Mauryas (Dynasty) - Rock Edicts and Inscriptions

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Minor Rock Edicts

  1. Kandhar Rock Inscription (Bilingual) : The written in Greek and Aramaic;
  2. Barabar Cave inscription: Situated in a group of hills around the city of Rajagraha; mentions that king ‘Piyadassi’ gave these Ban­yan caves to Ajivikas; they are three in number;
  3. Queen՚s Edict: Found in Allahabad – Kosambi: It re­fers to the queen Karuvaki, the mother of Tivara; she was the second queen; men­tions donations to Mathas; Tivara was the only son mentioned in Edicts.
  4. Bairat: Near Jaipur; iden­tified with Virata, the capi­tal of Matsya, a stupa has been discovered from here; Bhabra edict has also been found here;
  5. Bhabra Edict: It was brought to Calcutta a Cun­ning-ham; it shows Asoka՚s reverence to Buddhism; it is addressed to the Sangha.
  6. Lampaka: It is frag­mented and is written in Ara­maic script;
  7. Maski: An inscription has been discovered from here, which mentions Ashoka as Piyadassi or Devanam, in 1915; this is the only inscrip­tion, which mentions Asoka as Piyadassi.
  8. Sohgaura: Located in Gorakhpur district of U. P. ; copper plate inscription found here; famine and vari­ous measure taken by gov­ernment have been men­tioned;
  9. Mahasthan: The pre-Asokan Mauryan inscription found; also a copper plate in­scription found here; the mahamatta of Pundranagara in describes as being incharge.

Pillar Inscriptions

(Seven Pillar Edicts)

  • 1st Pillar Edict: social code has been mentioned;
  • 2nd Pillar Edict: Chakshudan (eye donation) has been mentioned; Chakshudan and Dhamma are equal to minimum sin; the definition of Dhamma has been mentioned; and the three main qualities have also been mentioned;
  • 3rd Pillar Edict: Here the soul and sin has been men­tioned; it also mentions the bad qualities like envy, pride, anger and cruelty; the 14 ma­jor Edicts were started only after these iii Pillar Edicts.
  • 4th Pillar Edict: the juris­diction of the Rajukas has been mentioned; Pulsanik has been mentioned as Pub­lic Relation officer (PRO) ; in this pillar edict, Asokan in­scriptions that “I devote my attention to all communities” is engraved.
  • 5th Pillar Edict: It too men­tions about the prohibition to kill animals and burning the forests; Asoka acquits pris­oners on his coronation an­niversary;
  • 6th Pillar Edict: It men­tions about the welfare of the people; it mentions that “the Dharmamahamattas will be with me” ; he began to issue Major Rock Edicts in his 13th regnal year;
  • 7th Pillar Edict: It also gives reference of the Dharma Mahamattas; it men­tions that wells were dug. In the 8th regnal year, only one Pillar was erected which was situated between Delhi and Topra.
  • It also mentions the ways to propagate Dhamma i.e.. through legislation or per­suasion.