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CompetitiveExams:ForeignRelationsofAshokaExamrace

DiplomacyandgeographicalproximityprimarilydeterminedtheforeignrelationsmaintainedbyAsoka.Particularly,thecenturyin
which,AsokalivedwasoneofcontinuedinteractionsbetweentheEasternMediterraneanandSouthAsia.ThatiswhymostofAsoka's
contactswerewithSouthAsiaandtheWest.Itappearsthatthisinterestwasnotonesided.Afairnumberofforeignerslivedin
Pataliputratonecessitateaspecialcommitteeunderthemunicipalmanagementtolookaftertheneedsofwelfareofthevisitors.Apart
fromthesemajorfactorsdeterminingtheforeignrelationsofAsoka,onemoreparameterwasthedesireofAsokatospreadhispolicyof
dhammatodistantlands.
Tobeginwith,AsokainhisforeignrelationswasarealistdefeatandannexationofKalinga.AlsohisrealismistobeseeninAsokanot
annexingthesouthernkingdoms(Cholas,Pandvas,SatyaputrasandKeralaputras)whilebeingsatisfiedwiththeiracknowledgementof
hissuzerainty.Heprobablyfeltthatitwasnotworththetroubletoannexthesmallterritoriestoo.
InotherforeignrelationsAsokarevealsasanidealistoramonarchwhoworetherobesofamonk.Hesentvariousmissions,thoughnot
embassies,tovariouscountries.Theirmainpurposewastoacquaintthecountriestheyvisitedwithhispolicies,particularlythatof
dhamma.Theymaybecomparedtomoderngoodwillmissionshelpingtocreateaninterestintheideasandpeoplesofthecountryfrom
whichtheycame.Also,thefactthattheyarequiteunheardofincontemporaryliteratureorinlatersourceswouldsuggestthatthey
madeonlyashortlivedimpression.
Inspiteoftheabovereservations,themissionsmusthaveopenedanumberofchannelsfortheflowofIndianideasandgoods.Itis
unlikelythatAsokaexpectedallthekingswhohadreceivedmissionstoputthepolicyofdhammaintopractice,althoughheclaimsthat
hisdidhappen.ItiscurioustoobservethatthereisnoreferencetothesemissionsinthelastimportantpublicdeclarationofAsoka,the
seventhpillaredict.InthisedictAsokamentionsthesuccesshehadwithhiswelfareservicesandthewidespreadpropagationof
dhammabutallwithintheempire.
TheterritoryimmediatelyadjoiningtheempireofAsokaontheWestandthatAntiochus.Thereisampleevidenceofcontactsof
similarityincultures.TheuseofKharoshtiintheShahbazgarhiandMansehraedictsinthenorthisevidenceofstrongcontactwithIran.
ThefragmentaryAramaicinscriptionatTaxilaandanotherofthesamekindfromKashmirpointtocontinueintercommunication
betweenthetwoareas.
ApartfromcontactswithIran,AsokaEmpirewasclosetovariousGreekkingdoms.TherearereferencestotheGreeksintherockedicts
ofAsoka.OncertainoccasionsthewordusedreferstotheGreeksettlementsinthenorthwestandonotherstotheHellenicKingdoms.
AntiochusIItheseofSyriaismorefrequentlymentioned.HeotherHellenicKingswheremissionsweresentwerePtolemyII
PhiladephusofEgypt,MagasofCyrene,AntigonusgonatasofMessedonia,andAlexanderofEorius.
Apartfromthesewesterncontacts,traditionmaintainsthatAsokavisitedKhotan.Thiscannotbesubstantiated.Ontheotherhand,
AsokamaintainedcloserelationswithmodernNepal.Traditionstatesthathisdaughter,CharumatiwasmarriedtoDevapalaofNepal.
OntheEast,theMauryanempireincludedtheproviceofVanga,SinceTamraliptiwastheprincipalportofthearea,Indianmissionsto
andfromCeylonaresaidtohavetraveledviaTamaralipti.
