A thread on the First Empire; Chandragupta, Ashoka, the Mauryans and Buddhism.
In the past days there has been some discussion on Ashoka Maurya and his interface with Buddhism and the adoption of Mauryan symbols as the symbols of modern Bharat in 1947. 1

In the mainstream narrative Ashoka is the great Buddhist emperor who ruled almost all of the subcontinent in accordance with “enlightened Buddhist” principles (in opposition to Hindu ones) and that he became a Buddhist horrified by the ravages of the war he had waged on Kalinga.2

Many strands have to be untangled here; made up narratives that the Nehruvian establishment pushed:The difference between the reformist Buddhism and retrograde Hinduism is underlined. Ashoka is the chakravarti who conquered and ruled long and gloriously over Jambudweepa.3

Having spent more than 15 years researching the Mauryans , written books and articles on them and in the process of making a web series on them I will clarify a few matters here. ( Urnabhih Book Series, Swarajya Articles, Mauryalok web series). 4

Buddhism as a reform of Hinduism is a bogus idea, a product of Western Indologists. They were influenced by the Protestant reform of Catholicism and chose Buddha as an Indian Martin Luther who had reformed the regressive Hindu religion. 5

This story has been peddled for the past many decades and Eurocentric centuries without any evidence. In actual fact Gautama Buddha, like Vardhamana Mahavir and Makkali Ghosala and others were all part of the Indic tradition along with all other Aastik and Nastik traditions. 6

A hard division between Indic religions is a modern phenomenon manufactured by those who misunderstand the comprehensiveness and unity of Indic traditions. The gaze/framework of the Christian theology has misrepresented Indic tradition;this narrative has been bought by Indians.7

Ashoka favored Buddhism, even spent time effort and resources to spread it. But this did not mean that other Indic traditions were wiped out. All Mauryan emperors were eclectic in their beliefs, Jaina, Buddhist , Ajivika traditions lived along side Sanatana Dharma. 8

Now, what about Ashoka conquering most of Bharata? He , in actual fact,gained the throne after a fratricidal conflict. The actual conquest, from Saurashtra to Chandraketugarh (Bangladesh)Afghanistan to Karnataka was done by Chandragupta which is attested to by Greek sources.9

Ashoka simply has been given the credit of the conquest done by Chandragupta under his Guru and mentor Chanakya and consolidated by his father Bindusara. If anything Ashoka was the architect of the decline of the Mauryan Empire (misrule in the latter part).10

Now for the much vaunted “progressive” ideas contained in the pillar and rock inscriptions of Ashoka.
Are they all influenced by Buddhism and so contain ideas external to Hinduism? No and No. 11

Not only do the ideas of Buddhism but also the concepts of Kingship and rule in the inscriptions emerge from the womb of the same Sanatan Dharma. Ideas of Kingship, the King as the father of his subjects, of the welfare of the people, of social welfare , animal welfare 12

upkeep of the kingdom, care of the poor and indigent etc all have their roots in Indic philosophy. They can be traced to the Arthashastra as well as other Indic texts, if anyone bothers to read them and compare.
2 shlokas on Kingship from the Arthashastra. 13

Here is an example from Chapter 1 of the Artjashastra regarding the role of the king. He has to work for and uphold the prosperity of the praja and in their welfare lies his welfare, not the other way around.
१.१३.७:
तेन भृता राजानः प्रजानां योगक्षेमावहाः
।७।
14

And the one on the praja being the centre of welfare :
१.१९.३४
प्रजासुखे सुखं राज्ञः प्रजानां च हिते हितम्।
नात्मप्रियं हितं राज्ञः प्रजानां तु प्रियं हितम् ।। ३४।।
15

In sum, the Mauryans were the first empire of Jambudweepa. Chanakya and Chandragupta built it together and we are its inheritors. For reasons of its own the Nehruvian establishment stole this credit and gave it wholesale to Ashoka. It is time to correct that error. END

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And here is the first episode of my web series on the Mauryans: Mauryalok