5. The player who beats a small iron rod.
6. Flute.
7. A revered sage, who is a mediator between gods and men.
8. A very benevolent king.
9. A king of old times.
10. Son of Visvavat.
11. Yama is also the God of Justice.
12. Pali is the language of the lipis of Ashoka.
Chapter 18
1. Nectar, drink of the gods.
2. September-October.
3. The heaven.
4. The subterranean empire of the snakes.
5. In motion like a leaf of a poplar.
6. A ritual that seals a bond, a marriage, Saptapadi.
Chapter 19
1. In the edicts Ashoka only refers to himself as: Devanampiya (the beloved of the gods) Pyadasi (with gracious mean).
2. The ‘flame of the wood’, sweet berry tree, very typical for Malwa.
3. Pilgrims path around the foot of the dome.
4. Dome.
Chapter 20
1. Even today there are evidences of structures built by Greeks and Romans in North India.
2. Great Vedic grammarian.
3. A species of grain, basmati.
Chapter 21
1. Antioch Soter had ceded Aria, Archosia and Gedrosia to the Mauryas.
2. Kabul.
3. Capital of Bactria.
Chapter 22
1. A kind of priest
2. Community tradition
Chapter 23
1. October-November
2. February–March
Chapter 24
1. The evil personified.
2. Now Allahabad
3. Two trees whose rub-wood is used for sacred fires.
Chapter 26
1. Old popular festival with animal fights and drink.
2. The origin of the current temple-processions, temple celebrations, or yatras, culminating in the grand temple procession.
3. Heavenly place; Indra’s paradise.
4. Sitting cross-legged, in lotus position.
5. Symbolic hand gesture, where the index finger and the thumb touch, while the other fingers are straight.
6. Regent queen.
7. Now: Barabar-Hills.
8. The first is 10 x 4, 26 x 2 m with a ceiling of 1.42 m.
Chapter 27
1. Kalpa is one period before destruction and renewal of the universe.
2. It is not important to familiarise oneself with dogmas but to continually try to improve oneself, to strive for spiritual perfection.
3. According to rock – edict VI.
Epilogue
1. The law of oneness, law of correspondence, law of vibration, laws derived from the law of vibration, the law of polarity, law of rhythm, law of cause and effect and law of dynamic balance, including the law of Harmonic Division.
EPILOGUE
Ashoka did not seek to impose his personal religion upon the people. Indeed nowhere in his edicts does he mention the chief characteristics of Buddhism; the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path and the goal of Nirvana. The ‘Dharma’ which he presents to the world is to say the essence or sara of all religions. He prescribes a code of conduct with a view to making life happier and pure … Sometimes (P.E.II, R.E.VII) Ashoka defines the ‘Dharma’ as comprising charity (dana), compassion (daya), truthfulness (sach or satyam), purity (sochaye or saucham), self-control (samyama), gratitude (katamnata or kritajnata), steadfastness (dadhabatita or dridhabaktita) and so on. Negatively it is freedom from sin (papam), which is the outcome of anger (kodhe or krodah), cruelty (nittulye or naisthuryam), pride (manam), and jealousy (ishya or irsha), etc. (P.E. III). These are points common to all religions and so Ashoka can hardly be accused of utilising his vast powers as sovereign in the interest of any particular creed. To him therefore goes the credit of first conceiving the idea of a universal religion synonymous with Duty in its broader sense.
— Rama Shankar Tripathi, History of Ancient India
n the many years that I have been occupied with mediating the translation of the Ashoka- trilogy, I have often felt as if I had found a treasure at the bottom of a sunken ship that I wished to retrieve and hand over to others; in the very first place to the Indians because it concerns their history but also to all the seekers in the wide world to introduce them to Ashoka as a seeker of truth.
I feel very grateful and privileged that these books came my way. It inspired me to read the many beautiful books there are about the history of ancient India, and what past and present scholars contributed to the legacy of Ashoka. It was and still is a very fulfilling hobby. It led me to read the great epic works of India, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana in the new narration of Ramesh Menon, so delicate and soul-caressing that it will forever be a refuge to go back to in times of distress. It led me to read many books of contemporary great masters like Osho whose Dhammapada, a series of discourses compiled in twelve books on sutras of the Buddha, opened eye and heart for many things on my quest.
