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 great 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-400059. Editor: Anant Pai Written by : Meena Talim Mlustrated by: Ram WaeerkerASHOKA aN INS ey ASH0KA WAS THE SON OF KING BINDUSARA ) WHO RULED INDIA FROM HIS CAPITAL OF PATALIPUTRA IN THE THIRD CENTURY B.C. HE 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 PEL, weie pe,WEEKS LATER - HE SHALL RULE THERE AS THE YOUR MAJESTY! WE HAVE HAPPY NEWS HERE. ASHOKA HAS SUCCESSFULLY ALWAYS BEEN PROUD. THE SUCCESS WILL GO_TO HIS HEAD. IT WILL, MAKE_HIM MolBUT THEY WERE UNHAPPIER STILL, WHEN THE KING RECALLED ASHOKA FROM TAXILA. ASHOKA EsPecaiy \ | | BACK IN THE WITH OUR \—t | CAPITAL. - OLD FATHER = =. _ | DON?T DEPENDING LIKE IT. ON HIM.THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WORRIES ME. ASHOKA 1S RUTHLESS. BROTHERS A REBELLION - THIS TIME IN USSAIN! « SEND FORFATHER, HERE | AM. THE PROVINCE OF UJJAIN! TO GO SOUTH. 2» WILL HAVE TO CRUSH THE REBELS THERE. YOU ALONE ~ CAN DO if BUT THE VICEROY DESIGNATE...SOON AFTERWARDS -ALITTLE LATER- WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO THE CHAITWA. NOT TO A TEMPLE,YOU ARE BUDDHISTS. . ah : COME ON} 7 SSS VIDISHA. | i ms a : GETTING ; THEN 3 fs 7A rf (1: ViDIsHA! A NAME AS LOVELY AS THIS PLACE, AND SUCH CHARMING WHOSE | PARENTS, Re?ASHOKA’S MESSENGER SOON RETURNED. SIR! SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF A REPUTED SHRESHTHI’S * FAMILY. TELL THE SHRESHTHI! | WANT TO MEET HIM. “MERCHANT [Zaree- 1...YES, | WANT THE HAND OF YOUR DAUGHTER IN MARRIAGE.ALTER A QUICK WEDDING, HE PROCEEDED } , TOWARDS USJAINI ALONG WITH VIDISHA. ASHOKA/A GREAT WARRIOR , INNO TIME THE REBELS LAID DOWN ROUTED THE REBELS. THEIR ARMS.PEOPLE OF THE CITY GAVE ASHOKA A GRAND WELCOME. IN THE PALACE GARDENS LATER- yo Bey cus is aN \ A OCCASION " 1 DISLIKE ia | FOR_REVOICING, KILLING... VIDISHA. fy EVEN IN f BATTLES... ESPECIALLY THAT’S SILLY. YOU SAY IT, BECAUSE YOU ARE A BUDDHIST,LAM A B KSHATRIVA era MY WHAT ABOUT KING. BIMBISARA? MY DUTY ° HE TOO WAS ENJOINS } A KING. KILLING ’ EE HE FOUND fe eeD s Re | PEACE IN THE TEACHINGS THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ASHOKA AND. VIDISHA PERSISTED. MONTHS LATER , WHEN VIDISHA GAVE BIRTH TO A SON- | WILL NAME HIM *MAHINDRA. HE WILL CONQUER THE ENTIRE 1 WISH, HE CONQUERS THE HEARTS OF MEN AS PRINCE SIDDHARTHA DID. “™ MAHI =WORLDTWO YEARS LATER, VIDISHA GAVE BIRTH TO A DAUGHTER. FUS MAJESTY HAS. NOT BEEN KEEPING GOOD HEALTH. PLEASEASHOKA HAD HURRIED | \ HAVE RECEIVED CONSULTATIONS WITH A MESSAGE FROM V/DISHA THE CHIEF MINISTER. — MY FATHER IS ILL. | HAVE TO RUSH TO PATALIPUTRA... WILL YOU STAY +»-AND YOU AREN’T AAT VIDISHA-NAGAR YET FIT TO WITH YOUR PARENTS ? ACCOMPANY NLL_SEND FOR E. YOU LATER. AS YOU WISH, my LORD!BEFORE | = LEAVE, IS THERE ANYTHING YES. BUT GIVE ME YOUR WORD THAT YOUAT PATALIPUTRA, ASHOKA WAS RECEIVED BY THE CHIEF MINISTER. THE THRONE! IT IS MINE! | HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO ‘T. FORGOT ALL ABOUT THE PROMISE HE HAO MARE TO VIDISHA.DO YOU SUGGEST (THAT | RUN Away RIGHT TO THE THRONE. SUMANADEV!, FROM HERE ? WIFE OF ONE OF HIS BROTHERS, WAS BUT WHERE EXPECTING A BABY AT THE TIME. F CAN | GO? ASHOBA WAS RUTHLESS IN KILLING ALL THOSE THAT CHALLENGED'HS 4 PRINCESS! | 1 FEAR FOR THE LIFE OF WS THE UNBORN | CHILD. 