SSC
Emperor Ashoka was the son of:
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Answer: Option B — Bindusara
Detailed Solution
Emperor Ashoka was the son of Bindusara, the second Mauryan emperor, and the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya.
About Bindusara:
- He ruled from about 297 BCE to 273 BCE.
- He succeeded his father, Chandragupta Maurya.
- He extended the Mauryan empire into the Deccan, up to Karnataka.
- He maintained friendly relations with the Greek rulers of West Asia; Antiochus I (the Seleucid king) sent an ambassador named Deimachus to his court.
- According to a Greek account, Bindusara asked Antiochus to send him sweet wine, dried figs and a philosopher; Antiochus sent the wine and figs, but replied that Greek law did not allow the sale of philosophers.
- He was a follower of the Ajivika sect, according to some sources.
- According to Buddhist sources, he had many sons, including Sushima (the eldest) and Ashoka.
Ashoka's accession:
- Ashoka was the governor (viceroy) of Ujjain, and earlier of Taxila, according to tradition.
- After Bindusara's death, there was a struggle for the throne among his sons.
- According to Buddhist sources, Ashoka killed his brothers, including Sushima, to become king; historians consider this an exaggeration.
- He became king around 273 BCE, but was formally crowned (abhisheka) about four years later, around 269 BCE.
- His mother is named as Subhadrangi (or Dharma) in different sources.
Ashoka's family:
- Wives: Devi (from Vidisha), Asandhimitra, Karuvaki (mentioned in the Queen's Edict) and others.
- Sons: Mahendra, Kunala, Tivara.
- Daughter: Sanghamitra.
- Grandsons: Dasharatha and Samprati.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Chandragupta Maurya was Ashoka's grandfather.
- ✗Kunala was Ashoka's son.
- ✗Dasharatha was Ashoka's grandson.
Quick tip
Remember: Ashoka = son of Bindusara, grandson of Chandragupta Maurya; governor of Ujjain before becoming king (about 273 BCE; coronation about 269 BCE); Deimachus = Seleucid envoy to Bindusara.
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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.