General Article

“ASHOKA THE GREAT” “HARBINGER OF GREEN SOVEREIGN NATION”

“ASHOKA, A“FOREST-CONSERVATIONIST” AND “WILD-LIFE-PRESERVATIONIST”

“ A Green Emperor who Unleashed Environmental-Governance in India”

“Earnestness begets immortality and indifference is a way to death” when pronounced by Nigrodha a seven year old boy, an ordained monk nephew of Ashoka, it was so forcefully wrought upon the heart of Ashoka in 272 BC, that it prompted him to accept the religion of Buddha. During his earlier years of his 40 years of emperorship, Ashoka effected ruthless massacres and dreadful deportation of humans. Broken heart and grief-stricken, it led him to bow down to Buddha and his Dhamma, a great religion of piety, virtue and conscientiousness. An apologetic, repented, and remorseful emperor, since then brought about radical and drastic changes in his administration and unleashed an unprecedented ecological citizenship and environmental governance in India which led to the commencement of institution of green sovereign nation…A K Singh

Ashoka the Great, an emperor, son of Bimbisara, a grand son of Chandragupta Maurya who ruled the Indian subcontinent during 3rd century BC, his kingdom expanding from Afghanistan, Assam, upto Andhra, Karnataka,borders of Kerala and Tamilnadu with capitals at Taxila, Ujjain and Patliputra of Magadha empire. Ashoka a philanthropic administrator, a talented military leader, an extra-ordinary statesman, brilliant architect, prodigious forest conservationist and an inordinate wild life preservationist, referred to as Samrat Chakravarti who ruled the whole of Indian sub-continent from 269 BC to 232 BC had bilateral business relations with Bactria, Antioch, Rome, Macedonia, Persia and Arabia. Ashoka waged a ferocious, brutal and bloodthirsty war on Kalinga and won a glorious victory in 261 BC. But on what cost ? One of Ashoka’s own pillar edict at Girnar-13 describes it most poignantly,- “Beloved of the Gods, King Priyadarshi conquered Kalinga eight years after his coronation, a million people were taken prisoners for deportation, hundred thousand of people including women and children were slained. After conquest of Kalinga beloved of the Gods felt heart-wrenching pangs towards the love of “Buddha-Sangha-Dhamma” and wowed to become a man of piety, virtue and

conscience”.Ashoka who led the army saw the battlefield in front of him, enormous number of man, women and children who were injured and killed, raged to the ground, corpses of elephants and horses, and the blood clad limbs and appendages of soldiers and fighters drenched. Blood of innocent people spilling over, warriors tormented on the ground in

unbearable pain Ashoka the great, 1st Century

BC, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh

Lion Pillar of Ashoka 250 BC

at Sarnath near Varanasi

Uttar Pradesh

and discomfort where eagles, hawks and vultures strewn all over to feast on the dead bodies and carcasses. His heart got broken with immense grief and shame, he felt disgusted over his triumph, won over at the price of so much suffering, agony and violence ? Ashoka wailed saying,- “What an outrageous, dreadful and

despicable deed have I done ! I was already the king of such a vast an empire, for subjugation of such a small kingdom of Kalinga, how much grief, anguish and misery have I unleashed widowing innumerable women and orphaning enormous number of children, all soaked in blood ? Ashoka called on his country men and proclaimed to continue to live by virtue of truth and non violence as inscribed on one of the pillar edict,- “Truly, Priyadarshi (Beloved of the God) desires non injury, restraint and impartiality to all living beings, even

where wrong has been done. In the past, for many hundreds of years, killing or harming living beings and improper behavior towards relatives, and improper behavior towards Brahmans and ascetics has increased. But now due to King Piyadarshi's Dhamma practice, the sound of the drum has been replaced by the sound of the Dhamma. But now because King promotes

restraint in the killing and harming of living beings, proper behavior towards relatives, Brahmans and ascetics, and respect for mother, father and elders, such sightings have increased. To do good is difficult. One who does good first does something hard to do. Then he will exert. With a bit of exertion, toil and labour he will find God in himself. I

have done many good deeds, and, if my sons, grandsons and their descendants up to the end of the world act in like manner, they too will do much good. But whoever amongst them neglects this, will end in evil. Truly, it is easy to do evil”.

Stone carvings Ashoka Chakra flanked by black bucks, wild animals and green vegetation signifying the degree of

esteem , honour and admiration of the natural resources earth needs. Dharmachakra facade at one Buddhist stupa.

