Ashokan Inscriptions

🧭 What Were These?

• Edicts = Royal Orders or Messages carved on natural rocks, stone pillars, and cave walls
• Mostly placed along highways, where maximum visibility was ensured
• These inscriptions proclaimed Dhamma, gave instructions to officials, and reflected Ashoka’s personal philosophy

📣 Ashoka: The First Indian Ruler to Speak Directly to His People

• Unlike earlier rulers who used priests or court poets, Ashoka spoke in first person to his subjects
• The tone of the edicts is personal, reflective, and morally instructive

“I consider winning people over through Dhamma better than conquest through war.” – Ashoka’s Edict

🗣️ Languages and Scripts

Ashoka tailored his messages to be understood by people of different regions:

Region	Language	Script
Most of the Indian Subcontinent	Prakrit	Brahmi
Northwest India	Prakrit	Kharosthi
Afghanistan	Greek and Aramaic	Greek and Aramaic

• Why Prakrit and Brahmi?
  → Prakrit was the language of the masses. Brahmi was the most widespread script.
• James Prinsep (1838) deciphered Brahmi—this was a turning point in Indian historiography.
• Kharosthi was decoded using Greek-Kharosthi bilingual coins from Indo-Greek kings.

🧑‍🏫 How Was Ashoka Identified in the Inscriptions?

• Ashoka didn’t write his name everywhere.
• He referred to himself as:
  • Devanampiya – Beloved of the Gods
  • Piyadassi – Pleasant to look at / Gracious

But how did we know it was Ashoka?

Because in a few edicts (like at Maski, Gujarra, Nittur, and Udegolam), both titles and his actual name “Ashoka” are mentioned together.

→ Epigraphists compared content, style, language, and came to the irrefutable conclusion that all these edicts belonged to one ruler—Ashoka.

📚 Classification of Ashokan Inscriptions

To understand and study Ashoka’s inscriptions, they are scientifically classified based on:

• Medium (Rock / Pillar / Cave)
• Content
• Chronology (Minor edicts are earlier, Major edicts came later)

🪨 Rock Edicts

Type	Details
Major Rock Edicts	14 edicts, mostly moral and political; discuss Dhamma, governance, and Ashoka’s worldview
Separate Rock Edicts	2 edicts found at Dhauli and Jaugada, Odisha; region-specific issues addressed
Minor Rock Edicts	Personal and religious in nature; mention Buddha, Sangha, and Buddhist scriptures

🗼 Pillar Edicts

Ashoka’s polished sandstone pillars with animal capitals are symbols of India’s ancient glory (e.g., Sarnath Lion Capital – now our national emblem)

Type	Details
Major Pillar Edicts	7 edicts inscribed on monolithic pillars
Minor Pillar Edicts	Include Schism Edicts—warn Buddhist monks against creating divisions in the Sangha
Tarai Pillar Edicts	Found in Nepal – e.g., Rummindei (Lumbini) and Nigali Sagar
Queen’s Edict (Allahabad)	Mentions charitable gifts by Ashoka’s queen

🕳️ Cave Edicts

• Found in Barabar Caves (Bihar), dedicated to Ajivika monks
• Show Ashoka’s support for non-Buddhist sects too → indicates religious tolerance

🧠 Thematic Classification Based on Content

Type	Focus Area
Major Edicts	Political ethics, public welfare, governance, Dhamma policy
Minor Edicts	Personal beliefs, Buddhist principles, moral sermons

🧩 Why Are These Inscriptions So Important?

• They help us reconstruct Ashoka’s reign authentically
• They show early state communication, linguistic diversity, and public welfare policy
• Ashoka’s edicts reflect the earliest expression of moral governance and interfaith harmony in Indian polity

🪨 Fourteen Major Rock Edicts of Ashoka

Imagine a king—not issuing orders from his palace, but carving his words in stone for all to read—on hillsides, by highways, in villages. This was Ashoka, speaking directly to his people, across India’s vast landscape. These edicts were not about war or taxes, but morality, compassion, and governance.

📘 What are Major Rock Edicts?

• 14 proclamations carved onto natural rock surfaces
• Spread across 10 locations in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan
• Themes: Ethics, Administration, Dhamma, Tolerance, Anti-ritualism, Remorse after Kalinga war

🧠 These edicts serve as primary sources to understand Ashoka’s state policy, religious outlook, and post-Kalinga transformation.

