PRESENTATION ON

The Kalinga War was fought in ancient India

between the Maurya Empire under Ashoka and
the state of Kalinga.The reasons for invading
Kalinga were to bring peace and for power.
In the entire Indian history this war is
considered as the deadliest war costing nearly
250,000 lives. No war in the history of India
as important either for its intensity or for its
results as the Kalinga war of Ashoka.
The war was completed in the eighth year of
Ashoka's reign. After a bloody battle for the
throne following the death of his father, A view of the banks of the Daya

Ashoka was successful in conquering Kalinga River, the supposed battlefield of

– but the consequences of the savagery

Kalinga from atop Dhauli hills,

Bhubaneswar, Odisha State

changed Ashoka's views on war and led him to
pledge to never again wage a war of conquest.
Ashoka had seen the bloodshed and felt that he was the cause of the
destruction. The whole area of Kalinga was plundered and
destroyed.
Some of Ashoka's later edicts state that about 150,000 people died
on the Kalinga side and an almost equal number of Ashoka's army,
though legends among the Odia people – descendants of Kalinga's
natives – claim that these figures were highly exaggerated by
Ashoka.
As per the legends, Kalinga armies caused twice the amount of
destruction they suffered. Thousands of men and women were
deported from Kalinga and forced to work on clearing wastelands
for future settlement.
Ashoka's response to the Kalinga War is
recorded in the Edicts of Ashoka.
The Kalinga War prompted Ashoka,
already a non-engaged Buddhist, to
devote the rest of his life to ahimsa
(non-violence) and to dharma-Vijaya
(victory through dharma).
Following the conquest of Kalinga, Shanti Stupa, Dhauli hill is
Ashoka ended the military expansion of presumed to be the area where
the empire and began an era of more
the Kalinga War was fought.
than 40 years of relative peace,
harmony, and prosperity.
 The Principles of Dhamma
The principles of Dhamma were formulated to be acceptable to
people belonging to different communities and following any
religion. Dhamma was not given any formal definition or structure.
emphasized tolerance of people and the notion of showing
consideration towards slaves and servants; there is stress on
obedience to elders; generosity towards the needy, Brahmans and
Sarmanas.
Ashoka pleaded for tolerance of different religious sects in an
attempt to create a sense of harmony.
 Edicts
Major Rock Edict I prohibits animal sacrifice and holidays
of festive gathering.
Major Rock Edict II relates to measures of social welfare. It
mentions medical treatment for men and animals,
construction of roads, wells and tree planting.
Major Rock Edict III declares that liberality towards
Brahmans and Sramanas is a virtue, and that respecting
one's parents is a good quality.
Major Rock Edict IV comments that because of the policy
of Dhamma the lack of morality and disrespect towards
Sramanas and Brahmans, violence, unseemly behavior to
friends, relatives and others, and evils of this kind have
been checked. The killing of animals to a large extent was
also stopped. Distribution of the
Major Rock Edict V refers to the appointment of Dhamma- Edicts of Ashoka
mahamatta for the first time in the twelfth year of his
reign. These special officers were appointed by the king to
look after the interests of all sects and religions and
spread the message of Dhamma.
Major Rock Edict VI is an instruction to Dhamma-
mahamattas. They are told that they could bring their
reports to the king at any time.
Major Rock Edict VII is a plea for tolerance amongst all
sects. It appears from the edict that tensions among the
sects were intense perhaps in open antagonism. The plea
is a part of the overall strategy to maintain unity.
Major Rock Edict VIII states that Dhammayatras (tours) Edicts of Ashoka I-XI in
would be undertaken by the emperor. The earlier Shahbazgarhi, Peshawar, along the
Karakoram Route, now the
practice of the emperor going out on hunting expeditions Karakoram Highway
was given up. Dhammayatras enabled the emperor to
come into contact with various sections of people in the
empire.
Major Rock Edict IX attacks ceremonies performed after
birth, illness, marriage and before going on a journey. A
censure passed against ceremonies observed by wives
and mothers. Ashoka instead lays stress on practice of
Dhamma and the uselessness of ceremonies Ashoka's Edict at Maski, Raichur
district, Karnataka. This Edict
Major Rock Edict X denounces fame and glory and Confirmed the Name Ashoka for
reasserts the merits of following the policy of Dhamma "Devanampiya Piadassi"
 Dhamma and the mauryan state
Ashoka's Dhamma was not simply a collection of high-sounding phrases. He

consciously tried to adopt it as a matter of state policy; he declared that "all men

and my children" and "whatever exertion I make, I strive only to discharge debt that I

owe to all living creatures." It was a totally new and inspiring ideal of kingship.

In the Arthashastra, the king owed nothing to anyone. His only job was to rule the

state efficiently. Ashoka renounced war and conquest by violence and forbade the

killing of many animals.

Ashoka set an example of vegetarianism by almost stopping the consumption of meat

in the royal household. Since he wanted to conquer the world through love and

faith, he sent many missions to propagate Dhamma. Such missions were sent to far off

places like Egypt, Greece and Sri Lanka.

The propagation of Dhamma included many measures of people's welfare. Centers of the

treatment of men and beasts founded inside and outside of empire. Shady groves, wells,

orchards and rest houses were laid out. This kind of charity work was a radically

different attitude from the king of the Arthashastra, who would not incur any

expenses unless they brought more revenues in return.

 Conclusion
ASHOKA'S PLACE IN HISTORY
 Architecture
Besides the various stupas attributed to
Ashoka, the pillars erected by him
survive at various places in the Indian
subcontinent.
Ashoka is often credited with the The Diamond throne at the Mahabodhi
beginning of stone architecture in India. Temple, attributed to Ashoka

Ashoka may have rebuilt his palace in

Pataliputra by replacing wooden
material by stone. The Ashokan
Ashoka also innovated by using the pillar at Lumbini,
Nepal, Buddha's
permanent qualities of stone for his birthplace
written edicts, as well as his pillars with
Buddhist symbolism.
 Symbols
Ashokan capitals were highly realistic
and used a characteristic polished finish,
Mauryan polish, giving a shiny
appearance to the stone surface.
Lion Capital of Ashoka, the capital of one
of the pillars erected by Ashoka features
a carving of a spoked wheel, known as
the Ashoka Chakra. This wheel represents
the wheel of Dhamma set in motion by Ashoka's pillar Ashoka Chakra,
the Gautama Buddha, and appears on capital of Sarnath. "the wheel of
This sculpture has Righteousness"
the flag of modern India. This capital also been adopted as
features sculptures of lions, which the National
appear on the seal of India. Emblem of India.