Nearly at 84000 places Ashoka got the edicts notched

on rocks and pillars to spread the message.

In his edicts, he spoke of what might be called state morality, and private or individual morality. The first was what he based his administration upon and what he hoped would lead to a more just, more spiritually inclined society, while the second was what he recommended and encouraged individuals to practice it, describes Amulya Chadra Sen. He further states, both these types of morality were imbued with the Buddhist values of compassion, moderation, tolerance and respect for all life. The Asokan state gave up the predatory foreign policy of expansion of empire that had characterized the Mauryan empire up till then and replaced it with a policy of peaceful co-existence. The administration was reformed in order to make it fair, transparent and impartial, while those sentenced to death were given a stay of execution to prepare appeals and regular amnesties were

given to prisoners. State resources were used for useful public works like the importation and cultivation of medical herbs, the building of rest houses, the digging of wells at regular intervals along main roads and the planting of fruit and shade trees. To ensure that these reforms and projects were carried out, Asoka made himself more accessible to his subjects by

going on frequent inspection tours and he expected his district officers to follow his example. To the same end, he gave orders that important state business or petitions were never to be kept away from him no

matter what he was doing at the time. The state had a responsibility not just to protect and promote the welfare of its people but also its forests, wildlife and environment. Hunting certain species of wild animals was banned, forest and wild life reserves were established and cruelity to domestic and wild animals was prohibited. The protection of all religions, their promotion and the fostering of harmony between them was also seen as one of the duties of the state. It even seems that something like Department of Religious Affairs was formed with officers called Dhamma Mahamatras whose job was to look after the affairs of various religious bodies and to encourage the practice of religion”. One of the Kalsi minor rock edicts of Ashoka states,-“Even upon the Forest Tribes in his dominion His Majesty, has compassion, and warned them,-“Shun evil doing, that you may escape destruction by cause and effect as His Majesty desires for all animate beings security, control over the passions, for peace of mind and

Ashoka Pillar at Vaishali where Buddha preached his

last sermons 279-232 BC

Ashoka Pillar at Lumbini Nepal Birth Place of Buddha

reported built by Ashoka 249 BC after his visit.

joyfulness. Ashoka further states- “In twenty seventh year of my reign parakeets, sterlings, adjutant storks, brahimini ducks, gees, flying foxes, queen ants, terrapin tortoise, prawns, skate, porcupines, squirrels, Bara Singha stags, bulls for sacrifice, lizards, rhinoceros, grey doves, village pigeons and all four footed animals shall be restricted for butchery and mutilation. Goats whether with young or in milk, caponing cocks must not be slaughtered. Forest must not be burned, either for mischief or to injure living creatures. The living must not be fed with

the living, fish may neither be killed or sold, no other animals living in elephant preserves or fish ponds be destroyed. On any popular festivals and rejoicings, bulls, he goats, rams and boars shall not be

castrated,

branding of horses and oxen

is forbidden”

.Forest used to be fired wantonly, sometimes to promote the growth of grass, and some time to drive out the game. Hawking with the blood of living pigeons, a cruel practice was in vogue. Vincent A Smith- in his works “Rulers of India, Ashoka, The Buddhist Emperor of India 1901”, states.-In True Conquest Edict, Ashoka declares his unwillingness to proceed to extremities against wild jungle folk, who at many points dwelt on the

borders of his settled provinces. Such folk abounded on the borders of Kalinga, dating from the fourteenth year, specially addressed to the governors and magistrates

of that province and published giving particular instructions concerning the principles on which wild tribes and wild animals should be treated. The king in one of the edicts reiterates his declaration that all men, together with wild jungle tribes, wild animals are his children, and insists that his officers must give effect to his righteous views. They are instructed that His MaJesty’s will and immutable resolve that every effort must be made to inspire the border tribes with confidence and to persuade them that the king desires them to receive at his hands in happiness who shall be persuaded to secure the sovereign good will and welfare both in this world and the next. Smith further states:- “Several edicts record the successive steps taken by the king to give effect to the principle of the sanctity of extremities of jungle folks, fringes of vast forests and animal life, which was one of the cardinal doctrines of his message on most of his edicts on pillars and rocks over the vast expanse of his empire”.

Stupa at Sanchi Madhya Pradesh was built by Ashoka

in 3 century BC where Buddha relics buried.