TheextentoftheinfluenceofAsoka'spowerinSouthIndiaisbetterdocumentedthaninnorthIndia.TheedictsofAsokaarefoundat
Gavimathi,Palkignuda,Brahmagiri,Maski,yerragudiandSiddapur,TamilpoetsalsomakereferencestotheMauryas.
MoreImportantwerethecontactswithCeylon.InformationisavailableintheCeyloneseChroniclesoncontactsbetweenIndiaand
Ceylon.ComingofMahindratoCeylonwasnotthefirstofficialcontact.Earlier,Dhammamissionsweresent.ACeylonesekingwasso
captivatedbyAsokathatthetopcalledhimselfasDevanampiya.AsokamaintainedcloserelationswithTissa,therulerofCeylon.
RelationshipbetweenAsokaandTissawasbasedonmutualadmirationforeachother.
WhatinterestsofthecountryortheaimsofAsokawereservedthroughhismissions?Asokaprimarilytriedtopropagatehisdhamma
andmaybeincidentallyBuddhims.Heclaimedthathemadeaspiritualconquestofalltheterritoriesspecifiedbyhimaswellasafew
moreterritoriesbeyondthem.Thisclaimdefinitelyappearstobeanexaggeration.ThereisnohistoricalevidencetoshowthatAsoka
missionsdidsucceedinachievingtheiraimparticularlywhenthedhammahappenedtobehighlyhumanisticandethicalinnature.
Afterall,AsokawasneitheraBuddhanoraChristtoappealtovariouspeople.NeitheraSt.PeternoranAnandatosuccessfulspread
themessageoftheirMasters.NotdidhepossessfightingmentospreadhismessagejustasthefollowersofprophetMohammed.Thus,
whenthereisnofollowupactionafterthemissionsvisitedthevariouspartsoftheworld,itisunderstandablethatnoonepaidany
heedtohismessage.
Evertheless,thereisoneintriguingpointaboutthesuccessofhisforeignmissions.Inlikelihood,thehistoryoftheBuddhaandhis
messagemusthavespreadtothevariousparts.Whatdidtheyneedto?Althoughitisdifficulttoanswerthisquestion,itisof
importancetoobservethattherearecertainsimilaritiesbetweenChristianityandBuddhismsufferingofman,Mara&Satan,Sangha
MonasterieswithBikshusandMonks,andtheuseofrosarybyBuddhistandChristian'smonks.

DeclineOfTheMauryas
ThedeclineoftheMauryaDynastywasratherrapidafterthedeathofAshoka/Asoka.Oneobviousreasonforitwasthesuccessionof
weakkings.AnotherimmediatecausewasthepartitionoftheEmpireintotwo.Hadnotthepartitiontakenplace,theGreekinvasions
couldhavebeenheldbackgivingachancetotheMauryastoreestablishsomedegreeoftheirpreviouspower.
Regardingthedeclinemuchhasbeenwritten.HaraprasadSastricontendsthattherevoltbyPushyamitrawastheresultofbrahminical
reactionagainsttheproBuddhistpoliciesofAshokaandproJainapoliciesofhissuccessors.Basingthemselvesonthisthesis,some
maintaintheviewthatbrahminicalreactionwasresponsibleforthedeclinebecauseofthefollowingreasons.
ProhibitinooftheslaughterofanimalsdispleasedtheBrahminsasanimalsacrificeswereesteemedbythem.
ThebookDivyavadanareferstothepersecutionofBuddhistsbyPushyamitraSunga.
Asoka'sclaimthatheexposedtheBudheveas(brahmins)asfalsegodsshowsthatAshokawasnotwelldisposedtowardsBrahmins.
ThecaptureofpowerbyPushyamitraSungashowsthetriumphofBrahmins.
