Ashoka
Good Emperor Ashoka
Many cultures have stories about gentle, wise, and kind rulers. Most of these stories are legends. They were not meant to be historical records. Instead, these stories were meant to help people endure cruel or greedy rulers and give them hope for the future.
In southern Asia, however, a beloved ruler really did exist. His name was Ashoka the Great, and he brought peace to a region that is now India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Ashoka was so well liked that some of the symbols he used during his reign—lions that stood for power, courage, and confidence—remain national symbols of India.
Ashoka the Great had not always been kind. For several years he had ruled no differently from the long line of cruel kings and warlords that came before him. However, after Ashoka witnessed the terrible results of the Kalinga War, which destroyed the land and killed many thousands of people, he changed. Ashoka realized that conquest also brings great suffering, so he sent a message of respect and nonviolence to the farthest corners of his kingdom.
The message impressed people, not just for its ideas but for the message itself. The language Ashoka used was plain, sincere, and personal. Ashoka wanted everyone to understand the values he learned through the hard lessons of war.
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