Historical Discussion on Ashoka and Storyline

First Previous

Page

Next Last

Frequent Posters

MaxMayfield

@MaxMayfield

Trailblazer

+ 4

Posted: 10 years ago

#51

Thank u for the very insightful info on ashoka-devi😊

this is exactly why I look forward to historicals personally, atleast we get so much information and insight on the factually correct story from the fellow members😊

looks like the only woman who ashoka seems to have had the most amount of respect for, is devi (perhaps after his mother).

and 👎🏼 to the lame glorified to ashoka-karuwaki stuff!🥱

Quote

Shivani Priyam Kumar

@Meself

Rocker

+ 3

Posted: 10 years ago

#52

The citation isn't completely true. While her lineage is true, Bindusara had married Sgubhadrangi/Dharma only to show the people of Champa that he cared for the land. After her arrival in Patliputra she was given the title of Rani or a low queen. While she is said to be beautiful, Bindusara was pretty indifferent to her.

Her situation was aggravated futhur when Charumitra took complete control over the Imperial palace. She was a pretty neglected and uncared woman. The prophecy that ran put had brought her back to notice but her situation hadn't changed much. It was this cold attitude towards her that enraged and instigated Asoka against his own father. After Vittasoka's birth she had completlt been lost in the oblivion and had no control over the palace there after!

Quote

Looks like you are new here. Register for free, learn and contribute.

CatcherInTheRye

@CatcherInTheRye

Trailblazer

+ 2

Posted: 10 years ago

#53

Thankiu all fellow members for all the info

Lookin forward for more accuracy

Quote

Shivani Priyam Kumar

@Meself

Rocker

+ 3

Posted: 10 years ago

#54

Originally posted by: HaremSultan

Edited by Meself - 10 years ago

Quote

bheegi

@bheegi

Stunner

+ 5

Posted: 10 years ago

#55

There is a book by Subhadra Sen Gupta that gives a good overview about Ashoka and his life.

Here is a citation from there:

The Sri Lankan books, the Divyavadana, Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa and Asokavadana say that Bindusara had sixteen wives and 101 sons. The number of sons has to be the product of the writers' imagination because they only mention three by name" the eldest Susima or Sumana, Ashoka, and his younger brother Tissya. Ashoka and Tissya had the same mother, named Subhadrangi and also called Dhamma. Queen Subhadrangi was not of royal birth, being the daughter of a Brahmin from Champa. When she came to live in the royal palace in Pataliputra, the other queens in the harem were jealous of her beauty and tried to keep her away from the king. It was only when she gave birth to a son, in 304 BC, that her life became happier. Subhadrangi named her first son Ashoka, saying that now her life was without sorrow"a-shoka. Her second son Tissya was also known as Vitashoka meaning, end of sorrow'.

Gupta, Subhadra Sen (2009-09-08). Ashoka (Kindle Locations 354-358). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

Quote

bheegi

@bheegi

Stunner

+ 5

Posted: 10 years ago

#56

Ashoka and Devi citation:

The town of Vidisa, near Ujjaini, also stood on the Daskshinapatha and here Ashoka fell in love and married Devi, the daughter of a trader. Some writers call her a Sakyani'" that is belonging to the clan of the Sakyas. Gautama Buddha was a Sakya prince, so it is quite possible that Devi was a Buddhist. When Ashoka married Devi he would have been in his early twenties and they had two children, a son Mahendra, and a daughter Sanghamitra, both of whom later played important roles in the spread of Buddhism to other countries. Perhaps it was during his stay in Ujjaini that Ashoka was introduced to the teachings of Lord Buddha.

Later when he became king and moved back to Pataliputra, Devi remained in Vidisa. One reason may have been because she was not of royal birth and a commoner could never become the Chief Queen or the agramahisi. Similarly Mahendra would not have been the heir-apparent even though he was the eldest son. Devi, a devout Buddhist, later built a vihara, or a monastery, on a hill near Vidisa and Ashoka added a stupa beside it. This stupa, the oldest in the world, still stands at Sanchi and the town of Vidisa is just down the road. Right below the hill at Sanchi is the road that connects Bhopal to Vidisa that was once the famous Dakshinapatha of Mauryan India.