ExplanationofDecline
Allthesefourpointscanbeeasilyrefuted.Asoka'scompassiontowardsanimalswasnotanovernightdecision.Repulsionofanimal
sacrificesgrewoveralongperiodoftime.EvenBrahminsgaveitupbythebookDivyavadana,cannotberelieduponsinceitwasduring
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thetimeofPushyamitraSungathattheSanchiandBarhutstupaswerecompleted.Probablytheimpressionofthepersecutionof
BuddhismwascreatedbyMenander'sinvasionwhowasaBudhhist.Thridly,thewordbudhevaismisinterpretedbecausethiswordis
tobetakeninthecontextofsomeotherphrase.Viewedlikethis,thiswordhasnothingtodowithbrahminism.Fourthly,thevictoryof
PushyamitraSungaclearlyshowsthatthelastoftheMauryaswasanincompetentrulersincehewasoverthrownintheverypresenceof
hisarmy,andthishadnothingtodowithbrahminicalreactionagainstAsoka'spatronageofBudhism.Moreover,theveryfactthata
BrahminwasthecommanderinchiefoftheMauryanrulerprovesthattheMauryasandtheBrahminswereongoodterms.
Afterall,thedistinctionbetweenHinduismandBuddhisminIndiawaspurelysectarianandnevermorethanthedifferencebetween
saivismandvaishnavism.TheexclusivenessofreligiousdoctrinesisaSemiticconception,whichwasunknowntoIndiaforalongtime.
BuddhahimselfwaslookeduponinhislifetimeandafterwardsasaHindusaintandavatarandhisfollowerswerebutanothersectin
thegreatAryantradition.AshokawasaBuddhistinthesamewayasHarshawasaBudhist,orKumarapalawasaJain.Butintheview
ofthepeopleofthedayhewasaHindumonarchfollowingoneoftherecognizedsects.Hisowninscriptionsbearamplewithnesstothe
fact.Whilehisdoctrinesfollowthemiddlepath,hisgiftsaretothebrahmibns,sramansa(Buddhistpriests)andothersequally.Hisown
nameofadoptionisDevanamPriya,thebelovedofthegods.Whichgods?SurelythegodsoftheAryanreligion.Buddhismhadnogods
ofitsown.TheideathatAshokawasakindofBuddhistConstantinedeclearinghimselfagainstpaganismisacompletemisreadingof
Indiaconditions.AsokawasakindorBuddhistConstantinedeclearinghimselfagainstpaganismisacompletemisreadingofIndia
conditions.AsokawasessentiallyaHindu,asindeedwasthefounderofthesecttowhichhebelonged.
RaychaudhurytoorebutstheargumentsofSastri.Theempirehadshrunkconsiderablyandtherewasnorevolution.KillingtheMauryan
Kingwhilehewasreviewingthearmypointstoapalacecoupdetatnotarevolution.Theorganizationwerereadytoacceptanyonewho
couldpromiseamoreefficientorganisation.AlsoifPushyamitrawasreallyarepresentativeofbrahminicalreactionheneighbouting
kingswouldhavedefinitelygivenhimassistance.
TheargumentthattheempirebecameeffetebecauseofAsokanpoliciesisalsoverythin.AlltheevidencesuggeststhatAsokawasa
sternmonarchalthoughhisreignwitnessedonlyasinglecampaign.HewasshrewdenoughinretainingKalingaalthoughheexpressed
hisremorse.WellhewaswordlywisetoenslaveandandhalflakhsudrasofKalingaandbringthemtotheMagadharegiontocut
forestsandcultivateland.Morethanthishistoursoftheempirewerenotonlymeantforthesakeofpietybutalsoforkeepinganeye
onthecentrifugaltendenciesoftheempire.WhichaddressingthetribalpeopleAsokaexpressedhiswillingnesstoforgiven.More
draconianwasAshoka'smessagetotheforesttribeswhowerewarnedofthepowerwhichhepossessed.ThisviewofRaychoudhuryon
thepacifismoftheStatecannotbesubstantiated.
