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In his life, Samrat Ashoka married not once but five
times. While, three of his marriages were out of
love, two were mainly for political reasons.
Needless to say, Samrats and Kings were bound to
marry princess of equal status under imperial
pressure.
It is interesting to notice that only one of his wife
belonged to a royal background, one is assumed
to be a princess and rest three where commoners
who came from a humble background.
Image Source: Pic 1: By multiple authors (konkani
vishwakosh-goa university) via Wikimedia
Commons Pic 2: Abanindranath Tagore [Public
domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Here we share everything about Samrat Ashoka and
his wives
Samrat Ashoka Married His First
Wife Devi When He was 18
When Ashoka turned 18, Samrat Bindusar made
him the viceroy of Avanti, a region in Ujjain. It is
interesting to note that Ashoka that time was
known as a heartless general and that was
precisely the reason why he was sent to Avanti to
curb an uprising. However, even the heartless
general fell in love with a common girl and married
her. The girl was none other than Samrat Ashoka's
first wife Maharani Devi.
Ashoka's first wife Devi did not belong to any royal
family. She in fact, was a daughter of a merchant
of Vidisha. According to Mahabodhivamsa, Devi
however belongs to Sakya clan making her a
relative of Buddha. This link is however disputed.
Devi was the mother of Ashoka's first son Mahinda
(Mahendra) who was born two years after their
marriage in the year 285CE when Ashoka was 20
years old. 3 years later was born Sanghamitra,
Samrat Ashoka and Maharani Devi's second child.
When Ashoka married Devi he was not a Samrat
but just a prince. Later, when he was called to
Pataliaputra again, Devi didn't accompany him.
She stayed back in Avanti itself looking after her
kids.
Also Read: Life of Samrat Bindusara: Facts &
History
The Second Wife of Ashoka was
Rani Kaurwaki or Karuvaki also
known as Charuwaki/Kaurubaki
Rani Kaurwaki was a daughter of a fisherman who
stayed in Kalinga (present day Orissa). According
to the legends, Ashoka met Karuvaki and fell in
love with her when he was living life in exile and
had gone incognito.
Yes, when Ashoka could easily curb Ujjaini's revolt
just by his presence, he was praised and
applauded for his bravery and skills. Rajkumar
Sushim couldn't bear all this and so he planned to
defame Ashoka in front of his father's eyes. He
was successful in his approach and that is why
Ashoka was compelled to go away from Magadh.
He came to Kalinga where he fell in love with
Kaurwaki and even married her.
Kaurwaki became the mother of Ashoka's second
son Tivala or Tivara who later became the viceroy
of Takshila. Both the name of Kaurwaki and Tivala
are found in Samrat Ashoka's edicts.
Also Read: Everything About Kaurwaki aka Karuvaki
- Ashoka's Wife!
The Third Wife of Ashoka was Rani
Padmavati
Nothing much is known about Rani Padmavati
except the fact that she was the mother of Samrat
Ashoka's son Kunala. Rani Padmavati died very
early and so it is also not known whether the
marriage was out of love or a political alliance.
However, she was the mother of Ashoka's third
son Kunala.
Besides, though Kunala was younger than both
Mahendra and Tivala, he was always seen as
Ashoka's heir. This makes us believe that Rani
Padmavati would definitely be from a royal
background and would be next in line after Devi
and Kaurvaki.
The Fourth Wife of Ashoka was
Asandhimitra, his Chief Queen
While, both his earlier marriages (Devi and
Kaurwaki) were purely because of love before he
became a Samrat, Ashoka's fourth marriage was
an imperial decision after he became the third
Samrat of the Mauryan dynasty. This time he
married a princess unlike his previous marriages
and gave her all the royal rights.
Her name was Asandhimitra and she belonged to
Assandhivat, a little kingdom which finds its
presence in the present day Haryana. Yes,
Asandhimitra who married Samrat Ashoka (not
prince Ashoka) became the chief consort of
Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat and continued to
remain so till she died her own death in 240CE.
She did not bore any child but took care of Prince
Kunala ever since he was a little boy because his
biological mother Rani Padmavati died when he
was very small. This is the reason why Rani
Asandhimitra is often thought as Rani Padmavati,
the biological mother of Kunala. However,
Asandhimitra and Padmavati were two different
individuals.
Also Read: No Ahankara Cannot Be Asandhimitra -
Know the Reasons Why
The Fifth and Last Wife of Samrat
Ashoka was Tishyaraksha, again a
Commoner
After Samrat Ashoka's chief consort Asandhimitra
died in 240CE, her favorite maid Tishyaraksha took
care of Ashoka. It is said that she attracted Ashoka
by her charm, dance and beauty. Next, it is
believed that Ashoka made her his concubine and
even promoted Tishyaraksha to the position of
Chief Queen.
The age difference between Tishyaraksha and
Samrat Ashoka was huge. It is believed that
Tishyaraksha was attracted to Ashoka's son Kunala
- the presumed heir to the Magadh throne.
However, Kunala regarded her as his mother due
to her position in the Kingdom that time.
Tishyaraksha couldn't accept this rejection and this
is the reason why she blinded Kunala whose eyes
attracted Tishyaraksha, the most.
Though the attraction of Tishyaraksha for Kunala
do not have any historical evidence except that
they are penned down in two Bengali novels,
according to Ashokavadana it is known that it was
Tishyaraksha who was responsible for blinding
Kunala, Ashoka's presumptive heir.
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
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