Various Asokas

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

I had been arguing that Priyadarsi is not Asoka Vardhana Mauryan. While the sinhalese chronicles do not admit that Asoka whose story they render is priyadarsi - in any case, the stories told by Sinhalese Chronicles and the edict of Priyadarsi never match- the single attestation of the name " priyadarsi Asoka ' in Maski edict is to be seen in its over all context and not as a name of the king who has issued the edicts.

The name of Asoka so far as Buddhists are concerned seem to be a religious title given to kings, perhaps indicating their spiritual emancipation. Note how only Buddhist kings are named as Asoka, and no Hindu kings (see below) nor Buddhist common man has ever been named as Asoka in the early India. Later, the name seems to have gained popularity and today , even common man of Hindu origin also bears this name.

That the word Asoka represents a spiritual title can be seen in the fact that the prayers to be recited at the time of initiation into a Buddhist Sangha prays to Asoka(sri), one of the 35 Tathagathas. This practice dates back to Priyadarsi and hence, it can be seen that Asoka was more related to spiritual mythology. Asoka sri represents peace and is clad in

orange clothes. In fact, this name attains more spiritual importance, since

Buddhist mythologies call many of the chief disciples of the non historical

Buddhas of various yugas as Asoka – I could find atleast three such instances, Kassapa Buddha, Vipassi Buddha and

(futuristic) Maitreya.

Coming now to the historicity, there is more than

one Asoka.

Priyadarsi, who has issued edicts all over India and

beyond, has called himself Priyadarsi asoka. This title appears just once in

Maski edict issued from Suvarnagiri. The context of this edict is very

important and the title Asoka should be seen in this specific context. Thus, the context of the edict clearly shows that Asoka is a title, in all probability a spiritual one at that, and not a personal name of the king.

 

D D Kosambi talks of Kalasoka of

Sisunaga dynasty. His actual name seems to be Kakavarman

His reign is known chiefly for

two important events: the meeting of the second Buddhist Council at VaiÅ›ÄlÄ« and

the shifting of the Magadhan capital to PÄá¹­aliputra

It is widely believed that during the time of this Kalasoka, the second

Bauddhist conference had taken place. Kosambi goes on to say that Kalasoka's

coins were in circulation even during the days of Asoka. Right here, the only relevant point here to be seen is Asoka is not his real name and he is also a Buddhist king.

Within Mauryan dynasty itself, there seem to be two more

Asokas called Vigatasoka,

one of them being a contemporary of our Asoka and was also called Tissa and the second , being of two or three generations later. So far I know,

Puranas did not mention these names. But, the Bauddhist chronicles place

Vigatasoka immediately after Asoka. Certainly, the authors were confused, since

this does not agree with any other source. In any case, both these kings are Buddhists and in all probability, the name Vigatasoka seems to be an adopted Buddhist name, since Hindu sources do not recognize them with this name.

 

On the otherhand, Kalhana in his Raja Tarangini , talks of Kalasoka

being a ruler of Kashmir and belonging to

Nandigondiya dynasty. (I-

101.1-2) Being a pacifist and a Bauddhist, he lost his kingdom to his

enemies. His son Jalouka has regained it. Construction of Srinagar

is

attributed to him, though the accepted history says that it was

Mauryan Asoka who had built Srinagar for his

daughter, who loved the beauty of Lake

Dal. Once again, he is a buddhist king, who has attained some kind of spiritual elevation.

 

The Bauddhist literature talks of a Candasoka, who after his

conversion became Dharmasoka. If this Asoka is one of the above Asokas is yet

to be seen.

There is one more Buddhist king by name Ayu whose name is also

attested as Asoka by Chinese. While I am yet to conclude, he must be responsible

for sending away all the relics of

Buddha to various countries and constructing 84,000 stupas. Invariably, he is associated with 'aja;s era'

mentioned in three inscriptions.

