What were the welfare measures undertaken my Ashoka?
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It spread kindness, generosity, ahimsa and piety.It encouraged him to adopt certain welfare measures like the construction of rest houses, hospitals and dispensaries, planting trees like banyan and mangroves, dug wells, medicinal plants unavailable were imported and planted.
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Emperor Ashoka was the epitome of peace and non-violence. Kalinga war was the cause but the reason was a peaceful soul, his first wife. Before converting to Buddhism he was also called Chandashoka (the Cruel) and it is believed he had a place where he punished his offenders. (Ashoka Hell)
Ashoka had fallen in love with Vidisha Devi a merchant's daughter on his visit to Ujjain. Vidisha was of the Sakya clan related to Buddha. She believed in Buddhism.
He had first started to follow nonviolence when he solved the revolts there without violence on her condition on him when he asked for her hand in marriage and she had refused stating many reasons.
When he was attacked and injured Vidisha had tended to him in the Buddhist monastery where he had courted her and they got married at Sanchi.
When they returned to Pataliputra his family was against his marriage since she was a merchant's daughter and of a different caste and there problems were caused by his brother Sushim. Also she was pregnant at that time. Hence he returned back to Ujjain as a governor.
After ruling many years peacefully Vidisha had given birth to Mahendra and Sanghamitra. Bindusar his father died and the fight for the Mauryan throne started again where Ashoka went back on the path of violence and war.
Both of them were in Pataliputra. When Kalinga war started Ashoka had left for war even after her efforts to stop him and later Vidisha got the news of his brutality and cruelty in the war. Also that he had forcefully married another princess. She knew she had failed in her attempts to convert his path to Buddhism.
Also Buddhists were strictly monogamous. She returned at once to Ujjain and lived life serving people as a firm Buddhist.
After the war when he came back he read the letter she had left which said mainly " Aryaputra, you have failed to keep up the promise you made to me before our marriage"
Ashoka realised what he had done and went observing mournfully the streets of the Kalinga kingdom seeing the destruction he had caused. The heap of dead bodies lying and the streams of blood flowing devastated him.
Ashoka renounced violence and started to follow the path of Buddhism just as he knew Vidisha wanted him to. But even after his efforts to bring her back she never returned to Pataliputra. Instead she sent her children to live with him which consoled him for a while.
Askoka became known for his greatness and was called "Devon ka priya"- beloved of god, due to his symolic acts.
Soon after, his son announced that he wanted to follow the path of Buddhism, become a Buddhist and live life the way his mother had taught him to in his childhood. He wanted to follow her path and travel all over the kingdom spreading Buddhism.
Ashoka was miserable when he heard it but finally allowed him. Later his daughter announced the same and declared that she wanted to travel offshore to Sri Lanka and spread Buddhism.
Ashoka was shocked to think that his daughter would turn into a Buddhist and would go so far away from him. He refused initially but then yielded due to others requests and for Vidisha's sake.
Life went on this way for Ashoka without his family and happiness. Not one day went on without him mourning for Vidisha. Same was her condition in Ujjain. Both loved each other so much that they pined for each other every day. After a little while he got the news that Vidisha had passed away.
Life was nothing but a burden for Ashoka now. He provided a respectable death ceremonial for her and declared mourning period for the whole kingdom. He spread her greatness and built many monasteries, Buddhism schools, etc in her name. Ashoka then lived life as only a commoner for his people ruling them.
He passed away soon not being able to bear the pain, separation and loneliness. Also many problems arose some due to his youngest wife. Ashoka died a natural death due to the sufferings caused by his beloved's seperation and death
Ashoka had fallen in love with Vidisha Devi a merchant's daughter on his visit to Ujjain. Vidisha was of the Sakya clan related to Buddha. She believed in Buddhism.
He had first started to follow nonviolence when he solved the revolts there without violence on her condition on him when he asked for her hand in marriage and she had refused stating many reasons.
When he was attacked and injured Vidisha had tended to him in the Buddhist monastery where he had courted her and they got married at Sanchi.
When they returned to Pataliputra his family was against his marriage since she was a merchant's daughter and of a different caste and there problems were caused by his brother Sushim. Also she was pregnant at that time. Hence he returned back to Ujjain as a governor.
After ruling many years peacefully Vidisha had given birth to Mahendra and Sanghamitra. Bindusar his father died and the fight for the Mauryan throne started again where Ashoka went back on the path of violence and war.
Both of them were in Pataliputra. When Kalinga war started Ashoka had left for war even after her efforts to stop him and later Vidisha got the news of his brutality and cruelty in the war. Also that he had forcefully married another princess. She knew she had failed in her attempts to convert his path to Buddhism.
Also Buddhists were strictly monogamous. She returned at once to Ujjain and lived life serving people as a firm Buddhist.
After the war when he came back he read the letter she had left which said mainly " Aryaputra, you have failed to keep up the promise you made to me before our marriage"
Ashoka realised what he had done and went observing mournfully the streets of the Kalinga kingdom seeing the destruction he had caused. The heap of dead bodies lying and the streams of blood flowing devastated him.
Ashoka renounced violence and started to follow the path of Buddhism just as he knew Vidisha wanted him to. But even after his efforts to bring her back she never returned to Pataliputra. Instead she sent her children to live with him which consoled him for a while.
Askoka became known for his greatness and was called "Devon ka priya"- beloved of god, due to his symolic acts.
Soon after, his son announced that he wanted to follow the path of Buddhism, become a Buddhist and live life the way his mother had taught him to in his childhood. He wanted to follow her path and travel all over the kingdom spreading Buddhism.
Ashoka was miserable when he heard it but finally allowed him. Later his daughter announced the same and declared that she wanted to travel offshore to Sri Lanka and spread Buddhism.
Ashoka was shocked to think that his daughter would turn into a Buddhist and would go so far away from him. He refused initially but then yielded due to others requests and for Vidisha's sake.
Life went on this way for Ashoka without his family and happiness. Not one day went on without him mourning for Vidisha. Same was her condition in Ujjain. Both loved each other so much that they pined for each other every day. After a little while he got the news that Vidisha had passed away.
Life was nothing but a burden for Ashoka now. He provided a respectable death ceremonial for her and declared mourning period for the whole kingdom. He spread her greatness and built many monasteries, Buddhism schools, etc in her name. Ashoka then lived life as only a commoner for his people ruling them.
He passed away soon not being able to bear the pain, separation and loneliness. Also many problems arose some due to his youngest wife. Ashoka died a natural death due to the sufferings caused by his beloved's seperation and death
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