Dharma mother of ashoka biography channel

Mauryan emperor from 269 to 232 BC

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

Not to be confused with Ahsoka (disambiguation).

Ashoka, also known as Asoka or Aśoka (ə-SHOH-kə; Sanskrit pronunciation:[ɐˈɕoːkɐ], IAST: Aśoka; c. 304 – 232 BCE), and popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was Emperor of Magadha from c. 268 BCE until his death in 232 BCE, and the third ruler from the Mauryan dynasty. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, stretching from present-day Afghanistan in the west to present-day Bangladesh in the east, with its capital at Pataliputra. A patron of Buddhism, he is credited with playing an important role in the spread of Buddhism across ancient Asia.

The Edicts of Ashoka state that during his eighth regnal year (c. 260 BCE), he conquered Kalinga after a brutal war. Ashoka subsequently devoted himself to the propagation of "dhamma" or righteous conduct, the major theme of the edicts. Ashoka's edicts suggest that a few years after the Kalinga War, he was gradually drawn towards Buddhism. The Buddhist legends credit Ashoka with establishing a large number of stupas, patronising the Third Buddhist council, supporting Buddhist missionaries, and making generous donations to the sangha.

Ashoka's existence as a historical emperor had almost been forgotten, but since the decipherment in the 19th century of sources written in the Brahmi script, Ashoka holds a reputation as one of the greatest Indian emperors. The State Emblem of the modern Republic of India is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka. Ashoka's wheel, the Ashoka Chakra, is adopted at the centre of the National Flag of India.

Sources of information

Information about Ashoka comes from his inscriptions, other inscriptions that mention him or are possibly from his reign, and ancient literature, especially Buddhist texts. These sources often contradict e

The HISTORY of Bindusara, Dharma and Ashoka - 2

Ashoka, actually spelled Asoka according to the Brahmi text followed during his time, in English became Ashoka. An Indian Emperor and was the heir of a great ruler, his grandfather, Chandragupta Maurya, who formed the Maurya Dynasty. It was indeed emperor Ashoka’s sheer grit that he inherited and expanded the reign of the Maurya Dynasty that covered the Indian subcontinent. He has fought relentlessly and leads an army for continuing the Mauryan Dynasty. Emperor Ashoka is still remembered as a great model and leader, because of his efforts to spread the teachings of Buddhism and Dharma. Ashoka spread this message through the means of Pillars and rock edicts and these historical records have stood the test of time. He is very deservingly called Ashoka -The Great. 

A Brief on Ashoka, the Great

Ashoka was the last prominent king of the Mauryan kingdom of India. During his reign (c. 265–238 BCE; cited as c. 273–232 BCE), he was a strong supporter of Buddhism, which helped spread to India. After his conquest of Kalinga but brutally on the east coast of India, Ashoka abandoned an armed victory for "victory by dharma."

His reign, which lasted from 273 BC to 232 BC, was one of the richest times in India. The Ashoka empire extended from modern-day Afghanistan and parts of Persia in the west to Bengal and Assam in the east, and to Mysore in the south, and included large parts of India, South Asia, and beyond. According to Buddhist sources, Ashoka was a vicious and ruthless ruler who changed his heart after the battle of Kalinga, a vicious war. After the conflict, he converted to Buddhism and devoted his life to spreading the teachings of this religion.

He rose to prominence as a benevolent ruler, instructing his government to provide his people with an equal supply of lands. He was awarded the moniker 'Devanampriya Priyadarshi' for his compassionate attitude as a king. The Dharma Chakra adorning the Ashok stambh has become part of the Indian National Flag as a way

Chief queen of Bindusara

The information about the mother of Ashoka (c. 3rd century BCE), the 3rd Mauryan emperor of ancient India, varies between different sources. Ashoka's own inscriptions and the main texts that provide information about his life (such as Ashokavadana and Mahavamsa) do not name his mother. The Asokavadanamala names her Subhadrangi, while Vamsatthapakasini calls her Dharma (Pali: Dhamma). Different texts variously describe her as a Brahmin or a Kshatriya.

Names

Ashoka's own inscriptions do not mention his parents. The various Buddhist texts provide different names or epithets for Ashoka's mother:

Ancestry

Ashokavadana, which does not mention Ashoka's mother by name, states that she was the daughter of a Brahmin from Champa city near the Mauryan capital Pataliputra.

According to the Mahavamsa-tika, Ashoka's mother Dhamma belonged to the Moriya Kshatriya clan.

According to the 2nd century historian Appian, Ashoka's grandfather Chandragupta entered into a marital alliance with the Greek king Seleucus I Nicator, which has led to speculation that Ashoka's father Bindusara (or Chandragupta himself) married a Greek princess. However, there is no evidence that Ashoka's mother (or grandmother) was Greek, and the idea has been dismissed by most historians.

Legends in Buddhist texts

Marriage to Bindusara

According to the Ashokavadana, the mother of Ashoka, name unknown, was the daughter of a Brahmin from the Champa. As a young woman, she was extremely beautiful, and some fortune-tellers predicted that she would marry a king. They also prophesied that she would bear two sons, one of whom will become a chakravartin (universal) emperor, while the other would be religiously-inclined. Accordingly, her father took her to Pataliputra, and offered him in marriage to Emperor Bindusara.

Bindusara considered the woman an auspicious celestial maiden, and inducted her into his palace. The emper