You will notice that all the Buddhist kings with the name Asoka have no prefixes

or suffixes associated with the name " Asoka " . This indicates that the word Asoka is not a proper

name but some kind of title, possibly a

spiritual one.

On the other hand, some of the Hindu names associated with Asoka

are not so simple . For example, the name of the Mauryan Asoka is Asoka

Vardhana. Similarly, Samudra gupta has borne another name Asokaditya.

So far I know, the name of Asoka is not born by anyone else.I invite the comments from the learned members. best regards, Kishore patnaik

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Kishore,

Ashoka Vardhana of Maurya dynasty is different from Ashoka of Kashmir who was the Ashoka who patronised Budhdhism. In my opinion, Priayadarsi is the Asoka mentioned in Budhdhist texts.

There is no name of Asoka in the 10 Mauryas mentioned in Vishnu Purana, except the Asokavardhana, as mentioned by you.

Now, turning to Sisunagas according to Vishnu Purana, BOOK IV, CHAPTER XXIV, Sloka 3,which says :

The next prince will be Sisunaga, his son will be Kakavarna, his son will be Kshemadharman, his son will be Kshatraujas, his son will be Vidmisara (Bimbisara), his son will be Ajatasatru, his son will be Dharbaka, his son will be Udayaswa; his son will also be Nandivarddhana, and his son will be Mahanandi. These ten Sisunagas will be kings of the earth for three hundred and sixty-two years.

You will notice that none of the 10 Sisunagas had the name Ashoka. The Hindu literature does not mention any Asoka in these lists. The name Asoka is mentioned only in Buddhist texts as you say.

B.C.VENKATAKRISHNAN.

website: www.vedascience.com

P.S. For your information, One of my names is Ashok.

[Guest guest]

Dear Krishnan, This is the point I am trying to make. Asoka is not the personal name of any of the kings but a spiritual titleassumed by Bauddhist kings. It might have been a spiritual title.

Kishore patnaik

 

Ashoka Vardhana of Maurya dynasty is different from Ashoka of Kashmir who was the Ashoka who patronised Budhdhism. In my opinion, Priayadarsi is the Asoka mentioned in Budhdhist texts.

There is no name of Asoka in the 10 Mauryas mentioned in Vishnu Purana, except the Asokavardhana, as mentioned by you.

Now, turning to Sisunagas according to Vishnu Purana, BOOK IV, CHAPTER XXIV, Sloka 3,which says :

The next prince will be Sisunaga, his son will be Kakavarna, his son will be Kshemadharman, his son will be Kshatraujas, his son will be Vidmisara (Bimbisara), his son will be Ajatasatru, his son will be Dharbaka, his son will be Udayaswa; his son will also be Nandivarddhana, and his son will be Mahanandi. These ten Sisunagas will be kings of the earth for three hundred and sixty-two years.

 

You will notice that none of the 10 Sisunagas had the name Ashoka. The Hindu literature does not mention any Asoka in these lists. The name Asoka is mentioned only in Buddhist texts as you say.

B.C.VENKATAKRISHNAN.

website: www.vedascience.com

P.S. For your information, One of my names is Ashok.

 

 

 

-- Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within the reach of every hand.~:~ Mother Theresa ~:~

[Guest guest]

I agree that the word Asoka has the semantic shade of spiritual aura.Etymologically also, its derivatives Asanga and Asaga, used as Personal names, carry the meaning of ' unattached one' .

Dr.Hampa.Nagarajaiah

Emeritus Professor--- On Sat, 16/8/08, kishore patnaik <kishorepatnaik09 wrote:

kishore patnaik <kishorepatnaik09 Various Asokas Date: Saturday, 16 August, 2008, 12:59 PM

 

 

 

Dear all,

 