1 CAN SHO" You ESCAPING FROM THE PALACE A SECRET DOOR, SUMANADEU! WANDERED IN” YOU CAN ESCAPE THE FOREST « INTO THE aa ae 3 woods .AN OLD MAN, WHO WAS PASSING BY, TOOK PITY ON HER. IF_ YOU COME WITH ME TO MY VILLAGE , S\ 1 WILL ARRANGE SHE ACCOMPAMED Hi. WHILE THEY libata = EG WAY — DAUGHTER! MY_HOME IS CLOSE BY. \ VLL FETCH MY WIFE. YOU. REST UNDER THIS NIGRODHA ‘| TREE- MGRODHA KUMAR GREW UP IN THAT VILLAGE AND. BECAME A MONK AT A VERY TENDER AEJ MEANWHILE 5. KING. AT US COURT ~ ASHOMKA HAD BECOME | A POWERFUL ARE THE ay MINISTER, BR PEACEFUL? YES,YOUR MAJESTY. EVEN TAXILA AND | UJUAINI ARE | QUIET. KALINGA {S WHY YOUR STILL WE SHOULD NOT REST TILL el | oa IT 1S INDEPENDENT TODAY AND MAY AISE ITS HEAD ANY {WAR IT “wab rtm. By (AVE TO BE.) MOMENT. PREPARE FOR THE COMMANDER! BATTLE.ASHOKA’S ARMY INVADED KALINGA . THE SOLDIERS OF KALINGA FOUGHT BRAVELY. WE HAVE WON. KALINGA ISy | HEAPS OF DEAD MEN! WE HAVE KILLED on MANY. OVER 1,00,000 MEN TO BE PRECISE. WE_HAVE CAPTURED 7 LAKHS HAVE DIED, YOUR e = MAJESTY.HE SAW THE SUFFERINGS OF THE PEOPLE. ALD TO HIS GRIEF A MESSENGER CAME FROM VIDISHA-NAGAR. So YOUR MAJESTY! | HAVE BROUGHT THIS LETTER FROM # VIDISHA DEVI.WHERE [S VIDISHA? SHE PLANS Cz f TO JOIN THE SANGHA OF al ASHOKA DREW SOME COMFORT FROM THE PRESENCE OF HIS CHILDREN. BUT HE CONTINUED TO BROOD OVER THE KILLINGS. ONE DAY, FROM HIS PALACE WINDOW, HE SAW A MONK PASSING ALONG THE ROAD. y WHO CAN THIS BE? WHY OO 1 FEEL DRAWN TOWARDS HIM 2WHEN THE MONK CAME — VENERABLE ONE,} DON’T YOU WHO ARE YOU ? /SEE, WHO | AM? a A BUDDHIST YOUR NAME, PLEASE ? KUMAR I KNOW, THAT IS THE NAME OF MY BROTHER’S SON . MY MOTHER CALLED ME NIGRODHA KUMAR. 1AM YOUR NEPHEW. | CAN GUESSWHY SHOULD | ? BECAUSE YOU KILLED MY FATHER ? IS NOT THAT REASON ENOUGH TO HATE ANOTHER ? NO. | LOVE ALL. HATRED IS DESTRUCTIVE. (T SHOUD BE CONQUERED BY LOVE. PRAY, WHERE DID YOU LEARN THIS 2 | AT SUCH A | TENDER AGE ? FROM THE TEACHINGS OF LORD BUDDHA. THEY BRING PEACE TO TROUBLEDMY MIND HAS THEN SEEK NOT_ KNOWN REFUGE IN “4 YOU PEACE. BUDDHA. 44 KACCERT ME ot Se DISCIPLE ? | TAKE REFUGE IN FHE DHARMA.[a TRANSFORMATION CAME & Baar (IN ASHOBA. ALL HIS ATTENTION NOW WAS ON BRINGING PEACE AND HAPAINESS TO THE mw [roe THE COMFORT OF TRAVELLERS » EVEN IN Hea’ WS HE eee REST HOUSES, AND < DISPENSARIES. +. AND CARVED INSTRUCTIONS. ON ROCKS. ease BELOVED KING OF GOD SAYS THIS =| HAVE GIVEN AVWSY ALL THINGS DEAR FATHER, ALLOW ME TO JOIN THE JOIN THE WITH A HEAVY NUNNERY. SANGHA. HEART - BUT | | GIVE YOU PERMISSION.MY HUSBAND AND SON HAVE RENOUNCED THE WORLD, | TAKE NO PLEASURE IN LIFE. ie YOU MAY os JOIN THE NUNNERY. GO WITH MY BLESSINGS. A MESSAGE HAS EGOM LARIZA. u : 1 Wee a AE THEY NEED NUNS AT THE TO BID YOU RieSohYOU SANGHAMITRA, BE BRAVE. | HAVE GROWN OLD. FORGET SANGHAI | CAN BEAR GRIEF IS A MEMBER OF S THE SANGHA. OH! VIDISHA B} “OUR CHILDREN HAVE LEFT ME JUST AS OU DID. FOR THE SAKE OF DHARMA.y By 7 SACRIFICING “Sy YOUR DEAR ONES (OU VE SS LZzZZ_——_ 72 =—>~A ieDe Sx a —— = = = 2 . ee ae