6. Founded Mauryan Dynasty
in 322 BC
Gained power shortly after
Alexander ‘s death.
Was crowned King at TaxilaTaxila
Had capital at Pataliputra
His minister Chanakya
wrote Arthashastra
9. Ashoka's reign as emperor
began with a series of wars .
He conquered more lands
and added them to his
empire.
The Kalinga War of 260 BC
was the worst of all.
10. The huge loss of life and
suffering witnessed on
the battlefield made him
turn away from war.
So he was deeply
influenced by Buddhism,
and adopted the dharma
principles
13. The main principles of dharma (dhamma)
nonviolence,
tolerance of all sects,
obedience to parents,
respect for Brahmans , teachers & priests
liberality towards friends,
humane treatment of servants,
14. Ashoka built shrines and
monasteries and inscribed
Buddhist teachings on
rocks and pillars in many
places.
He sent missionaries to
countries.
His own son Kunal became a
monk & carried Buddhism
to Sri Lanka
15. Ashoka taught and convinced people to love and respect
all living things.
He insisted on the recognition of the sanctity of all
human life.
He abolished the unnecessary slaughter or mutilation of
animals.
Ashoka banned sport hunting & thus protected wildlife.
He became vegetarian & most people chose to become
vegetarians on their own.
He allowed one day leave to prisoners to go outside for a
day of the year.
19. After Asoka’s death in 232
BCE the people of India
decided to commemorate
Ashoka by using his personal
chakra. It can still be seen
today on the Indian flag.
The word chakra is sandskrit
and it means cycle or a
repeating process.
20. Asoka’s chakra is also know as the wheel of the
dharma (way) and it symbolizes the 24 virtues in
Buddhism. Some of these 24 virtues include: love,
patience, peacefulness, courage, justice and mercy.
21. The film-ASHOKA- was
directed by Santosh SivanSantosh Sivan
and stars Shahrukh KhanShahrukh Khan
as AshokaAshoka and KareenaKareena
KapoorKapoor
as KaurwakiKaurwaki, a princess
of KalingaKalinga
22. After the death of Asoka's father, Binder Sar, Ashoka
and his older brother competed for the throne. The
prime minister and other important ministers at the
time though Asoka to be more discreet, capable and
efficient ruler.
The next three years Ashoka focused on reestablishing
peace.
During Asoka's rule theft declined and science,
medicine and technology all flourished.
Buddhism received a significant boost of popularity
when Ashoka converted to Buddhism.
23. Asoka married a commoner called Karuwaki, she was a
fisher.
He met her before his reign when he was sent to
Taxshila to subdue an uprising as a general of the
Mauryan empire.
Due to Ashoka’s success in the quelling of the uprising
and his growing popularity, his step-brothers forced
him into exile to prevent him from obtaining the
throne.
Asoka however returned two years later being
summoned by the emperor to quell another uprising.
24. Before Ashoka’s conquest of Kalinga he was known
as Chandashok ( Chanda-cruel, shok-associated with
Hindu goddess of eternal energy) Asoka was
considered a bloodthirsty and power greedy
individual. It was not until later, after the conquest of
Kalinga, where Asoka received his revelation that he
was considered great.
