SSC
The titles 'Devanampiya' (beloved of the gods) and 'Piyadasi' (of pleasing appearance) were used in inscriptions by:
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Answer: Option B — Ashoka
Detailed Solution
The Mauryan emperor Ashoka used the titles "Devanampiya" ("beloved of the gods") and "Piyadasi" ("one who looks upon others with kindness" or "of pleasing appearance") in his inscriptions.
About these titles:
- Most of Ashoka's inscriptions begin with "Devanampiya Piyadasi raja evam aha" ("King Devanampiya Piyadasi speaks thus").
- His own name, "Ashoka", appears in only a few inscriptions.
- For a long time after the inscriptions were deciphered, scholars did not know who "Devanampiya Piyadasi" was.
- The question was settled when the Maski minor rock edict (in Karnataka), discovered in 1915, was found to mention "Devanampiya Asoka".
- Later, inscriptions at Gujarra (Madhya Pradesh), Udegolam and Nittur (Karnataka) also mentioned the name Ashoka.
- The Sri Lankan chronicles also call Ashoka "Piyadasi".
Use of the title by other kings:
The title "Devanampiya" was also used by other kings, such as Dasharatha (Ashoka's grandson) and the Sri Lankan king Devanampiya Tissa, a contemporary of Ashoka.
Ashoka's inscriptions:
They are among the earliest deciphered written records of India.
Ashoka's other names:
- "Chandashoka" (Ashoka the fierce), before his conversion, according to Buddhist legends.
- "Dharmashoka" (Ashoka the righteous), after his conversion.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Chandragupta Maurya did not leave such inscriptions.
- ✗Kanishka belonged to a later dynasty.
- ✗Samudragupta was praised in the Prayag Prashasti but did not use these titles.
Quick tip
Remember: "Devanampiya Piyadasi" = Ashoka (name "Ashoka" confirmed by the Maski edict, 1915); Devanampiya Tissa = Sri Lankan king.
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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.