River valley, where ducks, crocodile,

monkeys, aquatic animals, fruit

bearing trees being appreciated by

Buddha in a boat at Nairanjana river.

During the first eight years of his reign he was not troubled with any scruples on the matter, and vast multitudes of animals were each day slaughtered for the supply of the royal kitchens. From ninth to thirteenth year of rule two peacocks and one deer were, as a norm, used daily for the king’s cuisine. Later, Dhamma, “Law of Piety” was first issued, and the religious assemblies were instituted, even this modest supply was stopped and no living creature was compelled to surrender its life in order to gratify the royal appetite. In the eleventh year of his reign, Ashoka entered on the path of true knowledge, he gave up the pleasures of the wild-animal-chase and substituted hunting-expeditions to pious tours and pilgrimages, devoted

to alms giving, preaching ethics and righteousness. In the 13th year of his rule, in addition to stoppage of slaughter for the supply of royal table, butchering the wild animals for sacrifice was prohibited in capitals and provinces throughout his dominions. At the capitals Ujjain, Taxila and Patliputra, holiday feasts, which ordinarily involved the destruction of animal life, were also banned. He substituted stone for woods. His most of the pillar edicts, stupas and vihara buildings constructed in woods emaciated with the passage of times. Stone pillar edicts and rock edicts still persist after a fall of two and half millennia after his empire descended into oblivion.

In the 27th year of the reign Ashoka felt himself strong enough to further protect the sanctity of wild animal life by an elaborate Code of Detailed Regulations, ( Wild Life Protection Act) binding on classes of the people and communities without distinction of creed, social customs and religious prejudice. A long list was published of wild animals and slaughter of them was absolutely prohibited and the absolute proscription was extended to all four footed wild animals of which carcasses were not eaten or otherwise utilized by man. This regulation largely interfered with the

sportsman’s liberty and its terms would seem to denounce the killing of a tiger or a lion as being unjust, unwarranted and unlawful. The remaining rules were directed to the imposition of restrictions on the slaughter of the animals permitted to be killed and to the prohibition or mitigation of different kinds of mutilation.

On-fifty-six specified days in the year fish might not either be caught or sold, and on the same days, even in game preserves, animals might not be destroyed. 'On all festival days and many other specified days, aggregating about a quarter of the year, the castration of bulls and other quadrupeds was prohibited. The caponing of cocks was absolutely prohibited at all times. During five particular fortnights the branding of horses and cattle was declared unlawful. The enforcement of these minute green-regulations must have given plenty of employment to the censor officers and magistrates appointed for the purpose. Ashoka abolished the punishment of death. His legislation proves that the idea of such abolition never entered his thoughts. His language implies that he regarded the death

Minor Rock Edicts of Ashoka at Nittur village near Bellary

in Karnataka well preserved with message of Buddha.

penalty as an unavoidable necessity, which might be made less horrible than it had been, but could not be done away with. Asoka, while recognizing the necessity for arming the magistrates with power to inflict the extreme penalty of the law, exercised his royal prerogative of pardon, and on each anniversary of his solemn coronation liberated all condemned prisoners. Ashoka released this proclamation with emphatic declaration himself quoting once:

“I am never satisfied with the adequacy of my exertions or the promptitude of my decision of cases. Work I must for the public benefit and the object of all my exertion is simply to acquit my debt to living beings, so that I may make some of them happy in this world, and that hereafter they may attain heaven”. Province were administered by local governors acting under direct orders of the emperor. Rajjukas were commissioners set over hundreds of thousand of people and below them Pradeshika or District Officers. Magistrates or Mahamatra were the Censors of the Law of Peity known as Dhamma Mahamamatras for taking care for happiness of the lieges, wild animals and for redressal of their grievances. Ashoka Emperor the Great was extravagant legend caused the erection of eighty four thousand stupas or sacred

cupolas, sanghrama, viharas and chaityas all over Asian continent, within the space of three years, proves the depth of the impression made on the popular imagination by the magnitude of the the

great Maurya’s architectural achievements. He sent his daughter Sanghmitra and son Mahindra to sponsor Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Ashoka dispatched prominent emissaries Buddha monks Bhikshus to Kashmir, Afghanistan, Syria, Perisia, Iran, Egypt, Greece, Italy and Turkey, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Magnolia. Ashoka mentioned the impact of Buddhism, in few of his edicts, was so astounding that it reached few

Most of the Ashoka Minor Rock Edicts at Maski,

Siddapura, Gavimatha,Sannati in Karnataka are in Brahmi

script but in Sanskrit language with a strong message to

all the poor people to exert and to be one as Buddha.