What may have intrigued me most is Ashoka’s sara, the inner essence, the moral or behavioural code at the heart of all sects and creeds, and the call in his edicts to respect all as they bring forth a view on conduct to make life happier and purer: the Dharmavijaya.
For a Westerner it is not easy to get a grip on the meaning of dharma or dhamma. Is it righteousness? Is it something ethical from which a moral code is derived? It was Osho’s Dhammapada that opened my eyes that dharma is more of a universal law like water that has to flow down or fire rising up. Are ethics or is right morality then fundamentally like a physical law? The next step of thought for me was a Dutch book by Marja de Vries: The Whole Elephant in the Picture, published in the Netherlands by Ankh-Hermes in 2007. The author, now a fabric artist but scientifically schooled as a biologist and ecologist, has a past of sharing and exploring deep spiritual experiences amongst non-western cultures. With her knowledge of both worlds, the spiritual and the scientific, she started searching for new ways to teach and learn, more in tune with our essential self, and came across the Universal Laws as they already were recognised in ancient times1. She discovered that those universal laws and the golden ratio can be found in all different wisdom traditions. They are the universal principles underlying all energies and the dynamics of order and harmony of the universe. She could identify and illustrate these laws with numerous new, cutting-edge scientific understandings.
The Cosmic laws, the energy laws, the same for the inner spiritual world as well as the outer physical? Inescapable laws of Nature, if we wish to live in harmony with our self and our surroundings? Is that what makes that enlightened masters – though with different methods for different times and cultures – in essence bring the same message? Is that behind Ashoka’s sara and dharma? For me all of a sudden the concept of ‘dharma’ was brought to the western world as a modern concept. It was like East meeting West or an enlightened being shaking hands with Einstein.
Is Ashoka’s dhammavijaya still as fresh today as it was over two thousand years ago? In a world where we are daily confronted in the mass-media with numerous victims of ethnic or religious conflicts? Do we have to re-invent a new universal code of morality applicable to all humanity though it may manifest itself through the thousands of rays of the spectrum in different cultures in different forms?
The reader of Ashoka The Great must decide for himself. The third volume of the trilogy in the original Dutch version was called Ashoka: The Great Admonisher, admonishing seen more as instructing and creating awareness than in how we associate it today. It was not easy to reframe but several suggestions led to Ashoka: The World’s Great Teacher. We hope he will be remembered like this by many.
J.E.S. August 2010
1 The law of oneness, law of correspondence, law of vibration, laws derived from the law of vibration, the law of polarity, law of rhythm, law of cause and effect and law of dynamic balance, including the law of Harmonic Division
GLOSSARY
Adh
avaryu Vedic priest who performs sacrifices
Aditi Goddess; mother of the gods
Aditya Solar gods
Agni God of Fire; main deity in Vedic rituals
Aham Aham Brahma Asmi: I am Brahma: Advaita Vedanta
Ahimsa Non-injury; non-violence
Ajatashatru King of Magadha who murdered his father, Bimbisara
Ajivika, Ajivaka Orthodox sect of ascetics, contemporaries of the early Buddhists
Amarkantaka Mountains east of Vindhyas
Amitraghata Slayer of foes; conqueror of enemies
Anga Kingdom on the borders of modern Bengal
Ansa Essence; being; core
Apsaras Heavenly nymphs
Aranyakas Vedic texts
Arhat Literally: Holy, in Buddhist sense
Arjuna Pandava Prince renowned for his skills in archery
Arthashastra Treatise on polity written by Kautilya/Chanakya
Arya Native of Aryavarta; a noble person
Aryavarta Land of the Aryans, India
Ashoka Greatest Emperor of India; literally: ‘without causing sorrow’
Ashoka tree Orange, red flowering tree that belongs to the teak family and blooms when struck by a woman’s ankles
Ashvins Twin deities representing earth and sky, day and night
Ashramas The four stages of life of an Aryan.
