14 Edicts of Ashoka - The Story of a Great King

Today we know Ashoka as one of the mightiest emperors of the ancient world, whose empire stretched from Eastern India to Central Asia. However, for centuries, the memory of the great emperor Ashoka and his empire were lost to time. An accidental discovery of an ancient inscription written in an enigmatic script spurred the search for the identity of a forgotten king and the deciphering of the lost language. The subsequent hunt led to the identification of the Brahmi script, the Pali language, and the identity of Ashoka and his empire as it existed in the 2nd century BCE. These 14 inscriptions shed light on the political philosophy of Ashoka, the geography of his empire, his understanding of Vedic and Shramana traditions, influences of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism, his relations with the Persians, the Greek-Roman world, and his vision for his public. In this talk, Mr. Bhupal Patwardhan (Chairman, executive board, BORI) gives a glimpse of this fascinating story.

Release date

Lydbog: 8. juli 2022