🧱 Structure and Special Features

Feature	Explanation
🏔️ Found in	10 locations (India, Pakistan, Afghanistan)
📄 Number of edicts	14 (I to XIV)
📚 Language & Script	Mostly Prakrit in Brahmi, Kharosthi in northwest, Greek & Aramaic in Kandahar
📍 Notable Variation	Dhauli and Jaugada omit XI–XIII but include Separate Kalinga Edicts

📜 Major Rock Edict XIII: The Most Emotional One

• Ashoka recounts the Kalinga War:

“1.5 lakh deported, 1 lakh killed… monks and Brahmins too died… This filled me with sorrow.”

• Decides to stop wars and adopt Dhamma as policy of conquest
• Mentions his diplomatic success: sending envoys to Greek kings like Antiochus, Ptolemy, Magas, and Alexander

🧭 Interestingly, Edict XIII is omitted in Kalinga region (Dhauli & Jaugada) → perhaps to avoid rekindling wounds

📌 Place-Wise Overview of the Major Rock Edicts

Location	Region	Notable Points
🗿 Dhauli	Odisha	Kalinga war site, has rock-cut elephant sculpture, Separate Kalinga Edicts
🗿 Jaugada	Odisha	Includes Separate Kalinga Edicts, excludes XI–XIII
🗿 Girnar (Junagadh)	Gujarat	Also carries inscriptions of Rudradaman I (Saka) & Skandagupta (Gupta)
🗿 Mansehra	Pakistan	Edicts written in Kharosthi script, from right to left
🗿 Shahbazgarhi	Pakistan	Same as above
🗿 Kalsi	Uttarakhand	Northernmost site in India
🗿 Sopara	Maharashtra	Trade center; one of the earliest urban sites
🗿 Sannati & Kanaganahalli	Karnataka	Kanaganahalli has Ashoka’s inscribed stone portrait (‘Ranyo Asoka’)
🗿 Yerragudi	Andhra Pradesh	One of the key southern locations

📋 List of 14 Major Rock Edicts – Summary Table

Edict	Theme
I	Ban on animal sacrifice & festive gatherings
II	Healthcare for humans & animals; mentions Cholas, Pandyas, Satiyaputras, Keralaputras
III	Generosity to Brahmanas & friends; dispatch of Rajukas and Yuktas to propagate Dhamma
IV	Preference for Dhammaghosha (moral conquest) over Bherighosha (war drums)
V	Kindness to servants and slaves; appointment of Dhamma Mahamatras
VI	King’s concern for public welfare and desire for constant feedback
VII	Emphasis on religious tolerance (repeated in XII)
VIII	Ashoka’s first Dhamma Yatra to Bodh Gaya
IX	Critique of meaningless rituals; preference for moral conduct
X	Dismissal of glory and fame; priority to spread Dhamma
XI	“No gift like Dhamma” – highest form of giving is moral teaching
XII	Strong message on religious tolerance
XIII	Kalinga War account; remorse; diplomatic contact with Greek kings
XIV	States that inscriptions are engraved across different parts of empire

🏛️ Unique Sites & Facts

🔶 Dhauli (Odisha)

• Likely battlefield of Kalinga war
• Elephant sculpture (symbol of Buddha’s conception)
• Separate Kalinga Edicts I & II
  • Edict I: “All men are my children” – shows paternal kingship

🪨 Junagadh Inscription (Girnar, Gujarat)

• Contains Ashokan edicts + Rudradaman’s conquest + Skandagupta’s repair
• Historical timeline seen on one rock over 700 years

🪑 Kanaganahalli (Karnataka)

• Buddhist site on Bhima River
• Found only stone portrait of Ashoka with inscription “Ranyo Asoka”
• Developed during Maurya–Satavahana periods (3rd BCE – 3rd CE)

✒️ Script & Direction Trivia

Site	Script	Direction
Shahbazgarhi & Mansehra	Kharosthi	Written right to left
Rest of subcontinent	Brahmi	Written left to right

🪨 Minor Rock Edicts (MREs)

🗂️ Overview:

