Major Rock Edicts of the Great Ashoka

Following we are presenting the topic “Major Rock-Edicts of the Great Ashoka”. This topic belongs to Mauryan Dynasty. The Mauryan dynasty is an important part of Ancient Indian History. In every exam of the Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level, questions were asked about these topics. So it is important for all the candidates who are preparing for these exams. These topics may also help in State Commission’s Exams and Banking Exams. 

Brief Description Of Samrat Ashoka Rock-Edicts-

• One of the main means of knowing the history of Emperor Ashoka is his inscriptions, pillar inscriptions, and inscriptions.  
• The language of all these inscriptions is Prakrit.  
• While their script is Brahmi, Kharoshthi, Aramaic, and Unani.  
• The scripts of the miniature inscriptions, long pillar inscriptions, miniature pillar inscriptions, and cave inscriptions of Emperor Ashoka are only Brahmi.  
• All the inscriptions containing Brahmi scripts have been found in India only. 
• The inscriptions of Emperor Ashoka are divided into two parts-
  1. Long inscription
  2. Short inscription
• The Long Edicts of Emperor Ashoka are a group of 14 inscriptions.  
• These 14 inscriptions of Ashoka have been received from 8 places.  
• On these 14 long inscriptions of Ashoka, there is a mention of things related to the administration and its Dhamma. 
• Next, we are presenting a table related to the long inscriptions of Emperor Ashoka.
   

Some Important Facts-

• Along with Emperor Ashoka, the names of Mahakshatrapas Rudradaman and Skandagupta are also inscribed on the Girnar inscription. 
• This inscription gives information about Sudarshan Lake in the Girnar region. 
• Shahbazgarhi inscription and Mansehra inscription are written in Kharoshthi script. 
• The elephant’s picture is inscribed on the Dhauli inscription. 
• The lion’s picture is inscribed on the top of the Kalsi inscription. 
• The Erragudi inscription is inscribed in the Brahmi script. This script is written in right to left direction.
• A broken inscription written in the Aramaic script of Emperor Ashoka has also been found in Taxila.
• A bilingual inscription written in Greek and Aramaic scripts has been found in a place called Sharekuna.
• An inscription written in the Aramaic script of Emperor Ashoka has been found in a place called Langhamana.
• James Prinsep was the first to read the Brahmi script engraved on inscriptions from Emperor Ashoka. He was the first to get the credit for reading the inscriptions of Ashoka.
• Dr D. R. Bhandarkar has made a commendable effort to write the history of Ashoka only based on the inscriptions of Emperor Ashoka.
• Pre-Ashoka Brahmi script has been traced from a place called Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka).
• Inscriptions of the Pre-Ashoka Brahmi script have also been received from places like Piprahwa, Sohgaura, and Rajasthan.
• In ancient India, the Kharoshthi script was written from right to left. 
• The credit for reading this script goes to scholars like Mason, James Prinsep, Norris, Cunningham, etc. This script was mainly prevalent in North-West India.
• The name of Emperor Ashoka is mentioned in the Gurjara inscription. This inscription is located in the Datia district of Madhya Pradesh.
• The name of Emperor Ashoka has also been mentioned in Muski, Netter, and Udegolam inscriptions.
• In the Bhabru (Bairat) pillar inscription, Emperor Ashoka described himself as the emperor of Magadha. This inscription proves Emperor Ashoka to be a follower of Buddhism.