1171 ASHOKA

Ashoka (Devanāgarī: Aśokaḥ, 304 BC – 232 BC) was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from 273 BC to 232 BC. Often cited as one of India's as well as the world's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned over most of present-day India after a number of military conquests. His empire stretched from present-day Pakistan, Afghanistan in the west, to the present-day Bangladesh and the Indian state of Assam in the east, and as far south as the brahmagiri in Karnataka and peninsular part of southern India (i.e. Tamil Nadu / Kerala)(Thanjavur i.e. the country of cholas and Keralaputra was outside his kingdom)and kerala. He conquered the kingdom named Kalinga, which no one in his dynasty had conquered starting from Chandragupta Maurya. His reign was headquartered in Magadha (present-day Bihar, India). He embraced Buddhism from the prevalent Vedic tradition after witnessing the mass deaths of the war of Kalinga, which he himself had waged out of a desire for conquest. He was later dedicated to the propagation of Buddhism across Asia and established monuments marking several significant sites in the life of Gautama Buddha. Ashoka in human history is often referred to as the emperor of all ages. Ashoka was a devotee of ahimsa (nonviolence), love, truth, tolerance and vegetarianism. Ashoka is remembered in history as a philanthropic administrator.In the history of India Ashoka is referred to as Samrath Chakravartin Ashoka- the Emperor of Emperors Ashoka.