Care of animals in the regime of Emperor Ashoka
Answers
King Ashoka who ruled the Indian subcontinent between 268-223 BC is called Great Ashoka.
He was greatest Indian king in history due to the beautiful edicts he told after seeing the bloodshed caused by military conquests.
Wise king embraced Buddhism after seeing the end of war and became gentle and caring man.
He brought into limelight first animal rights laws in India.
His edicts are beautiful briefing of animal welfare laws and rights of animals as living beings.
A concern for animals which changes King Ashoka expressed concern about them being slaughted for meal/ sport.
Emperor Ashoka expresses concern about number of animals killed in the royal kitchens just to give him with a meal.
Stopping royal hunting parties the edicts of Ashoka testify that king ended the vanishing of animals for royal kitchen and not to eat meat.
Owing sacrifice of animals he proclaimed it illegal to kill many species including: Ducks, Geese, Bats,Turtles, Squirrels, Monkeys, Rhinos, Parrots.
Ashoka soon after adopting Buddhism became an animal lover.
He stopped slaughtering of animals for food in his royal kitchen and himself abandoned meat.
Many species of animals which were earlier hunted in his kingdom, their hunting was stopped.
This species include parrots, ducks, geese, bats, turtles, squirrels, monkeys, rhinos and various other species of animals.
Animal sacrifice was greatly reduced during Ashoka’s reign