Atharva Veda One of the four Vedas; also magical spells and incantations in verse form
Atman The Self; The Absolute
Bactria A region on the borders of Afghanistan and fed by the river Oxus
Bhairava Melodic raaga (tune) that is sung at dawn
Banyan Ficus indica also known as Vata or Nyagrodha tree in Buddhism
Bharata Ancient India
Bharya Indian skylark; habitat: all over India
Brahma Lord of Beings, Prajapati
Brahma aikyam Brahman atman aikyam, i.e. Brahman and Atman are one
Brahman The Absolute Self; the Atman
Brahmin Priestly class, the first among the twice-born
Brahmanas Texts on sacrificial rituals
Bramacharin First stage of an Arya’s life in which he lives in celibacy and is devoted to studies
Brihadaranyaka Upansihad dealing with the doctrine of Transmigration
Chakra Discus, a weapon of war
Chanakya Another name for Kautilya who wrote the Arthashastra
Chandala Non-Aryan people; also means an untouchable
Chandogya Upanishad belonging to the Sama Veda, dealing with meditation
Chandra Moon
Cowrie Sea shells of a particular shape used for gambling and as coinage
Dandanita Art of punishment mentioned in the Arthashastra
Dasyus Relicts of Harappan culture, dark, brutish people who worshipped the phallus
Deva Any deity
Devi Any goddess, also a respectable way of addressing a woman
Dharma Righteousness, duty
Doab Land lying between two rivers, the Ganga and the Yamuna
Drona The preceptor, guru of the Pandavas and the Kauravas
Dushyanta Classical drama by poet Kalidasa
Dyaus A father god figure known to the Aryans
Gandhara School of art
Gandharva Marriage by mutual consent; love marriage
Gandharvas Heavenly musicians
Gandiva Fabled bow of Arjuna given by Agni
Ganesha Elephant-headed god, remover of obstacles; god of wisdom
Ganga Sacred river. A dip in the river is said to absolve all sins
Ganika A courtesan
Ghanta The great bell
Gantha Writer
Gautama The Buddha or Shakyamuni
Gautama Another name for Sage Bharadvaja who propounded the Nyaya philosophy
Gautama Sage belonging to the family of Angirasa
Gaya Town in Magadha which is a sacred site for Buddhists
Ghee Clarified butter
Grablambhama Ritualistic ceremonies for begetting children
Grihasta Householder, the second stage in an Arya’s life
Grihyasutra Rites pertaining to domestic life
Grishma Summer season, from May to July
Guru Spirital teacher, venerable person
Haetera Prostitute
Hemant Winter season, from November to January
Himavan The winter season
Himavant Hindu god of snow, personification of the Himalayan mountain range, where Parvati was born
Hindola Melodic form associated with love
Hotri Sacrificial priest who recites from Rig Veda at oblations
Indra Lord of the gods, of firmament; of lightning, thunder
Indraprastha Delhi
Indus Source in Hindukush mountains, area of great civilisations
Jainism A reaction to the pretensions of Brahmans, focussing on the quest for salvation
Jainas Followers of Mahavira Jaina
Jambudvipa Central of the seven continents around mythical Mt Meru and another name for ancient India
Janaka Philosopher king of Videha
Jataka Collection of Buddhist tales in Pali canon
Jyeshtha Lunar month between May and June
Kailasha Mountain, considered to be the abode of Shiva
Kala Time
Kalpa A day of Brahma
Kama Love; desire; cupid
Kapilavastu The Buddha’s birthplace
Karma Literally: deeds. Also, effects of former deeds, performed either in this life or in a previous one
Karmansa Tributary of the Ganga
Karna Flute
Karnak An elephant handler
Karnikara Jungle creeper
Kartaki Full moon day in Kartika
Kartikeya God of war, Lord Shiva’s son
Kartika Lunar month between October and November
Kashi Present day Benaras or Varnasi; one of the great holy cities
Kassas A dynasty of kings at the time of the Mauryas
