Asoka: tHe TrUe StOrY aNd ThE pReMiEreE!!

[Suhanaa]

Introduction

The Wheel, which adorns the flag of free India, has kept His memory green. Lord of a vast empire, after a great victory on the battlefield he grew sick of violence and took an oath never to fight again. He was an ideal ruler. He strove to carry to other lands the light he had won in his life. He dedicated himself to the victories of righteousness.
Asoka
"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."
These are the words of an emperor who lived two thousand and three hundred years ago.
We see in history how even mere chieftains grew arrogant and used their powers selfishly and unjustly. But the emperor who said the above words ruled over the greater part of India. He had the power of life and death over millions of his subjects.
Is it surprising that free India remembers him with admiration?
This emperor was Asoka (also called 'Devanampriya Priyadarshi'). The wheel in the abacus of the pillar which he erected as a memorial at Saranath now adorns the national flag of free India.

Who was 'Priyadarshi'?
The rock inscription of Devanampriya Priyadarshi were being discovered all over India for centuries. But for a long time the identity of this 'Devanampriya Priyadarshi' remained a puzzle.
One day in the year 1915 near a village called Maski in Raichur District of Karnataka, a rock inscription was discovered on a hill. In this inscription for the first time the name of Asoka was found with titles like Devanampriya and Priyadarshi. It was then certain that Devanampriya Priyadarshi was no other than Asoka.
The Mauryan Emperor, whose name shone like a very bright star in the history of the world, and whom the world honors and loves even two thousand years after his death.

The Emperors
Asoka was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya. Chandragupta was the first ruler of the Mauryan Empire. He ruled for about twenty-four years, and then, seeking peace of mind, handed over the reigns of his empire to his son, Bindusara. This Bindusara was the father of Asoka. Subhadrangi or Dharma was the mother of Asoka. She was the daughter of a poor man of Champakanagar.
As a boy Asoka was not only active, but also mischievous. He was a skilful hunter. From the time of Chandragupta Maurya, the hunting expedition of the Emperor and the royal family was a splendid sight.
Asoka was not handsome. But no prince excelled him in valour, courage, dignity, love of adventure and ability in administration. Therefore even as a prince Asoka was loved and respected by his subjects and by his ministers. Bindusara discovered the ability of his son quire early and, when Asoka was still young, appointed him Governor of Avanti.

At Taxila
Ujjain was the capital of Avanti. It was a beautiful city, and the home of knowledge, wealth and art. Within a few days of taking over the administration of Avanti, Asoka became an excellent statesman. Asoka's valour, courage and wisdom were soon tested. The citizens of Taxila rose in revolt against the rule of Magadha. Bindusara's eldest son, Susima was called but could not put down the rebellion. Bindusara sent Asoka to suppress the revolt. Asoka did not have enough forces but yet moved towards the city boldly.
A surprising thing happened. The citizens of Taxila never thought of fighting against Asoka. They gave him a grand welcome.
They pleaded, "We do not hate either Bindusara or the royal family. The wicked ministers are responsible for our revolt. We misunderstood you because of their evil advice. We are not rebels. Please forgive us."

Asoka understood the real situation and punished those responsible for the revolt. He stayed there for some days and gave the people some advice in simple and beautiful words. When complete peace had been established in the city, Asoka returned to his province. Days and years passed. Bindusara grew old. His body became weak. His health declined.
Bindusara's eldest son was Susima. According to custom he should have succeeded to the throne but the revolt of Taxila had exposed his weakness.
Besides, he had begun to behave with insolence.

The council of ministers felt that the empire would suffer and lose peace, and prosperity and that thee would be no justice in the land if Susima was crowned king. Therefore they sent word to Asoka that his father was ill and that he should rush to the bedside of his sick father.

Asoka Becomes King
Emperor Bindusara had won the title 'Amitraghatha' (one who strikes those who are unfriendly). He had annexed the area between the east coast and the west coast in south India and extended his empire. He ruled over this empire for twenty-five years and died in 272 B.C. Asoka who had come to Pataliputra from Ujjain at the request of Radhagupta, the Chief Minister, was crowned king of Magadha after the death of his father.
What happened after this is not very clear. Perhaps Susima heard the news of his father's death and feared that Asoka might be crowned King; he probably came from Taxila with a large army. He came prepared to fight if necessary. But he was killed even as he was attempting to gain an entrance to the city.

There is a story that Asoka had all his brothers killed for the sake of the kingdom. There is no historical basis for this story
The fifth day of the third month Jyestamasa of the year 268 B.C. was the auspicious day on which Asoka was crowned king. Pataliputra was gaily decorated.

