PIAPA PAA-IAN AYFrSsSPHistory chronicles innumerable kings who were brave conquerors and valiant soldiers. But Ashoka stands above them all because he is the only one who at the zenith of his conquests saw the futility of violence and had the courage to renounce it. That is why, H.G. Wells in his ‘Short History of The World’ says that Ashoka's “reign for eight and twenty years was one of the brightest interludes in the troubled history of mankind." Wells goes on to say, ‘Such was Ashoka, the greatest of kings. He was far in advance of his age.” This volume is based on the original research of the author into Mahavamsa, Dipavamsa, Commentary on Mahavamsa, and the edicts of Ashoka. Pali manu- scripts and other secondary sources have also been extensively studied in gleaning facts which should. kindle a new interest in Ashoka. Published by H,G.Mirchandani for India Book House Education Trust, 29, Wodehouse Road, Bombay - 400039 and printed by A.C, Chobe at IBH Printers, Marol Naka, Mathuradas Vissanji Road, Andheri (East), Bombay-40005%. Editor: Anant Pai Written by: Moenn Talim Mlustrated by: Ram WeeerkerAS10KA WAS THE SON OF KING BINDUSARA WHO RULEP INDIA FROM HIS CAPITAL OF PATALIPUTRA IN THE THIRD CENTURY B.C WE EXCELLED HIS BROTHERS IN THE ART OF WAR. THEREFORE, WHEN A REBELLION BROKE OUT IN THE DISTANT PROVINCE OF TAXILA, HE WAS SENT TO SUPPRESS IT. AS EAE HS SS eSWEEKS LATER ~ |] | HE SHALL RULE THERE AS THE YOUR MAJESTY! WE HAVE VICEROY. HE HAPPY NEWS HERE. ASHOKA WILL KEEP HAS SUCCESSFULLY BINDUSARA HAD A HUNDRED SONS BESIDES ASHOKBA.THEY WERE NOQ@T HAPPY TO HEAR THE NEWS. ALWAYS BEEN PROUD. THE SUCCESS WiLLBUT THEY WERE UNHAPPIER STILL, WHEN THE BING RECALLED ASHOKA ] FROM TAXILA. | Ay ESPECIALLY a | a WITH OUR } OLD FATHER = DEPENDING ie ON HIM. { i | i |THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WORRIES ME ASHOKA |S A REBELLION - THIS’ TIME IN USSAINI.i FATHER, HERE | AM. 1 GOT THE PROVINCE OF UJJAINI +.» WILL HAVE TO CRUSH THE REBELS THERE. YOU ALONE YESs a FATHER? J| ASHOKA WAS CHARMED BY THE BEAUTY OF THE LEADER | OF THE GROUP. . EXCUSE ME, LADY. WE ARE ON OUR TO WHICH TEMPLE = WAY TO THE CHAITYWA. ARE YOU GOING ? ae NOT toeTHEN YOU ARE BUDDHISTS. PLACE. AND SUCH CHARMING So! COME ON} VIDISHA.. TIS GETTING LATE.= | ASHOKA"S MESSENGER SOON RETURNED. SIR! SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF A REPUTED SHRESHTHI’S * IS THERE ANYTHING 1...YES, | WANT THE HAND OF \ your DAUGHTER IN MARRIAGE.AFTER A QUICK WEDDING, HE PROCEEDED TOWARDS Li itAIN! ALONG WITH VIDISHA. ASHOKAVA GREAT WARRIOR, IN NO TIME THE REBELS LAID DOWN ROUTED THE REBELS. THEIR ARNISPEOPLE OF THE CITY GAVE ASHOKA A GRAND WELCOME. OCCASION 1 5 ; | DISLIKE FOR_REJOICING, / i KILLING... rn EVEN IN BATTLES... ESPECIALLY THAT'S SILLY, YOU SAY IT, BECAUSE YOU ARE A BUDDHIST, 1 AM NOT.LAM A KSHATRIVA WHAT ABOUT KING. BIMBISARA? MY DUTY ; HE TOO WAS ENUOINS A KING. KILLING c 5 HE FOUND IF NEED : PEACE IN THE BE. TEACHINGS y bs OF BUDDHA. THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ASHOKA AND VIDISHA PERSISTED. MONTHS LATER , WHEN VIDISHA GAVE BIRTH TO A SON - 1 WILL NAME HIM "MAHINDRA. HE WILL CONQUER THE ENTIRE YA WISH, HE CONQUERS THE HEARTS OF MEN AS PRINCE SIDDHARTHA DID.THY “ERES LATER, VIDISHA GAVE BIRTH TOA DAUGHTER, THIS TIME, LET ME CHOOSE THE NAME.ASHOKA HAD HURRIED | \ HAVE RECEIVED CONSULTATIONS WITH | A MESSAGE FROM VWiDISHA THE .CHIEF MINISTER. MY FATHER IS ILL. | HAVE TO RUSH TO PATALIPUTRA * iD. VOU AREN*T VN] AT VIDISHA-NAGAR YET FIT TO WITH YOUR PARENTS? ACCOMPANY |} "LL SEND FOR ME. yOU