Minor Rock Edicts of Ashoka at Maski in Raichur Distirct

of Karnataka well preserved with message of Buddha.

Ashoka took up tree plantations and got dug up wells

on every 2 km in all the major pathways in his empire.

Hellenistic countries that some of the people embraced Sangha and Dhamma even Iones of Greek where Antiochus ruled, Ptolemy in Egypt, in Antigonos, Magas, in Alexander’s Mecedonia where sizeable population embraced Buddhism. Likewise down south India among Chola, Pandyas, Andhras Buddism spread far and wide. His edicts state that he made provisions for medical treatment of humans and wild animals in his kingdom. He dug wells on every one and half kilometer on pathways, planted Ficus trees along the passages for the benefit of the common people. Because he banned hunting, created many veterinary clinics and eliminated meat eating on many holidays. The Mauryan Empire under Ashoka has

been described as one the few magnificent instances in the world history of government treating its wild animals as citizens who are as deserving of its protection as the human beings. He unleashed the depiction of Ashok Chakra on number of his edicts all over India most prominent among which is Lion capital of Sarnath near Varanasi symbolizing the first discourse of Mahatma Buddha at Dharmacharkra Pravathana at Sarnath, let loosing an era of Law of Piety ( Dhamma)

representing the twelve casual links of Avidya-lack of knowledge, Samskara of constructive voluntary exertion of individual profession, Vigyana- the conscience, Namarupa the constituent elements of

mental and physical existence, Sadayatna- exerting and exploring the world with six senses, Sparsha-balancing the touch of contact, Vedana the pain, Trishna the thirst, Upadana the grasping, Bhava the reflection of once image, Jati being born and the last one Jara marana the old age. These 12 symbols reverse represent the a total 24 spokes representing a conscience life of a Buddhist the “man of super consciousness”.Dr S Radhkrisna the former President of India describes the Ashok Chakra as “Wheel of Religion” where Truth and Virtue ought to be the controlling principle of life while the wheel of life moves. Death in stagnation, life in movement. India should no more resist change, it must move and go forward with much vibrancy and dynamism of a peaceful change”. Dr Radha Mukund Mukherji once quoted in his lecture- “In his efforts to establish a kingdom of righteousness building the highest ideals of a theocracy, Ashoka may be compared to David of Isreal and Solomon

Stone carvings at Sannati Chittapur Gulbarga,

Sanghmitra son of Ashoka visited the place with

the message of harmony with all creatures.

Emperor Ashoka 274-232 BC seated on his throne

is probably the only surviving image of Ashoka

was discovered at Sannati Gulbarga in 1986.

King of Palestine in the days of their greatest glory; in his patronage of Buddhism, which helped to transform a local into a world religion, Ashoka is compared to Constantine in relation to Christianity; in his philosophy and piety he

recalls Marcus Aurelius the emperor of Rome; he was a Charlemagne of Europe in the extent of his empire and to some extent in the modus operandi of his administration too while his edicts states, rugged, uncouth, involved, full of repetitions, read like the speeches of Oliver Cromwell of England in their mannerism. Lastly he matches with Khalif Omar and Emperor Akbar whom he also resembles to most of the aspects. His philosophy totally in keeping with ideals of Ahimsa or non-violence and satyagriha promoted by the political and spiritual leader Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in India as the moral basis of the freedom struggle against the British Raj”. Three Ashokan edict sites were found in Karanatka, minor edicts at Nittur Udegolam village near Bellary, another at Gavimatha in Koppal, Sannati in Chittapura of Gulberga District, one more at Siddapura-Jatangi-Rameshwara in Mokalmuru talluka in Chitradurga and near Maski town of Raichur District all of which in Brahmi script and Sanskrit language depict the quotes of King Ashoka saying:-