The auspicious time fixed for the coronation arrived. Auspicious music Sounded. Young and radiant Asoka entered the court, surrounded by his bodyguards. The heir to the throne of Magadha bowed to the throne and ascended it. As the priests chanted sacred verses, the heir was adorned with the appropriate symbols of royalty and the crown was placed on his head. The citizens of Pataliputra rejoiced that the empire was blessed with an able ruler.

Asoka was a very intelligent statesman. He ruled over Magadha wisely and ably. The council of ministers and officers of state were obedient, dutiful and able. Therefore peace and plenty brightened the land.
Happiness makes man forget how time passes. Eight years passed without anyone realizing it.

Kalinga
Asoka became the lord of a vast empire. But Kalinga, a small state (now called Orissa), remained independent, beyond Asoka's empire. Kalinga was a rich and fertile land between the Godavari and the Manhandi. The people of Kalinga were patriots and loved freedom. They were ready to fight and die in defense of their motherland.

The Kalinga War¡¦ A Change of Heart
During Asoka's grandfather's time the Kalinga army had only 60,000 infantry, 1,000 cavalry and 700 elephants. During Bindusara's reign and at the beginning of Asoka's reign Kalinga must have improved its armed forces considerably.
The mighty Magadha army marched towards Kalinga. Asoka himself went at the head of his vast army.

The Kalinga army resisted the Magadha army and fought bravely. They were not afraid even of death. But their valor and sacrifices were in vain. Every thinner and finally it accepted defeat.
Asoka won a glorious victory.
'What Have I done!
True, Asoka was victorious and Kalinga was his. What was the price of this victory?
One of Asoka's own inscriptions describes it: One hundred and fifty thousand people were taken prisoners. A hundred thousand were killed during the battle. Many more died as a result of the war.'
Asoka who led the army saw the battlefield with his own eyes.
As far as his eye could see he saw only the corpses of elephants and horses, and the limbs of soldiers killed in the battle. There were streams of blood. Soldiers were rolling on the ground in unbearable pain. There were orphaned children. And eagles flew about to feast on the dead bodies.
Not one or two but hundreds and thousands of terrible sights greeted Asoka's eyes. His heart was broken with grief and shame.

He felt unhappy over the victory, which he had won at the cost of so much suffering. 'What a dreadful deed have I done! I was the head of a vast empire, but I longed to subjugate a small kingdom and caused the death of thousands of soldiers; I widowed thousands of women and orphaned thousands of children." With these oppressive thoughts in his minds he could not stay there any longer. He led his army back towards Pataliputra with a heavy heart.

Matchless in History
Asoka became the lord of Kalinga as he had wished. But the victory brought him not joy but grief. The sights of grim slaughter he had seen dimmed the pride of victory. Whether Asoka was resting, sleeping or awake, the scenes of agony and death he had seen on the battlefield haunted him at all times; he could not have peace of mind even for a moment.

Asoka understood that the flames of war not only burn and destroy on the battlefield but spread to other fields and destroy many innocent lives.

The suffering caused by war does not end on the battlefield; it continues to poison the minds and lives of the survivors for a long time. At this time Asoka was at the height of his power; he was the head of a vast empire; he had no equal in wealth or armed strength. And yet the Kalinga war, became his last war! The power of arms bowed before the power of Dharma (righteousness).

Asoka swore that he would never again take to arms and that he would never again commit such a crime against humanity. And it proved to be the oath of a man of iron would.

In the history of the world, many kings have sworn not to fight again, after they had been defeated. But how many kings have been moved by pity in the hour of victory and laid down arms?
Perhaps there has been only one such king in the history of the whole world-Asoka.

The Noblest Victory
'The victory of Dharma brings with it love and affection. Devanampriya believes that, however small may be the love gained by its victory, it brings ample reward in the other world."

This is what Asoka has said in one of his inscriptions. The teaching of Buddha brought peace to Asoka who was haunted by memories of the agony he had seen in Kalinga. Buddha's message of nonviolence, kindness and love of mankind appealed to the unhappy Asoka. From that day Asoka's heart became the home of compassion, right living, love and nonviolence. He gave up hunting and eating meat. He put an end to the killing of animals for the royal kitchen. Realizing that it was not enough if he lived a righteous life, he proclaimed that all his subjects also should live a life of righteousness.