Gupta, Subhadra Sen (2009-09-08). Ashoka (Kindle Locations 378-382). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

The ancient books mention at least five wives of Ashoka. First there was Devi who is given the title Vidisa-Mahadevi-Sakyakumari'. The name of the second queen Karuvaki was found in an inscription on a pillar in Allahabad. Called the Queen's Edict, it records her charitable donations and announces in imperial tones, Whatever gifts here be of the Second Queen, whether mango groves or gardens or alms houses or whatever else, these must be reckoned as of that Queen. This is the request of the Second Queen, the mother of Tivara, Karuvaki.' She must have been a powerful woman because she is the only queen named in an Ashokan edict. The third queen was Asandhimitra who was given the title of agramahisi or Chief Queen, so she must have belonged to a royal family of the time. Asandhimitra is said to have been a trusted adviser of the king and Ashoka was deeply grieved at her death. She did not have any children. Two more queens followed" Padmavati and Tisyarakshita.

Gupta, Subhadra Sen (2009-09-08). Ashoka (Kindle Locations 406-407). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

Quote

bheegi

@bheegi

Stunner

+ 5

Posted: 10 years ago

#57

Among the queens, Tisyarakshita's story is told in detail. She was Ashoka's youngest queen and he may have been an old man when he married her because by then Asandhimitra was dead. Tisyarakshita became the new agramahisi after she cured Ashoka of a disease and soon began to create trouble for which the Buddhist writers have never forgiven her. The Chinese pilgrim Fa Hsien tells us how she became angry because Ashoka spent most of his time worshipping the sacred Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya. So she secretly sent men to cut it down at night. A desolate Ashoka piled up earth around the roots, moistened it with milk and soon the tree was miraculously revived. Another Chinese monk, Huien Tsang, says the king also erected a wall around the tree to protect it from the wrath of his vengeful queen. The story may be true because a few rather battered images of the Buddha and some dilapidated stone railings, now kept in the Bodh Gaya museum, show Mauryan style carvings and may be part of the original Ashokan railing. Some other sections of the railings can be seen at the National Museum in Kolkata and London's Victoria and Albert Museum. Tisyarakshita however was not to be stopped and now went even further. The arrogant queen felt that Prince Kunala had insulted her by not obeying her order. Kunala was at that time the viceroy of Taxila and she sent a messenger with a fake order from Ashoka saying that Kunala should be blinded and killed. The army commander obeyed the order and blinded the prince, but did not kill him. Accompanied by his wife Kanchanmala, the blind prince became a wandering minstrel and found his way back to Pataliputra and Ashoka discovered what his queen had done. This time Tisyarakshita had gone too far and Ashoka had her executed.

Gupta, Subhadra Sen (2009-09-08). Ashoka (Kindle Locations 421-431). Penguin Books Ltd. Kindle Edition.

Quote

Shivani Priyam Kumar

@Meself

Rocker

+ 3

Posted: 10 years ago

#58

@bheegi well I've never read anything by Subhadra Sengupta, mainly because our history teacher Mrs. Sanghamitra Roy( interesting isn't it?) had discouraged us from looking into her writings. So will you please put up the book's name? I'd like to read it.

P.S. Aren't you Sangeetha from MB forum??

Quote

702755

Suspended

Posted: 10 years ago

#59

Helen was the first person to wear a Saree in Modern Way. Yes, she invented Modern Saree. Before her Sarees were worn like what Dharma is wearing in the show. But after Helen everyone started wearing like her.
Chandragupta had also appointed a Greek governor in his one province. I remember Pushgupta(I hope this name is right as I forgot his name) used to govern Saurashtra at that time. 😉

Quote

bheegi

@bheegi

Stunner

+ 5

Posted: 10 years ago

#60

Originally posted by: Meself
@bheegi well I've never read anything by Subhadra Sengupta, mainly because our history teacher Mrs. Sanghamitra Roy( interesting isn't it?) had discouraged us from looking into her writings. So will you please put up the book's name? I'd like to read it.

P.S. Aren't you Sangeetha from MB forum??

Yes, I'm the same one😊

It's interesting that your teacher discouraged Subhadra Sen Gupta's writings

Subhadra's book is called 'Ashoka' and it's a very brief version of Ashoka and the Mauryan empire. It was a starting point for me.

I'm also reading a gigantic book by Dutch historian Wytze Keuning. This book gives interesting tid bits about Ashoka's life. He mentions that Ashoka was not a good looking man at all. In fact, the book opens with how a woman rejects him in favor of his more handsome older brother Sushima- who is a womanizer and man of poor character-not fit to be the king

Quote

1 ... 4 5 6 7 8 ... 14

Historical Discussion on Ashoka and Storyline - Page 6

Related Topics

Explore Topics