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Kings, Farmers And Towns
Give a description of the Kalinga war. How did it influence Asoka’s foreign and internal policy?
After his father’s death, Asoka became the ruler of mauryan empire in 269 B.C. In some buddhist text it is said that during four years before his rule he put 99 of his brothers to sword. However Dr. V.A. Smith and Dr. R. P. Tripathi do not agree. Asoka’s stone pillars reveal that he was compassionate towards his brothers.
The Kalinga War: Besides Kalinga (Orissa), Asoka had inherited a vast empire from his ancestors. Hence in 261 B.C., he invaded Kalinga with a huge army. After a dreadful bloodshed he conquered Kalinga. Nearly one hundred thousand people got wounded or died of the fury of pestilence and near about one and half lakh of people got imprisoned.
The Kalinga proved a turning point in the career of Asoka and produced results of far reaching consequences.There were several effects of Kalinga war. The sight of horrifying bloodshed during this war shook Asoka’s heart. He developed an acute hatred war. In order to repent he changed the very ways of his life. The Kalinga war had the following impact on Asoka:
1. The path of Dhamma: After Kalinga war Asoka wanted to stop Dherigosha and change it to Dhammagosha.
2. Accepting Buddhism: The Kalinga war opened his eyes and he accepted Buddhism. And worked towards propagating it.
3. Focus on the welfare of people: After the war Ashoka began to focus more on the welfare of people. And pleaded poeple to lead virtous life, thus he appointed official called Dhamma Mahamatta to spread his word.
4. Downfall of the empire: After Asoka we see that the Mauryan empire decline rapidly. some scholars believe that it was due to Asoka's negligence in the army and was not able to control the far flung region. however we are not sure about it because there are instances wher he has made clear that culprit will be punished. However we find that the Mauryan Empire decline after Asoka.
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To what extent were agricultural practices transformed in the period under consideration?
Compare Maps 1 and 2, and list the Mahajanapadas that may have been included in the Mauryan Empire. Are any Asokan inscriptions found in these areas?
Collect newspapers for one month. Cut and paste all the statements made by government officials about public works. Note what the reports say about the resources required for such projects, how the resources are mobilised and the objective of the project. Who issues these statements, and how and why are they communicated? Compare and contrast these with the evidence from inscriptions discussed in this chapter. What are the similarities and differences that you notice.
Collect five different kinds of currency notes and coins in circulation today. For each one of these, describe what you see on the observe and the reverse (the front and the back). Prepare a report on the common features as well as the differences in terms of pictures, scripts and languages, size, shape and any other element that you find significant. Compare these with the coins shown in this chapter, discussing the materials used, the techniques of minting, the visual symbols and their significance and the possible functions that coins may have had.
What is meant by Janapada?
What were the Mahajanapadas? Name a few important Mahajanapadas.
Which Mahajanapada emerged as the strongest one? Name any three of its important rulers.
What was the early capital of Magadha? Tell its one feature. In the 4th century BCE, which city was made the capital of Magadha?
Who was Chandragupta Maurya? Upto where he extended his control of the empire?
Who was Asoka? Which famous state he annexed into Mauryan empire?
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