WBCS.LIVE practice question

Who among the following Mauryan kings turned to Buddhism and its tenet of non-violence after the Kalinga war?

Solve this multiple-choice question and check the correct answer with its explanation below.

Answer options

  1. Ashoka
  2. Dasharatha
  3. Chandragupta Maurya
  4. Bindusara

Correct answer and explanation

Correct answer: Ashoka

Explanation: The correct answer is A. Ashoka. Ashoka, the third ruler of the Mauryan dynasty, embraced Buddhism and adopted the principle of Ahimsa (non-violence) after witnessing the bloodshed of the Kalinga War (c. 261 BCE). According to his own Rock Edict XIII, Ashoka describes the massive destruction and suffering caused by the war over 100,000 killed, many more wounded, and 150,000 deported. This event caused deep remorse in Ashoka and led to his spiritual transformation.