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Ashoka's conquest of Kalinga and his remorse after the war are described in which of his edicts?
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Answer: Option D — Major Rock Edict XIII
Detailed Solution
Ashoka, the third Mauryan emperor (ruled about 268-232 BCE), conquered Kalinga, a kingdom on the east coast roughly corresponding to present-day Odisha, around 261 BCE, in the eighth year after his coronation. The Kalinga War was one of the bloodiest in ancient Indian history.
In Major Rock Edict XIII, Ashoka himself describes the war. He says that 1,50,000 people were deported (taken away as captives), 1,00,000 were killed, and many times that number died. He expresses deep remorse (repentance) for the suffering caused, especially to Brahmins, ascetics and ordinary householders. He declares that conquest by Dhamma (dhamma-vijaya, moral conquest) is the best conquest, rather than conquest by war (bheri-ghosha replaced by dhamma-ghosha). This edict also names five Greek kings, including Antiochus II of Syria and Ptolemy II of Egypt, to whose lands Ashoka sent messengers of Dhamma.
Interestingly, Major Rock Edict XIII is not found at the sites in Kalinga itself (Dhauli and Jaugada). Instead, the "Separate Kalinga Edicts" there tell officials to treat the people of Kalinga kindly and justly, saying "All men are my children".
After the Kalinga War, Ashoka became a follower of Buddhism, under the influence of the monk Upagupta (or Nigrodha). He spread his policy of Dhamma, a moral code based on tolerance, non-violence, respect for elders, kindness to slaves and servants, and generosity. He appointed Dhamma Mahamattas to spread it, and sent missionaries to many lands, including his son Mahinda and daughter Sanghamitra to Sri Lanka.
Ashoka's edicts were written mostly in Prakrit, in the Brahmi script, and in Kharosthi, Greek and Aramaic in the north-west. James Prinsep deciphered the Brahmi script in 1837. The Maski edict was the first to mention Ashoka by name.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Major Rock Edict I prohibits animal sacrifice.
- ✗Pillar Edict VII describes Ashoka's work for the welfare of his people.
- ✗The Maski Minor Rock Edict mentions the name "Ashoka" directly.
Quick tip
Remember: Kalinga War (about 261 BCE) = Major Rock Edict XIII; Separate Kalinga Edicts at Dhauli and Jaugada ("All men are my children"); Maski = Ashoka's name; Prinsep deciphered Brahmi (1837).
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Mahajanapadas & Mauryan Empire — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Mahajanapadas & Mauryan Empire, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the sixteen Mahajanapadas, the rise of Magadha under the Haryanka, Shishunaga and Nanda dynasties, Alexander's invasion, and the Mauryan Empire under Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara and Ashoka, including Mauryan administration, Ashoka's dhamma and his edicts. Questions often ask about the capital of a Mahajanapada, the founder of a dynasty, or details of Ashoka's rule, such as the Kalinga war and his rock and pillar edicts. Key sources include Kautilya's Arthashastra and Megasthenes' Indica. James Prinsep first deciphered Ashoka's Brahmi inscriptions in 1837. Practise the Mahajanapadas and Mauryan Empire questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.