Apartfromthesetwomajorwritersthereisathirdviewasexpressedbykosambi.Hebasedhisargumentsthatunnccessarymeasures
weretakenuptoincreasetaxandthepunchmarkedcoinsoftheperiodshowevidenceofdebasement.Thiscontentiontoocannotbe
upheld.ItisquitepossiblethatdebasedcoinsbegantocirculateduringtheperiodofthelaterMauryas.Ontheotherhandthe
debasementmayalsoindicatethattherewasanincreaseddemandforsilverinrelationtogoodsleadingtothesilvercontentofthe
coinsbeingreduced.MoreimportantpointisthefactthatthematerialremainsofthepostAsokaneradonotsuggestanypressureon
theeconomy.InsteadtheeconomyprosperedasshownbyarchaeologicalevidenceatHastinapuraandSisupalqarh.ThereignofAsoka
wasanassettotheeconomy.Theunificationofthecountryundersingleefficientadministrationtheorganizationandincreasein
communicationsmeantthedevelopmentoftradeaswellasanopeningofmanynewcommercialinterest.InthepostAsokanperiod
surpluswealthwasusedbytherisingcommercialclassestodecoratereligiousbuildings.ThesculptureatBarhutandSanchiandthe
Deccancaveswasthecontributionofthisnewbourgeoisie.
StillanotherviewregardingofthedeclineofMauryaswasthatthecoupofPushyamitrawasapeoples'revoltagainstMauryans
oppressionandarejectionoftheMauryaadoptionofforeignideas,asfarinterestinMauryanArt.
ThisargumentisbasedontheviewthatSungaart(SculptureatBarhutandSanchi)ismoreearthyandinthefolktraditionthat
Maruyanart.Thisismorestretchingtheargumenttoofar.ThecharacterofSungaartchangedbecauseitservedadifferentpurpose
anditsdonorsbelongedtodifferentsocialclasses.Also,SungaartconformedmoretothefolktraditionsbecauseBuddhismitselfhad
incorporatedlargeelementsofpopularcultsandbecausethedonorsofthisart,manyofwhommayhavebeenartisans,wereculturally
moreinthemainstreamoffolktradition.
OnemorereasoningtosupportthepopularrevolttheoryisbasedonAsoka'sbanonthesamajas.Asokadidbanfestivemeetingsand
discouragedeatingofmeat.Thesetoomighthaveentagonisedthepopulationbutitisdoubtfulwhethertheseprohibitionswerestrictly
enforced.Theaboveargument(people'srevolt)alsomeansthatAsoka'spolicywascontinuedbyhissuccessorsalso,anassumptionnot
confirmedbyhistoricaldata.Furthermore,itisunlikelythattherewassufficientnationalconsciousnessamongthevariedpeopleofthe
Mauryanempire.ItisalsoarguedbythesetheoriststhatAsokanpolicyinallitsdetailswascontinuedbythelaterMauryas,whichisnot
ahistoricalfact.
StillanotherargumentthatisadvancedinfavouroftheideaofrevoltagainsttheMauryasisthatthelandtaxundertheMauryaswas
onequarter,whichwasveryburdensometothecultivator.Buthistoricalevidenceshowssomethingelse.Thelandtaxvariedfrom
regiontoregionaccordingtothefertilityofthesoilandtheavailabilityofwater.ThefigureofonequarterstatedbyMagasthenes
probablyreferredonlytothefertileandwellwateredregionsaroundPataliputra.
ThusthedeclineoftheMauryanempirecannotbesatisfactorilyexplainedbyreferringtoMilitaryinactivity,Brahminresentment,
popularuprisingoreconomicpressure.Thecausesofthedeclineweremorefundamental.Theorganizationofadministrationandthe
conceptoftheStateweresuchthattheycouldbesustainedbyonlybykingsofconsiderablypersonalability.AfterthedeathofAsoka
therewasdefinitelyaweakeningatthecenterparticularlyafterthedivisionoftheempire,whichinevitablyledtothebreakingof
provincesfromtheMauryanrule.