I had been arguing that Priyadarsi is not Asoka Vardhana Mauryan. While the sinhalese chronicles do not admit that Asoka whose story they render is priyadarsi - in any case, the stories told by Sinhalese Chronicles and the edict of Priyadarsi never match- the single attestation of the name "priyadarsi Asoka ' in Maski edict is to be seen in its over all context and not as a name of the king who has issued the edicts. The name of Asoka so far as Buddhists are concerned seem to be a religious title given to kings, perhaps indicating their spiritual emancipation. Note how only Buddhist kings are named as Asoka, and no Hindu kings (see below) nor Buddhist common man has ever been named as Asoka in the early India. Later, the name seems to have gained popularity and today , even common man of Hindu origin also bears this name. That the word Asoka represents a spiritual title can be seen in the fact that

the prayers to be recited at the time of initiation into a Buddhist Sangha prays to Asoka(sri), one of the 35 Tathagathas. This practice dates back to Priyadarsi and hence, it can be seen that Asoka was more related to spiritual mythology. Asoka sri represents peace and is clad in orange clothes. In fact, this name attains more spiritual importance, since Buddhist mythologies call many of the chief disciples of the non historical Buddhas of various yugas as Asoka – I could find atleast three such instances, Kassapa Buddha, Vipassi Buddha and (futuristic) Maitreya.

Coming now to the historicity, there is more than one Asoka.

Priyadarsi, who has issued edicts all over India and beyond, has called himself Priyadarsi asoka. This title appears just once in Maski edict issued from Suvarnagiri. The context of this edict is very important and the title Asoka should be seen in this specific context. Thus, the context of the edict clearly shows that Asoka is a title, in all probability a spiritual one at that, and not a personal name of the king. D D Kosambi talks of Kalasoka of Sisunaga dynasty. His actual name seems to be Kakavarman His reign is known chiefly for two important events: the meeting of the second Buddhist Council at VaiÅ›ÄlÄ« and the shifting of the Magadhan capital to PÄá¹­aliputra It is widely believed that during the time of this Kalasoka, the second Bauddhist conference had taken place. Kosambi goes on to say

that Kalasoka's coins were in circulation even during the days of Asoka. Right here, the only relevant point here to be seen is Asoka is not his real name and he is also a Buddhist king.

Within Mauryan dynasty itself, there seem to be two more Asokas called Vigatasoka,one of them being a contemporary of our Asoka and was also called Tissa and the second , being of two or three generations later. So far I know, Puranas did not mention these names. But, the Bauddhist chronicles place Vigatasoka immediately after Asoka. Certainly, the authors were confused, since this does not agree with any other source. In any case, both these kings are Buddhists and in all probability, the name Vigatasoka seems to be an adopted Buddhist name, since Hindu sources do not recognize them with this name. On the otherhand, Kalhana in his Raja Tarangini , talks of Kalasokabeing a ruler of Kashmir and belonging to Nandigondiya dynasty. (I-101.1-2) Being a pacifist and a Bauddhist, he lost his kingdom to hisenemies. His son Jalouka has regained it. Construction of Srinagar isattributed to him, though the

accepted history says that it wasMauryan Asoka who had built Srinagar for his daughter, who loved the beauty of Lake Dal. Once again, he is a buddhist king, who has attained some kind of spiritual elevation. The Bauddhist literature talks of a Candasoka, who after hisconversion became Dharmasoka. If this Asoka is one of the above Asokas is yet to be seen.

There is one more Buddhist king by name Ayu whose name is also attested as Asoka by Chinese. While I am yet to conclude, he must be responsible for sending away all the relics of Buddha to various countries and constructing 84,000 stupas. Invariably, he is associated with 'aja;s era' mentioned in three inscriptions.

You will notice that all the Buddhist kings with the name Asoka have no prefixes or suffixes associated with the name " Asoka" . This indicates that the word Asoka is not a proper name but some kind of title, possibly a spiritual one.

On the other hand, some of the Hindu names associated with Asoka are not so simple . For example, the name of the Mauryan Asoka is Asoka Vardhana. Similarly, Samudra gupta has borne another name Asokaditya.

So far I know, the name of Asoka is not born by anyone else.I invite the comments from the learned members. best regards, Kishore patnaik

 

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