Ashokan inscriptions

Ashokan inscriptions represent the earliest deciphered epigraphic records in Indian history. Issued by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (r. c. 268–232 BCE), these proclamations were carved onto cliff faces, boulders, and monolithic sandstone pillars across the Indian subcontinent. They served as a medium for imperial communication, public administration, and the propagation of Dhamma (righteous conduct).

Discovery and Decipherment

• The Decipherment (1837): James Prinsep, a British antiquarian and colonial administrator serving as the secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, successfully deciphered the Brahmi script used in the inscriptions.
• The Identity Crisis: The inscriptions initially baffled historians because they referred to the ruler as Devanampiya Piyadasi (“Beloved of the Gods, He of Pleasant Regard”).
• The Maski Breakthrough (1915): British gold-mining engineer C. Beadon discovered the Maski Minor Rock Edict in Karnataka. This inscription explicitly linked the title Devanampiya Piyadasi with the personal name Ashoka, confirming the authorship of the entire epigraphic corpus.

Classification of Inscriptions

The epigraphic corpus of Ashoka is categorized based on the surface medium and structural size into four primary groups.

1. Major Rock Edicts (14 Edicts)

These are a series of 14 long, sequential royal proclamations carved onto large rock faces. They are located along the frontiers of the empire to instruct peripheral populations and visiting traders.

• Key Sites: Shahbazgarhi (Pakistan), Mansehra (Pakistan), Kalsi (Uttarakhand), Girnar (Gujarat), Sopara (Maharashtra), Dhauli (Odisha), Jaugada (Odisha), and Erragudi (Andhra Pradesh).

2. Minor Rock Edicts

These inscriptions appear on smaller rock surfaces or isolated boulders. They generally predate the Major Rock Edicts and focus on Ashoka’s personal spiritual journey, his conversion to Buddhism, and his early efforts to spread the faith.

• Key Sites: Maski, Gujarra, Nitur, Udegolam (all four contain the name ‘Ashoka’), Sasaram (Bihar), Bhabru-Bairat (Rajasthan), and Ahraura (Uttar Pradesh).

3. Major Pillar Edicts (7 Edicts)

These consist of seven distinct royal decrees carved onto monolithic, finely polished sandstone pillars. These pillars were erected primarily in the densely populated Gangetic plains and along major trade routes.

• Key Sites: Delhi-Topra, Delhi-Meerut (both shifted to Delhi by Firuz Shah Tughlaq), Allahabad (originally at Kosambi, shifted by Akbar), Lauriya-Araraj, Lauriya-Nandangarh, and Rampurva (all three in Champaran, Bihar).

4. Minor Pillar Inscriptions

These are shorter inscriptions carved onto pillars, focusing on specific administrative directives, religious commemorations, or efforts to curb schisms within the Buddhist monastic order (Sangha).

• Key Sites: Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh), Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh), Rummindei (Nepal), and Nigali Sagar (Nepal).

Linguistic and Script Distribution

Ashoka adapted the language and script of his edicts to suit the local population of each region, making them an exercise in effective mass communication.

Key Content and Historical Value of Specific Edicts

The 14 Major Rock Edicts (Core Themes)

• Major Rock Edict I: Absolute prohibition of animal slaughter, particularly during festive public gatherings (Samajas).
• Major Rock Edict II: Provisions for medical treatment for both humans and animals. It mentions the planting of medicinal herbs along roadsides. Crucially, it names the independent southern kingdoms outside his borders: the Cholas, Pandyas, Satyaputras, Keralaputras, and Tamraparni (Sri Lanka).
• Major Rock Edict III: Orders administrative officials—the Rajukas (district judges/surveyors) and Pradesikas (provincial heads)—to embark on an inspection tour every five years (Anusandhana) to spread Dhamma.
• Major Rock Edict IV: Declares that the sound of the war drum (Bheri-ghosha) has been permanently replaced by the sound of righteousness (Dhamma-ghosha).
• Major Rock Edict V: Announces the creation of a new cadre of administrative officers called Dhamma Mahamattas in his 13th regnal year to look after the welfare of all religious sects.
• Major Rock Edict VIII: Records Ashoka’s first official Dhamma-yatra (pious pilgrimage) to Bodh Gaya and the Bodhi tree.
• Major Rock Edict XII: A direct plea for religious tolerance and mutual respect among different Pasandas (sects). It emphasizes honoring other faiths to glorify one’s own.
• Major Rock Edict XIII: The most historically significant edict. It details the horrors of the Kalinga War fought in his 8th regnal year (c. 261 BCE), expressing his profound remorse. It also outlines his cultural conquest (Dhamma-vijaya) over five contemporary Hellenistic kings:
  1. Amtiyoka (Antiochus II Theos of Syria)
  2. Turamaya (Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt)
  3. Amtekina (Antigonus Gonatas of Macedonia)
  4. Maga (Magas of Cyrene)
  5. Alikasudara (Alexander of Epirus)

Key Minor Rock and Pillar Inscriptions

• Bhabru-Bairat Rock Edict (Rajasthan): Ashoka explicitly states his reverence for the Buddhist triad—the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. This text definitively proves he was a practicing Buddhist lay follower (Upasaka).
• Rummindei Pillar Inscription (Lumbini, Nepal): A commemorative pillar marking Ashoka’s pilgrimage to the birthplace of Gautama Buddha. It has immense economic significance for historians: it notes that Ashoka exempted the village of Lumbini from the Bali (religious tribute) and reduced the Bhaga (land revenue tax share) from the standard 1/6th to 1/8th.
• Nigliva Pillar Inscription (Nepal): Records that Ashoka visited the stupa of Kanakamuni Buddha (a past Buddha), enlarging it to double its original size.
• Schism Edicts (Sarnath, Sanchi, Kosambi Minor Pillars): Commands that any monk or nun who attempts to split or cause a schism within the Buddhist Sangha shall be defrocked (clothed in white garments) and expelled from the monastery.
• Kalinga Separate Rock Edicts (Dhauli and Jaugada): Replaces Major Rock Edicts XI, XII, and XIII at these sites. Designed to soothe a traumatized post-war population, they contain the famous paternal declaration: “All men are my children” (Sabbe Munisse Paja Mama).

Material Culture and Artistic Features of the Pillars

The Ashokan pillars represent the pinnacle of Mauryan engineering and court art, demonstrating a high degree of centralized logistical organization.

• Material and Quarters: All pillars were quarried from a single site: the sandstone hills of Chunar near Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. From there, these massive monolithic blocks (weighing up to 50 tons) were transported hundreds of miles by river and road.
• The Mauryan Polish: The pillars feature a glassy, mirror-like surface polish. This technique was unique to the Mauryan period and became a lost art after the decline of the dynasty.
• Anatomy of a Pillar:
  • Shaft: A single, monolithic piece of tapered sandstone, completely plain and circular in cross-section.
  • Capital: A separate stone block fixed to the top of the shaft using an iron dowel. It typically features an inverted, bell-shaped lotus base.
  • Abacus: A circular or rectangular platform resting on the bell base, decorated with low-relief carvings of animals and wheels.
  • Crowning Animal: A realistic, three-dimensional animal sculpture (lion, bull, elephant, or horse) sitting atop the abacus. Examples include the Sarnath Lion Capital (four lions facing cardinal directions; India’s National Emblem), the Rampurva Bull Capital, and the Sankissa Elephant Capital.