'Of all victories, the victory of Dharma is the noblest. One may win a piece of land by fighting a war. But by kindness, love and pity one can win the hearts of people. The sharp point of the sword spills blood; but from Dharma springs the fountain of love. The victory won by arms brings fleeting joy but the victory of Dharma brings lasting joy'-Asoka realized this truth. So he taught his subjects this lesson:

'All people should live a life of truthfulness, justice and love. Respect your parents. Treat your teachers and relatives with affection. Be modest in their presence. Give charity. Do not be unkind to animals. No one should think that he end his religion are the greatest. All religions preach the same virtues. Just as it is bad to indulge in self-praise and slandering others, it is bad to condemn other religions. Respect for other religions brings glory to one's own religion.'

Asoka did not think of the good of only his subjects; he thought of the good of all mankind. He wished to win the hearts of people and to serve the world through religion and through good will and good action. He decided to dedicate his energy and all his powers and wealth to this goal.
The first thing that Asoka did to spread righteousness among his people was to undertake a pilgrimage. It took place two years the Kalinga war. His pilgrimage started with his visit so Sambodhi, the holy place where Gautama, the Buddha breathed his last. He visited other holy places during the pilgrimage. Asoka has explained in his own words the purpose of his pilgrimage. 'To meet Brahmins and Shramanas and to give gifts to them. To meet the elders and to honor them with gifts of gold. To meet people and to preach the law of Dharma and to discuss Dharma.' These were the important objects.

Spreading the Message of Dharma
Asoka was not content with visiting holy places. He believed that the message of Dharma should not become stagnant like standing water. He wanted it to spread within India and outside, too. He wanted the people of the world to bathe in its pure steam and purify themselves. Therefore he undertook a great task which could be enduring. He got the laws of Dharma engraved on rocks and stone pillars both inside and outside the country. These inscriptions related to Dharma, social ethics and moral living. Asoka himself has proclaimed that his desire was that his message should reach the people of all lands and enable them to follow and propagate the Dharma for the welfare of the world. Such inscriptions can be seen even today both in India and outside. In India they have been discovered in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and at Siddapura of Chitradurga District, Koppala and Maski in Raichur District of Karnataka. Outside India they have been found in Peshawar District in Pakistan as well as near Khandahar in Afghanistan and on the borders of Nepal.

A Religious Conference
After seventeen years of Asoka's rule, unfortunately difference of opinion arose among the Buddhist monks and there was a split. There were many lazy and bad monks given to evil ways. These willful sanyasins were a curse to Buddhism. Buddhism was, therefore, losing its power. Asoka felt unhappy over this. In order to save Buddhism for total eclipse and to increase its influence, Asoka threw out many lazy monks from the Buddhist fold. He invited the worthy and the serious - minded monks to Asokarama in Pataliputra for a conference. Moggaliputra Tishya presided over the conference attended by the Buddhist monks from the Four Corners of the country. Asoka sat with the great teaches and sent for each Bhikshu and asked him, "What did Lord Buddha teach?" He discussed many things with them. After long discussions what Lord Buddha had taught came out clearly and unambiguously.

Buddhism gained a new strength from this conference. Asoka did not like other kings send his armies to foreign lands to conquer them. He who declared that the victory of Dharma was the real victory sent Buddhist monks to other lands the light he had received from Buddhism. He sent Buddhist preachers to Syria, Egypt, Macedonia, Burma and Kashmir. To Ceylon (Sri Lanka) he sent his own children Mahindra and Sanghmitra. As a result off this, Buddhism spread to all countries in East Asia.

The Pillar at Sarnath
In the twentieth year of his reign, Asoka undertook his second pilgrimage with his daughter and Upagupta. This we learn from his inscriptions. During this pilgrimage he visited the ruins of Vaishali and the places where Buddha used to rest. From Vaishali Asoka traveled east and came to Ramagrama. He visited the stupa at Ramagrama built by a king who had collected and preserved the sacred bones of Buddha after his death. Later he also visited Lumbini, Kapilavastu, Shravanti, Gaya and other holy places. Wherever he went he caused pillars and stupas to be erected in memory of his visit. They remind us even today of the visit of Asoka to those holy places.

There is one such memorial pillar at Sarnath. On the top of a stone pillar about fifty feet high there are beautifully carved figures of four standing lions. The figures of four standing lions. The figures of the lions are now to be seen in the official emblem of the government of free India, and the Asoka Chakra adorns the national flag of India. In this way the government of India has paid a deserving tribute to the ideal king, Asoka. But unfortunately the pillar at Sarnath is broken and mutilated. So we can see only fragments of the pillar. Of the eighty-four thousand stupas said to have been built by Asoka, the stupa at Sanchi is both famous and splendid. To this day this fifty-four feet stupa stands on a high pedestal and forms a semicircle. Besides these stupas and pillars, Asoka built cave dwellings, rest houses and Buddha Viharas in large numbers. They not only proclaim Asoka's teachings but also are examples of the splendid architecture of those days.