Also,itshouldbeborneinmindthatalltheofficialsowedtheirloyaltytothekingandnottotheState.Thismeantthatachangeof
kingcouldresultinchangeofofficialsleadingtothedemoralizationoftheofficers.Mauryashadnosystemofensuringthecontinuation
ofwellplannedbureaucracy.
ThenextimportantweaknessoftheMauryanEmpirewasitsextremecentralizationandthevirtualmonopolyofallpowersbytheking.
Therewasatotalabsenceofanyadvisoryinstitutionrepresentingpublicopinion.ThatiswhytheMauryasdependedgreatlyonthe
espionagesystem.Addedtothislackofrepresentativeinstitutionstherewasnodistinctionbetweentheexecutiveandthejudiciaryof
thegovernment.Anincapablekingmayusetheofficerseitherforpurposesofoppressionorfailtouseitforgoodpurpose.Andasthe
successorsofAsokahappenedtobeweak,theempireinevitablydeclined.
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Addedtothesetwofactors,thereisnoconceptionofnationalunityofpoliticalconsciousness.Itisclearfromthefactthateventhe
resistanceagainstthegreeksasthehatedmiecchaswasnotanorganizedone.Theonlyresistancewasthatofthelocalrulerswhowere
afraidoflosingtheirnewlyacquiredterritory.ItissignificantthatwhenPoruswasfightingAlexander,orwhenSubhagasenawaspaying
tributetoAntiochus,theyweredoingsoasisolatedrulersinthenorthwestofIndia.TheyhadnosupportfromPataliputra,norarethey
evenmentionedinanyIndiansourcesasofferingresistancetothehatedYavanas.EventheheroicPorus,who,enemythoughhewas,
wontheadmirationoftheGreeks,isleftunrecordedinIndiansources.
AnotherassociatedpointofgreatimportanceisthefactthattheMauryanEmpirewhichwashighlycentralizedandautocraticwasthe
firstandlastoneofitskind.IftheMauryanEmpiredidnotsurviveforlong,itcouldbebecauseofthefailureofthesuccessorsofAsoka
toholdontotheprinciplesthatcouldmakesuccessofsuchanempire.Further,theMauryanempireandthephilosophyoftheempire
wasnotintunewiththespiritofthetimebecauseAryanismandbrahminismwasverymuchthere.AccordingtotheBrahminorAryan
philosophy,thekingwasonlyanupholderofdharma,butneverthecrucialorarchitecturefactorinfluencingthewholeoflife.Inother
words,thesentimentofthepeopletowardsthepoliticalfactor,thatistheStatewasneverestablishedinIndia.Suchbeingthereality,
whenthesuccessorsofAsokafailedtomakeuseoftheinstitutionandthethinkingthatwasneededtomakeasuccessofacentralized
politicalauthority.TheMauryanEmpiredeclinedwithoutanyone'sregret.
Otherfactorsofimportancethatcontributedtothedeclineandlackofnationalunityweretheownershipoflandandinequalityof
economiclevels.Landcouldfrequentlychangehands.FertilitywisetheregionoftheGangeswasmoreprosperousthannorthern
Deccan.Mauryanadministrationwasnotfullytunedtomeettheexistingdisparitiesineconomicactivity.Hadthesouthernregionbeen
moredeveloped,theempirecouldhavewitnessedeconomichomogeneity.
Alsothepeopleofthesubcontinentwerenotofuniformculturallevel.Thesophisticatedcitiesandthetradecenterswereagreat
contrasttotheisolatedvillagecommunities.Allthesedifferencesnaturallyledtotheeconomicandpoliticalstructuresbeingdifferent
fromregiontoregion.Itisalsoafactthateventhelanguagesspokenwerevaried.Thehistoryofasubcontinentandtheircasual
relationships.ThecausesofthedeclineoftheMauryanempiremust,inlargepart,beattributedtotopheavyadministrationwhere
authoritywasentirelyinthehandsofafewpersonswhilenationalconsciousnesswasunknown.

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