Kautilya Another name for Chanakya; authored the Arthashastra
Kekisikha A species of the Kadamba tree with very fragrant medicinal flowers
Kokila Indian nightingale
Kosali The country of Kosala
Krishna God who assumes human form and guides the Pandavas
Kshatriya The warrior class and the second of the four varnas
Kullika Chief of the Kulla clan
Kurukshetra The Kuru country of the Mahabharata
Kusha grass Sacred grass, Poa cynosurides, used in religious rites
Kusinara Modern Kasia
Madhyadesha Middle country mentioned in the Brihat Samhita XIV.3
Magadha One of the 16 great countries, modern Bihar
Magadhi Language of the Magadhan people
Mahabharata The great Indian epic; Literally: great country
Mahadeva Another name for Shiva; means ‘great lord’
Mahamatra High official
Majjhimadesa Also known as Madhyadesa
Malavas A tribe of the Punjab region
Manas Mental wisdom, spiritual wisdom, intelligence of the heart, sixth sense
Manasa Holy lake situated in Hatakha or Ladakh and the home of the Kinnaras
Manu Author of Dharmashastra and Manusmriti, a sage
Manu Son of king Virasat, king of men, the first man
Manusmriti Code of Manu which made the varnas rigid
Mara Evil one; Death dealer
Maruts Rig Vedic deities; Children of Rudra, gusts of wind
Masha A gold bit used as coinage
Matariswan The aide and messenger of the God Agni
Mathura Ancient town situated on the right bank of the Yamuna; also present-day Mathura
Maurya Greatest of Indian empires founded by Chandragupta Maurya
Maya In Vedantic philosphy, it means ‘unreality’; also means illusion, enchantment
Mekala Another name for Amarkantaka, the source of the Narmada
&nbs
p; Meru Mythological mountain around which planets revolve; Shiva’s abode
Mithra Linked to Aditya and the Sun
Mleccha Non-Aryan, a barbarian
Nachiketas Interlocutor of the Katha Upanishad
Naga Fabled serpent demons having the head of a human and the body of a serpent
Naga A tribe of the present-day north-eastern India
Nagaur A kind of drum
Nanda The Nanda empire of Bimbisara
Narada Brahmin priest; also the Sage Narada
Narmada A major river in the Deccan
Nataka Literally: a drama
Nirgantha A Jaina monk
Niska A gold coin
Nyaya School of logic and philosophy
Pana A gold or silver coin
Panchayat Literally: a council of five; institution of traditional Indian village administration
Pandavas The five sons of Pandu, Princes of the Mahabharata
Parvati Literally: ‘mountain-born’; consort of Shiva
Pasenadi King of Kosala, also known as Prasenjit
Pataliputra Capital of the Mauryas, modern-day Patna
Prajapati Lord of all Beings; also called Brahma
Prakarana Sub-division of a subject matter
Prakriti Primeval matter; nature. Here referring to a woman from House of Pleasure, like courtesan
Purohita Chief Priest; court priest and king’s advisor
Purusha Primeval man; also head of an organisation; a leader
Putrampjiva Mixture of roots for conceiving of a child
Putras Progeny
Rakshasa Demon; Demonic being
Ravana King of Lanka and enemy of Rama
Rig Veda One of the Vedas with a collection of more than 1,000 hymns dedicated to various deities
Rishi Seers, sages; composers of hymns to the gods
Rudra God associated with storms; guardian deity of healing herbs
Saayana Commentator of the Rig Veda
Shakuni The crooked priest and also a despicable character in the Mahabharata.
Shakyamuni Gautama Buddha; Literally: sage from the Shakya clan
Samans Verses from the Sama Veda
Samaveda One of the Vedas containing liturgical hymns
Samhitas Combination of letters according to euphonic rules in the Vedas
Sankalpa Resolve; pupose of rituals
Samkhya or Sankhya One of the six schools of classical Indian philosophy; Distinction between the self and matter
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