An old Age of Sorrow
Asoka who was the embodiment of pity, kindness and love unfortunately had to suffer much in his old age. The reason was this-his sons, Mahindra, Kunala and Teevala were engaged in spreading Buddhism and so his grandsons Dasharatha and Samprati started quarrelling over the right of succession to the throne. Even the queens quarreled over the issue. There was one among them, Tishyarak****e who was a wicked woman. Asoka was a monk among kings and had given up all pomp and pleasures and lived a very simple life. This did not please Tishyarak****e who loved the life of ease and comfort. All this made Asoka sad. By this time he had grown old. Not much is known about the last ten years of his life and about his death. Some say, 'The emperor got disgusted in life and therefore he went on a pilgrimage as a Buddhist monk with his teacher, for the peace of his mind. At last he reached Taxila and stayed there. Asoka, the beloved of Gods and men, left the earth at the age of seventy-two.'
However it is clear that Asoka was unhappy in his old age.

The Brightest Star in the history of the world For thirty-seven years Asoka ruled over a vast realm as an able emperor, a skilled lawgiver, a hero who knew no defeat, a monk among the kings, a noble preacher of Dharma and as a friend of his subjects. He is unique in the history of mankind.

Asoka has called himself 'Devanampriya' and 'Priyadarshi' ion his inscriptions. 'Devanampriya' means the beloved of the Gods and 'Priyadarshi means one those appearance brings joy. These names are appropriate to Asoka's nature. The Gods cannot but love a man of such virtues. There was no one to check him, no one to punish him if he did wrong. But he became his own teacher and checked his desires. He dedicated his life to the happiness and welfare of his people; it is no wonder that his subjects rejoiced when they saw him.
Some historians say that Asoka followed the teachings of Buddhism so devotedly that he himself became a Buddhist monk. Though he was the emperor he probably stayed in the Viharas often. When he stayed in the Viharas often. When he stayed in Viharas he must have fasted like the monk very strictly and must have rigidly observed religious practices. During his stay there he learnt the teachings of Buddha in great detail.

Asoka passed away from this world two thousand years ago, but his empire of truthfulness, Dharma, nonviolence, compassion and love of subjects has remained an ideal for the world to this day. This empire is deathless. Therefore H.G.Wells, an English historian, has said, "In the history of the world there have been thousands of kings and emperors who called themselves 'Their Highnesses', 'Their majesties' and 'Their Exalted Majesties' and so on. They shone for a brief movement and disappeared. But Asoka shines and shines brightly like a bright star even today." This praise is fully merited.

Bibliography:
Mohanachand Keeranagi
M.N. Das
http://www.freeindia.org


damn that's long hehe neways if ya guys want u can read it and learn saink new I guess



Premieres of Asoka, in neone is coming lemme know..me wanna go too hehe



FELTHAM TO HOLD GREATER LONDON PREMIERE
Wed 24th October
Shah Rukh Khan - Kareena Kapoor
Shah Rukh Khan may make an appearance, but due to the current political climate this cannot be guaranteed. We are however hopeful that he will be able

and in Warner Village. Leicester Square on 23 October

[SpArKle]

Interesting stOry.....that means the film musT b real good!
Cant wait till itz released.....i'm cOunting the dayz!

SRK's COMING LONDON!? wow, I HAVE to C HiM! I'll cum with ya sis....we'll go to c him together!

[Suhanaa]

kewll we can go to leicester square to see him..hehe i cant wait, shame we won't be able to watch the film premeire eh oh well as long as we see SRK..and the others hehe


ill let u know more about it...lemme ind out more innit


neone else wanna come along wid me n me sis Sparks?

[SNOOPY]

YOU LOT GONNA PAY FOR THE TICKETS??

JOKE

[Suhanaa]

Originally posted by SNOOPY
YOU LOT GONNA PAY FOR THE TICKETS??

JOKE

*yawns*


so u coming?

[SNOOPY]

I COULDNT BE ASKED TO READ THAT LONG ESSAY THAT YOU PUT UP *yawns*

SO WHERE YOU BOTH GOING THEN ??

[Suhanaa]

we're going to leicester square dumbo to see Shahrukh khan, i tink finnix gonna come along too

read the story its really good