explain in detials of ashokas place in history
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It was his humanitarian and paternal administration which made Asoka the noblest of the kings. No ruler thought of himself like Asoka as the father of his subjects, and no king is known to have proclaimed “All men are my children”. This was no theoretical announcement of a high sounding principle. He practiced what he professed, and history has enough of evidences in respect of that.
The prime objective of Asoka was to achieve both material and spiritual welfare of men. He thought of their happiness in this world and the other. As for the material welfare of men, he ordered for liberality and charity towards the needy, for protection of the interests of all sections of people, for protecting people against injuries, for reduction of punishment to criminals, and for the release of old men or fathers of many children from prisons, etc.
In his compassion and liberalism, he made his officers as gentle and as kind as possible.”Just as a person feels confident after making over his child to a clever nurse, saying into himself ‘the clever nurse desires to bring up my offspring’, even so have I appointed the Rajukas for the welfare and happiness of the provincials, in order that they may perform their duties without fear, with confidence, and without perplexity”.
As for the people’s spiritual welfare he did enormous works for their mental elevation to lead a nobler life according to the laws of Dharma. He made it a principle of administration that a set of special officers “shall make themselves acquainted with what gives happiness or pain and exhort the people of the provinces along with the faithful, so that they may gain happiness in this world and in the next”.
As a king, Asoka regarded administration as a sacred duty. He himself wanted to be on duty always and everywhere. As he proclaimed : “At all hours and in all places, whether I am eating or am in the closed apartments, in the inner chamber, in the royal ranches, on horseback or in pleasure orchards, the Reporters may report people’s business to me. People’s business I do at all places” (Rock Edict VI). Such a king as he was, he commanded his officers to be dutiful, sincere and just. Asoka enjoyed no Vihara-Yatra and other pleasures like most monarchs, his sacred duty was his pleasure
Though an ancient king, his large scale public works resemble the works of a modern welfare state. He constructed inns for pilgrims, and roads for travellers. For the thirsty, he dug wells. For shade, he planted trees. For men and animals, he laid orchards. He thought of minimizing bodily pain of both human being and animals. For that, he established centres of medical treatment of two kinds; one for men and the other for animals. Medicinal plants and herbs were planted extensively. One has to imagine, how vast could have been the nature of such activities in so gigantic a territory as the Maurya Empire. His was a time of hectic activities in the service of men.
A Political ruler though, he made his rule ethical for the conviction that a king was in debt to his people. It was by duty that he wanted to pay off that debt. As he said: “There is no higher duty than the welfare of the whole world. And what little efforts I made, what is it for? In order that I may be free from debt to the creatures, that I may render some happy here and that they may gain heaven in the next world”. Such an example of kingship being rare, Asoka’s place in history became assured as the most ideal among the monarchs.
The prime objective of Asoka was to achieve both material and spiritual welfare of men. He thought of their happiness in this world and the other. As for the material welfare of men, he ordered for liberality and charity towards the needy, for protection of the interests of all sections of people, for protecting people against injuries, for reduction of punishment to criminals, and for the release of old men or fathers of many children from prisons, etc.
In his compassion and liberalism, he made his officers as gentle and as kind as possible.”Just as a person feels confident after making over his child to a clever nurse, saying into himself ‘the clever nurse desires to bring up my offspring’, even so have I appointed the Rajukas for the welfare and happiness of the provincials, in order that they may perform their duties without fear, with confidence, and without perplexity”.
As for the people’s spiritual welfare he did enormous works for their mental elevation to lead a nobler life according to the laws of Dharma. He made it a principle of administration that a set of special officers “shall make themselves acquainted with what gives happiness or pain and exhort the people of the provinces along with the faithful, so that they may gain happiness in this world and in the next”.
As a king, Asoka regarded administration as a sacred duty. He himself wanted to be on duty always and everywhere. As he proclaimed : “At all hours and in all places, whether I am eating or am in the closed apartments, in the inner chamber, in the royal ranches, on horseback or in pleasure orchards, the Reporters may report people’s business to me. People’s business I do at all places” (Rock Edict VI). Such a king as he was, he commanded his officers to be dutiful, sincere and just. Asoka enjoyed no Vihara-Yatra and other pleasures like most monarchs, his sacred duty was his pleasure
Though an ancient king, his large scale public works resemble the works of a modern welfare state. He constructed inns for pilgrims, and roads for travellers. For the thirsty, he dug wells. For shade, he planted trees. For men and animals, he laid orchards. He thought of minimizing bodily pain of both human being and animals. For that, he established centres of medical treatment of two kinds; one for men and the other for animals. Medicinal plants and herbs were planted extensively. One has to imagine, how vast could have been the nature of such activities in so gigantic a territory as the Maurya Empire. His was a time of hectic activities in the service of men.
A Political ruler though, he made his rule ethical for the conviction that a king was in debt to his people. It was by duty that he wanted to pay off that debt. As he said: “There is no higher duty than the welfare of the whole world. And what little efforts I made, what is it for? In order that I may be free from debt to the creatures, that I may render some happy here and that they may gain heaven in the next world”. Such an example of kingship being rare, Asoka’s place in history became assured as the most ideal among the monarchs.
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