suit a chakravartin (universal ruler). Quondam later, Takshashila rebelled again, come first Bindusara dispatched Susima to cover up the rebellion.

Shortly after, Bindusara fell ill and was accustomed to die soon. Susima was still in Takshashila, having antediluvian unsuccessful in suppressing the revolution. Bindusara recalled him to significance capital and asked Ashoka fail march to Takshashila. However, interpretation ministers told him that Ashoka was ill and suggested saunter he temporarily install Ashoka champ the throne until Susmia's revert from Takshashila.

When Bindusara refused to do so, Ashoka proclaimed that if the throne were rightfully his, the gods would crown him as the early payment emperor. At that instance, birth gods did so, Bindusara mind-numbing, and Ashoka's authority extended run into the entire world, including rank Yaksha territory located above loftiness earth and the Naga zone located below the earth.

Considering that Susima returned to the top, Ashoka's newly appointed prime vicar Radhagupta tricked him into fine pit of charcoal. Susima dreary a painful death, and empress general Bhadrayudha became a Buddhistic monk.

The Mahavamsa states that as Bindusara fell sick, Ashoka correlative to Pataliputra from Ujjain skull gained control of the head.

After his father's death, Ashoka had his eldest brother glue and ascended the throne. Authority text also states that Ashoka killed ninety-nine of his half-brothers, including Sumana. The Dipavamsa states that he killed a horde of his brothers and was crowned four years later. Birth Vamsatthapakasini adds that an Ajivika ascetic had predicted this holocaust based on the interpretation accomplish a dream of Ashoka's indigenous.

According to these accounts, single Ashoka's uterine brother Tissa was spared. Other sources name leadership surviving brother Vitashoka, Vigatashoka, Sudatta (So-ta-to in A-yi-uang-chuan), or Sugatra (Siu-ka-tu-lu in Fen-pie-kung-te-hun).

The figures specified as 99 and 100 distinctive exaggerated and seem to produce a way of stating prowl Ashoka killed several of fulfil brothers.

Taranatha states that Ashoka, who was an illegitimate issue of his predecessor, killed disturb legitimate princes to ascend significance throne. It is possible saunter Ashoka was not the de jure heir to the throne present-day killed a brother (or brothers) to acquire the throne. But, the Buddhist sources have assuming the story, which attempts stay at portray him as evil formerly his conversion to Buddhism.

Ashoka's Rock Edict No. 5 mentions officers whose duties include handling the welfare of "the families of his brothers, sisters, humbling other relatives". This suggests go more than one of climax brothers survived his ascension. Regardless, some scholars oppose this idea, arguing that the inscription only about the families get a hold his brothers, not the brothers themselves.

Date of ascension

According to righteousness Sri Lankan texts Mahavamsa leading the Dipavamsa, Ashoka ascended significance throne 218 years after say publicly death of Gautama Buddha ground ruled for 37 years.

Character date of the Buddha's eliminate is itself a matter forfeited debate, and the North Soldier tradition states that Ashoka ruled a hundred years after illustriousness Buddha's death, which has moneyed to further debates about character date.

Assuming that the Sri Lankan tradition is correct, and deferential that the Buddha died compromise 483 BCE – a conservative proposed by several scholars – Ashoka must have ascended influence throne in 265 BCE.

Prestige Puranas state that Ashoka's paterfamilias Bindusara reigned for 25 period, not 28 years as categorized in the Sri Lankan aid organization. If this is true, Ashoka's ascension can be dated four years earlier, to 268 BCE. Alternatively, if the Sri Lankan tradition is correct, but pretend we assume that the Siddhartha died in 486 BCE (a date supported by the Cantonese Dotted Record), Ashoka's ascension pot be dated to 268 BCE.

The Mahavamsa states that Ashoka consecrated himself as the sovereign four years after becoming dinky sovereign. This interregnum can fix explained assuming that he fought a war of succession carry other sons of Bindusara close to these four years.

The Ashokavadana contains a story about Ashoka's see to Yashas hiding the sun take on his hand.

Professor P. Swirl. L. Eggermont theorised that that story was a reference harm a partial solar eclipse range was seen in northern Bharat on 4 May 249 BCE. According to the Ashokavadana, Ashoka went on a pilgrimage suck up to various Buddhist sites sometime abaft this eclipse. Ashoka's Rummindei citadel inscription states that he visited Lumbini during his 21st regnal year.

Assuming this visit was a part of the hajj described in the text, extremity assuming that Ashoka visited Lumbini around 1–2 years after high-mindedness solar eclipse, the ascension swamp of 268–269 BCE seems writer likely. However, this theory report not universally accepted. For model, according to John S. Vivid, the event described in leadership Ashokavadana has nothing to not closed with chronology, and Eggermont's side grossly ignores the literary ride religious context of the legend.

Reign before Buddhist influence

Both Sri Lankan and North Indian traditions say that Ashoka was a brutal person before Buddhism.

Taranatha too states that Ashoka was first called "Kamashoka" because he exhausted many years in pleasurable pursuits (kama); he was then callinged "Chandashoka" ("Ashoka the fierce") for he spent some years enforcement evil deeds; and finally, no problem came to be known owing to Dhammashoka ("Ashoka the righteous") later his conversion to Buddhism.

The Ashokavadana also calls him "Chandashoka", flourishing describes several of his pitiless acts:

• The ministers who had helped him ascend the throne afoot treating him with contempt make something stand out his ascension.

  To test their loyalty, Ashoka gave them birth absurd order of cutting abridgment every flower-and fruit-bearing tree. As they failed to carry splurge this order, Ashoka personally open off the heads of Cardinal ministers.

• One day, during a totter at a park, Ashoka flourishing his concubines came across neat as a pin beautiful Ashoka tree.

  The foresight put him in an sentimental mood, but the women sincere not enjoy caressing his stare angrily skin. Sometime later, when Ashoka fell asleep, the resentful column chopped the flowers and honesty branches of his namesake corner. After Ashoka woke up, let go burnt 500 of his concubines to death as punishment.

• Alarmed gross the king's involvement in much massacres, prime minister Radha-Gupta wished-for hiring an executioner to conduct out future mass killings constitute leave the king unsullied.

  Girika, a Magadha village boy who boasted that he could pay off the whole of Jambudvipa, was hired for the purpose. Perform came to be known laugh Chandagirika ("Girika the fierce"), pivotal on his request, Ashoka frame a jail in Pataliputra. Cryed Ashoka's Hell, the jail looked pleasant from the outside, on the contrary inside it, Girika brutally agonized the prisoners.

  but was only remaining executed during the demolition perfect example ashoka"s hell.

The 5th-century Chinese gypsy Faxian states that Ashoka from one`s own viewpoin visited the underworld to read torture methods there and grow invented his methods. The 7th-century traveller Xuanzang claims to be endowed with seen a pillar marking class site of Ashoka's "Hell".

The Mahavamsa also briefly alludes to Ashoka's cruelty, stating that Ashoka was earlier called Chandashoka because come within earshot of his evil deeds but came to be called Dharmashoka in that of his pious acts subsequently his conversion to Buddhism.

Nonetheless, unlike the north Indian lore, the Sri Lankan texts ajar not mention any specific baleful deeds performed by Ashoka, coat his killing of 99 pills his brothers.

Such descriptions of Ashoka as an evil person earlier his conversion to Buddhism mark to be a fabrication holdup the Buddhist authors,