”It is more than two years that I have become worshipper of Buddha the God, thereafter in one year the follower of Dhamma, now I am intensely devoted and attached with Sangha the Buddist Clergy. Man generally not used to mingle in Jambudwipa. Now as I have started making journeys to Sangha, people have started mingling with God those who never used to mingle. This is the result of my exertion. Exertion or penance that can be observed by any poor man apart from rich. Even the small man who exerts himself in the cause of piety, virtue and righteousness shall attain nirvana the state of super-consciousness in his daily routine life. If you also follow, the spirit of morality and rectitude your conscience shall also be kept on increasing and shall become everlasting in your soul like Buddha”. As Professor S Dhammika states in his works-“Edicts of Ashoka” that Buddha emphasized on the viewpoint of conscience and zeal which comes through elements of exertion and practice of self-mortification, with focus on wheel of middle path and self-determination where India has reached a point of self governance which is impregnated with hope and expectation of multitude of sects and cliques intertwined with each other leading towards a common goal of scruples and conscience from where it needs to go further higher”. Robyn Eckersley rightly points out in her works on “Rethinking Democracy and Sovereignty” that there is need to look beyond the horizons of existing governance. Ashoka gives us more reason to develop a fresh, practical vision of the “good welfare state” which might like to evolve distinctly “green-democratic-state” as an alternative to

Adholoka Maha-Chaitya the Great Stupa of

Netherworld discovered during 1986 at Sannati

Karnataka is one of the biggest Stupa constructed.

the classical liberal state with colossal growth dependent welfare state and the increasingly ascendant neoliberal competition state. The state where active and “effective-ecological-citizenship” and more enlightened-environmental-governance shall succeed over traditional agrarian social hegemony. Post Ashoka India with its national emblem of four lions foresee, envision and predict an India soaked in its hidden values, concealed in its chronicle of history,assimilating what is moral and acquiring what is decent and truthful. India as a green state as we have inherited from Ashoka, it means a benevolent state, presiding over an ecotopia, the stuff of green dreams, a liberal green democratic state inheriting the green sovereign nation as already established by Ashoka the Great two thousand three hundred year back. Which is unlikely to occur without a protracted struggle and of course without ecologically responsible statehood.

Acknowledgment: The article is the outcome of visits to some of the Ashokan rock edicts found in North Karnataka at Nittur in Bellary, Maski in Raichur, Gavimatha in Koppal, Sannati adjoining Bheema river of Gulbarga in quest of exploration as to how India gained its emancipation in its exclusive elements of truth and non-violence, how we inherited our nature and natural resources protected and preserved since millennia with exertion and penance of the emperors who ruled over India who preached an essential unique philosophy in piety, virtue and self righteousness amid favorable nature, and one of most auspicious natural ambience of our country where man by virtue of his exertion, penance and self mortification became Buddha. Kings and emperors who ruled India were cruel, immoral and ruthless murderers. But there was some thing unique, extraordinarily exceptional character in our soil. Ashoka the Great was the first king who How the soil, ecosystem and ecology of India conceived great religious philosophies which are still influencing the

various communities and the people even today the world over. Ashoka shall always remain like a ever shining pole star due to his unique style of governance. My sincere thanks to both Government of India and the Government of Karnataka which placed me to such part of India with all its logistics and facilities made it possible to visit, see and observe those places replete with historical importance and with immense archaeological prominence which provided a great opportunity to look back in our cultural heritage, in our social tradition and political administration.

A K Singh is the member of Indian Forest Service working with Ministry of Forest, Ecology and Enviroment, in the Government of Karnataka. Contact 9481180956, aksinghifs@gmail.com

References: 1. Sir William Jones On the Chronology of India. 2. Rudyard Kipling, The City of Dreadful Night. 3. Francis Buchanan, On the religion and

literature and ruins of Buddha. 4. Romila Thaper on Ashoka and the Decline of

Mauryas 5. Alaxander Cunnigham on Mahabodhi Temple

in Bodhgaya 6. Jawaharal Nehru Dicovery of India. 7. Charles Allen on Ashoka, The search for

India’s Lost Emperor. 8. Jean Baptiste Tavernier on Travels in India. 9. Gazetteer of Bellary, Gazetteer of Raichur. 10. Radhakumud Mukherji-Ashoka 1927 11. Sir John Marshall on Story of Archaeological

Dept of India. 12. D C Sirkar Minor Rock and Pillar Edicts of

Ashoka, Ashokan Studies 1979. 13. History of Buddism in India by Lama Chimpa

Alaka Chattopaddhyay 1970 14. Taranath on History of Buddism in India. 15. S Dhammika, The Edicts of King Ashoka 1983

and 2009 16. John S Strong, The Lengend of King Ashoka

1983 17. James Princep Notes on Ashoka Inscription

and coins 18. Edwad Gibbon, Decline and Fall of Roman

Empire