• 3 edicts, repeated across 15+ locations
• Content: Ashoka’s personal spiritual journey, moral guidance, and early propagation of Dhamma
• Language: Prakrit; Script: Brahmi (mostly), and Kharosthi/Aramaic in the northwest

📍 Important MRE Sites:

State	Locations
Delhi	Bahapur (Kalkaji)
Rajasthan	Bairat (Bhabru)
Madhya Pradesh	Gujarra
Uttar Pradesh	Ahraura
Bihar	Sahasram
Karnataka	Maski, Gavimath, Siddapur, Palkigundu, Brahmagiri, Nittur, Udegolam, Jatinga Rameshwar
Andhra Pradesh	Rajula Mandagiri, Yerragudi

Key Highlights of Minor Rock Edict 1:

• Ashoka identifies himself as “Upasaka” (Buddhist lay follower).
• Describes his gradual shift towards Buddhism, becoming more devout with time.
• Marks early stages of his transformation post-Kalinga war.

🪪 Where is Ashoka’s Real Name Found?

Often referred to as Devanampiya (“Beloved of the Gods”) and Piyadasi (“Pleasant to behold”), these are titles, not names.

But in two MREs, his real name Ashoka is explicitly mentioned:

1. Maski Edict (Karnataka) – “Devanampiya Asoka”
2. Gujarra Edict (Madhya Pradesh) – “Devanampiya Piyadasi Asoka”

🌍 Minor Edicts Beyond India (Aramaic & Greek)

📘 Kandahar Bilingual Rock Inscription (Afghanistan)

• Language: Upper portion in Greek, lower in Aramaic
• Significance: Shows Ashoka’s message tailored for Greek & Iranian subjects

📘 Taxila Aramaic Inscription (Pakistan)

• Found on white marble pillar
• Reflects Ashoka’s multilingual administration and religious outreach

📘 Laghman Aramaic Inscription (Afghanistan)

• Carved on a stone slab near Laghman river
• Content similar in tone to other MREs

🏛️ Seven Major Pillar Edicts (MPEs)

🗂️ Overview:

• Found at 6 locations in North India
• Typically contain Edicts 1–6
• Only Topra Pillar (Delhi) contains Edict 7 (complete set)

📍 Locations of Major Pillar Edicts:

Pillar Site	Present Location
Topra (Haryana)	Now in Delhi (Feroz Shah Kotla)
Meerut (U.P.)	Also moved to Delhi by Feroz Shah Tughlaq
Allahabad (Kausambi)	Still in Allahabad Fort
Lauriaya Araraj (Bihar)	Bihar
Lauriaya Nandangarh (Bihar)	Bihar
Rampurva (Champaran, Bihar)	Bihar

🪧 Key Content in Major Pillar Edicts:

• Morality, welfare, tolerance, non-violence
• Reforms in Buddhist Sangha (especially Schism Edict)
• Dhamma officers, public administration duties

📌 Special Edicts

🔹 Schism Pillar Edict (SPE) – Kausambi (Allahabad)

• Warns against divisions within Buddhist Sangha
• Mahamatras asked to enforce unity
• Significance: Shows Ashoka’s concern for Sangha discipline

🔹 Allahabad Pillar (Kausambi)

Like a time capsule of Indian history!

Contains inscriptions from three great rulers:

1. Ashoka – Edicts 1–6, SPE, and Queen’s Gifts Edict
2. Samudragupta – Prayag Prashasti by Harisena
3. Jahangir – Persian inscription of Mughal era

🗿 Tarai Pillar Edicts – Nepal

Ashoka extended his outreach into southern Nepal, placing inscriptions near key Buddhist sites:

📍 Nigali Sagar Inscription (Nigalihawa)

• Records Ashoka’s visit and expansion of Kanakamuni Buddha’s stupa
• Ashoka visited in 20th regnal year, set up a stone pillar

📜 Chinese pilgrims Fa-Hien & Xuanzang confirmed its location in their accounts

📍 Rummindei Pillar (Lumbini)

• Commemorates Ashoka’s visit to Buddha’s birthplace
• Mentions:
  • Worship of the site
  • Erection of pillar and wall
  • Exemption from Bali (tribute) and reduction of Bhaga (royal share) to 1/8

A touching gesture of devotion combined with administrative action.