LATER. WILL. YOU STAY ] 2 WISH my LoRrD!WANT HIM TO BEA KING OF BEFORE | LEAVE, IS THERE ANY THING VES. BY BUT GIVE ME 9) YOUR WORD ‘imuAT PATALIPUTRA, ASHOKA WAS RECEIVED 8Y THE CHIEF MINISTER. THE THRONE! IT 1S MINEL | HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO . IT. | ASHOKA FORGOT ALL ABOUT THE PROMISE AE HAD MARE TO VIbISH:ASHOKA WAS RUTHLESS IN KILLING THAT CHALLENGED HIS RIGHT TO THE THRONE. SUMANADEV!, WIFE OF ONE OF HIS BROTHERS, WAS EXPECTING A BABY AT THE TIME. ) Peicess! |i FEAR FOR | THE LIFE OF THE UNGORN CHILD. DO ‘YOU SUGGEST THAT | RUN AWAY FROM HERE ? BUT WHERE CAN | GO? A SECRET DOOR. You _CAN ESCAPE 1 CAN SHOVW YOU ) (NTO THE ESCAPING FROM THE PALACE 5 SUMANADEV WANDERED IN THE FORESTSHE ACCOMPANIED Hifi. Maite AN OLD MAN, WHO WAS PASSING BY, THEY WERE ON FHEIR war TOOK PITY ON HER. IF YOU COME WITH ME TO MY VILLAGE, DON?T worRY, DAUGHTER! MY_HOME |S MGRODHA KUMAR GREW UP CALL HIM IN THAT VILLAGE AND. NIGRODHA[WeaNWeRLEASHOHA FAD BECOME POWERFUL | YES ,YOUR MAJESTY. | = EVEN TAXILA AND | eye) MINISTER, IS \ UJJAIN ARE eo a MY KINGDOM QUIET. PEACEFUL? _/ —/ ARE THE a BORDERS: I] lI / IT 1S INDEPENDENT i) ||| TODAY AND May re ITS HEAD ANY STILL WE SHOULD NOT REST TILL KALINGA 1S MENT. a MOMEN = WAR IT WILL HAVE TO BE. 4) —_ COMMANDER! PREPARE FOR THE BATTLE. 4 ®-ASHOKA"S KALINGA . ARMY INVABED THE SOLDIERS OF KALINGA FOUGHT BRAVELY. HAVE WON. KALINGA IS (+ AT LASTOVER 1,00,000 MEN TO BE PRECISE, YOUR MAUESTY. AS ASHOBA MOVED FARTHER. IT LOOKS a er Pe) oP ey DESOLATE 'WE_HAVE CAPTURED LAKHS HAVE DIED, YOUR MAUESTY.HE SAW THE SUFFERINGS OF THE PEOPLE, eS. Tae RX GH LET’s RETURN. youR MAUJESTY! AREN'T OU WELL? TO ALD TO HIS GRIEF A MESSENGER CAME FROM VIDISHA-NAGAR. > YOUR MAJESTY! | HAVE BROUGHT THIS LETTER FROM # B\ VIDISHA DEVI.PLANS TO JOIN THE SANGHA OF BUDDHA. ie 1S MIDISHA ?® ) SHE Pa, you fthod totes le Promise. 9 amp : sending the Aileen OME DAY, FROM HS PALACE WINDOMs HE SAW A MONK PASSING ALONG THE ROAD. / WHO CAN THIS BE? WHY DO t FEEL DRAWN TOWARDS HIM 2 yWHEN THE MONK CAME — VENERABLE ONE, } DON’T YOU WHO ARE YOU ? /SEE.VWHO | AM? A BUDDHIST MY MOTHER CALLED ME { May | KNOW YOUR NAME, PLEASE ? % NIGRODHA NIGRODHA KUMAR | | KNOW, THAT IS THE NAME OF MY BROTHER'S £4 SON.WHY SHOULD | ? BECAUSE YOU KILLED MY FATHER ? NO.) LOVE ALE ES ; TIVE . T SHOUC BE CONQUERED BY LOVE « Jy THAT REASON ENOUGH TO HATE ANOTHER © | PRAY, WHERE | DID You TEACHINGS | LEARN THIS 2 OF LORD AT SUCH A BUDDHA. TENDER THEY BRING PEACE TO TROUBLED MINDS.MY MIND HAS THEN SEEK REFUGE IN BUDDHA. | TAKE REFUGE IN THE BUDDHA. IN. THE SANGHA.[areanseoeMarion CAME ABOUT IN ASHOFKA. ALL HIS \ATTENTION NOW WAS.ON BRINGING PEACE AND. HAPPINESS TO THE PEOPLE, \60R THE COMFORT OF TRAVELLERS, EVEN IN WOOOS, HE BUILT PEST HOUSES. AND” ema DISPENSARIES. ay| HAVE GIVEN AWAY ALL THINGS DEAR TO ME. YOUR | CHILDREN. f EXCEPT WHAT, MAHINDRA ?| YOUR _SON MUST YOU, FATHER, ALLOW WISHES To } MAHINDRA ? IT IS ME TO JOIN THE JOIN THE —/ WITH A HEAVY A NUNNERY, SANGHA HEART— BUT 4 \ GINE YOU fos hin oxi PERMISSION. A SANGHAMITRA!!MY HUSBAND AND. {| SON HAVE RENOUNCED THE WORLD. | TAKE NO PLEASURE IN LIFE. F YOU MAY JOIN THE . \ NUNNERY. AFTER A FEW YEARS— GO, MY SON. WITH MY aoe BLESSINGS. A MESSAGE HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM LANKA. THEY NEED NUNS AT THE MISSION.SANGHAMITRA BE BRAVE. YOU | HAVE GROWM OLD. FORGET SANGHAMITRA £24 CAN BEAR GRIEF IS A MEMBER OF — NO MORE. By THE SANGHA. > x 7 UNDERSTAND. 1 WISH YOu SUCCESS. GO,MY CHILD. OH! WIDISHAs, YOUR CHILDREN HAVE LERT ME JUST AS YOU LID FOR THE SAKE OF DHARMA »