Ashoka Inscription (The Edicts of Ashoka) [NCERT Notes - Ancient Indian History Notes For UPSC]

The great Emperor Ashoka, the third monarch of the Maurya dynasty converted to Buddhism after witnessing the horrific effects of war in Kalinga. He became a champion and patron of Buddhism and strove to spread Dhamma throughout his empire and beyond. He erected pillars and edicts all over the subcontinent and even in modern-day Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan to spread the Buddha’s word.

This article talks about Ashoka’s Inscriptions on different edicts which are an important aspect of ancient Indian history in the IAS exam syllabus. Aspirants can refer to these NCERT notes on important topics for the UPSC Civil Services Exam. These notes will also be useful for other competitive exams like banking PO, SSC, state civil services exams and so on.

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Ashokan Inscriptions (Rock Edicts)

James Prinsep, a British antiquary and colonial administrator was the first person to decipher Ashoka’s edicts. These Ashoka’s inscriptions are the first tangible evidence of Buddhism.

They were kept in public places and along trade routes so that the maximum number of people would read them. More than religious discourses, they talk about the moral duties of the people, how to conduct life, Ashoka’s desire to be a good and benevolent ruler, and Ashoka’s work towards this end.

There are 33 inscriptions in total and primarily classified into the following:

1. Major rock edicts
2. Minor rock edicts
3. Separate rock edicts
4. Major pillar edicts 
5. Minor pillar edicts

• In the earlier half of his reign, the edicts were inscribed on conveniently located rock surfaces and were distributed in the areas of public settlement, where people could easily read them and are referred to as major and minor rock edicts.
• In the later part of his reign, the inscriptions were on well polished monolithic pillars (from the sites of Chunar, near Varanasi), each edict surmounted with a finely sculpted animal capital involving great technological expertise in cutting and engraving and were mainly confined to the Ganges plain.
• The inscriptions were composed in the Prakrit language (in Magadhi, the dialect of Prakrit in Magadha) and written in Brahmi script throughout the greater part of the empire. But in the north-western part, they appear in Kharosthi script and in Kandahar in Afghanistan, they were written in Aramaic, in Greek script and Greek language.
• Most of the inscriptions are about dhamma (Prakrit form of dharma, literally means the universal law or righteousness or social and religious order) and it was inspired by the Buddhist Upasaka Dhamma (i.e, the Buddhist teaching for the laity). Ashoka’s dhamma emphasised non-violence, mutual respect and understanding between people of different sects and beliefs. It included the state’s concern for the welfare of its people. The basic attributes of dhamma included compassion, charity, truthfulness, purity and gentleness. He asked the people to extend respect, consideration, compassion and tolerance towards slaves and servants, obedience to parents, generosity towards friends and relatives, regard and donations to Brahmanas and Shramanas, a concern for all living beings and to abstain oneself from destroying life.

Ashoka’s Major Rock Edicts

Major Rock Edicts: There are 14 major rock edicts:

Minor Rock Edicts

• Minor rock edicts are found on 15 rocks across the country and in Afghanistan also.
• Ashoka uses his name only in four of these places namely:
  1. Maski,
  2. Brahmagiri (Karnataka),
  3. Gujjara (MP) and
  4. Nettur (AP).

Pillar Edicts

• There are seven pillar edicts.
• Two types of stones are used: spotted white sandstone (from Mathura) and buff coloured sandstone and quartzite (from Amaravati). Generally, they are made of sandstone quarried from Chunar. They have almost similar form and dimensions.
• All the pillars are monoliths (carved out of stone) and the surface is well polished.
• They have been found from different places like Kandahar (Afghanistan), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan), Delhi, Vaishali and Champaran (Bihar), Sarnath and Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh), Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh), and Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh).
• Fragments of the same edict are found in different places.
• Many pillars are as high as 50 feet and weigh as much as 50 tons.
• They are devoid of bases and the cylindrical shaft tapers slightly upwards to a height of 12-14 m. A cylindrical bolt joins the top of the shaft to the capital, and have a bell capital (a stone carved in the shape of an inverted lotus).
• There is a platform (abacus) on the top of the bell capital which supports the crowned animal.
• The pillars depict animals such as elephants and lions and wheels and lotuses which are all significant symbols in Buddhism.
• The majestic pillar edicts have been found at Topra, Rampurva, Nigali Sagar, Lauriya-Araraj, Lauriya Nandangarh, Sarnath and Meerut. Feroz Shah Tughlaq shifted pillars, one from Topra and the other from Meerut, to Delhi.

The following table gives the Pillar Edict number and what it talks about:

Other relevant inscriptions and important edicts:

Ashoka’s Inscription Excerpt

Major Rock Edict VI

Beloved of the Gods speaks thus: Twelve years after my coronation I started to have Dhamma edicts written for the welfare and happiness of the people, and so that not transgressing them they might grow in the Dhamma. Thinking: “How can the welfare and happiness of the people be secured?” I give my attention to my relatives, to those dwelling far, so I can lead them to happiness and then I act accordingly. I do the same for all groups. I have honoured all religions with various honours. But I consider it best to meet with people personally.

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