The HISTORY of Bindusara, Dharma and Ashoka - 2

Hi everyone,

In this post, i am sharing some information related to history of Mauryan King Bindusara and his wife - Dharma. It contains incident of their marriage and brief insight into the life of Dharma at the Mauryan Palace, followed by some interesting insights about Ashoka/Asoka.

The format of this post is simple. The Reference text which has been considered in this post is Ashokavadana. I am posting the English translation of that Sanskrit text, along with the scans of Sanskrit pages.

This text clearly mentions that there was NO separation of Ashoka and Dharma, as shown in the TV serial, Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat. Initially, Dharma did not get good treatment in the Mauryan household, but she became a Chief Queen later. More can be read in the text itself.

Latest Post on Asoka:
Emperor Asoka Maurya Killed 99 Brothers to Become King - Fact or Myth ? Why/Did Asoka killed Sushima ?  And some other questions | A Debate


Here we go with the translation.

In the city of Champa, a Brahmin had a fair, good-looking, fortunate daughter. She was the most beautiful girl in the country. The fortune tellers predicted she would marry a king and bear two "jewel-like sons": one would become a "Chakravartin Samrat" & rule over one of the four continents, the other would wander and fulfill his religious vows.

The Brahmin was excited by what the soothsayers said. (The whole world desires good fortune.) He took his daughter to Pataliputra. There, he had her put on all of her jewels, and he offered her in marriage to King Bindusara, declaring her to be an auspicious and praiseworthy celestial maiden. King Bindusara had her introduced into his women apartments. Now the king's concubines/wives were jealous of her. 

"This fair, gracious girl," they thought, "is the most beautiful woman in the country; if the king should ever make love to her, he would no longer pay any attention to us!" They instructed her therefore in the art of a hairdresser, so that the king should dislike her for being from a lowly profession. Soon she became an expert in her work. Indeed, whenever she started to do this, the king [would relax so much that he] would quickly fall asleep. The king was very pleased with her and decided to grant her one wish.

"What would you most desire?" he asked.
"Our union," she answered.

"But you are a barber girl," said the king, ' I am a monarch, a consecrated kshtriya [member of the warrior caste] how can I have relations with you? "

"Your majesty," she replied, "I am not a barber girl but the daughter of a Brahmin; my father gave me to your highness as a wife! "

"Who then taught you the barber's art?" asked the king.

"The ladies in the women's apartments," was her answer.

"Well, Then, you won't do me work of a barber anymore", King Bindusara declared.

Then, Bindusara made her - His Chief Queen. Together they dallied and enjoyed time with each other and made love; she became pregnant and, after a period of 8 or 9 months, gave birth to a son. When the prince's birth festival was being celebrated elaborately, she was asked what his name should be. She replied - "When this baby was born, I became ' without sorrow' (a-soka)," , and so the child was given the name Asoka.

Subsequently, the queen gave birth to a second son, and since he was born "when sorrow had ceased" (vigate a-soka) (in her life), he was given the name Vitasoka.

Ashoka was not good looking and was therefore looked down upon by Bindusara.
{ The footnote says that Bindusara also had sons from other wives. He had the horoscopes of all these princes drawn up by astrologers including the religious mendicant - Pingalavatsa. }

One day, Bindusara decided to test his sons so as to determine which one would best be able to rule after his death. He invited Pingalavatsa to test his sons in this regard. Pingalavatsa said, "O King, please take the princes to the golden palace for the test." The king accordingly took the princes to the golden palace. But, Ashoka stood there, discussing about the princes for a while.

Pingalavatsa said to him, "Child, the king has gone to the golden palace to test the princes. You also go there."

Ashoka said, "The king abhors me and doesn't even look in my direction. How can I go there?"

Pingalavatsa said, "Even then, you should go."

{ Guys, the following sentence below, gave two meanings - }
Ashoka replied, "Then, I will take your leave." (<- This is what the textnote says, though the actual translation means - "I will throw away food". )

Then Ashoka went to Pataliputra. Radhagupta was the son of the Prime Minister (Agramatya). He asked Ashoka where he was going. Ashoka answered, "The king is testing the princes in the golden palace. (I am going there.)" 

Radhagupta asked him to go there on an old royal elephant. Ashoka mounted the old elephant and went to the golden palace where there was something going on between the princes to send something away from the earth. (Couldn't get the meaning of "nishsad").

Then the princes ate a hearty meal. Ashoka had boiled rice mixed with curd in an earthen vessel / pot. { Textnote says he quenched his thirst with water but I couldn't find this in the text. }

King Bindusara said avidly to Pingalavatsa, "O Teacher, please test the princes. Who will (be able to ) lead my kingdom after me. "

The religious mendicant, Pingalavatsa, looked at the king and got worried. He knew that Ashoka would be the king. But he was not approved of by the king. If he (Pingalavatsa) said that Ashoka would be the king then he would not survive. {So he thought of a way out.  This line is not in text, but in notes.} 

He said to the king, "I cannot tell his name but I can tell you his nature. He who avails himself of the best things will be the king."

Each prince thought he would be the chosen one; One because (he thought) his seat (asan) was the best. 

{From here, my translation is different from what was given in textnotes, those who know Sanskrit can read the scan to understand better }

Ashoka is thinking deeply that the earth is his seat and he is going to be the king.
After an elaborate meal and drink, the princes returned to Pataliputra.

Then Ashoka asked, "But, who will be the king?" Ashoka said, "Without (making) any distinction, tell me who will be the king? You said that the one whose mount or seat is the best and who eats and drinks the best, will be the king. Like, see, I am going to be the king. My mount is the shoulders of an elephant, the earth is my seat, I eat boiled rice mixed with curd from an earthen vessel, and drink water."

Ashoka's mother began to enjoy Pingalavatsa's prediction that Ashoka would be the king. Then it was said by her, "O, Teacher, which of the 2 boys did you tell would be the king to King Bindusara?" 

(He) said, "Ashoka". Then it was said to her, "But, Never show any urgency to ask the king (this). " {Probably, this means that she should not tell the king about the prophecy of Ashoka becoming the king.}


Note:
This pertains to the death of Dharma. She died in 284 BC, when the first wife of Ashoka - who was named Devi was pregnant. Ashoka's brother Sushima had sent some henchmen to eliminate the pregnant Devi, but it was Dharma who became the victim.


Other History Posts under Ashoka Maurya section:

1. Emperor Ashoka Maurya - Introduction to HIM and HIS Family

2. Chanakya's Novel Method to TEST Character of Ministers

3. Emperor Asoka Maurya Killed 99 Brothers to Become King - Fact or Myth ? Why/Did Asoka killed Sushima ?  And some other questions | A Debate

4. What is the BASIS of GREATness ? | From Akbar to Ashoka to Alexander & Maharana Pratap



The article has been posted under the Ashoka Maurya section of this history BLOG.