Emperor Ashoka holds an undisputed place in Indian history as one of the
most influential and ethically grounded rulers. The boundaries of his empire
extended across almost the entire Indian subcontinent. This vastness is evident
from available inscriptions, pillar edicts, and archaeological evidence. The
vision, principles of governance, and the concept of Dhamma expressed in
Ashoka’s edicts are still considered ideal for modern statecraft. He placed non‑violence
and equality at the centre of political philosophy and granted moral authority
to the people. Under his rule, India had become a Vishwaguru for the
world.
Yet today, the Indian state and Brahminical cultural establishment
continuously push Ashoka to the margins of mainstream history. His birth
anniversary and his contributions are routinely ignored by government and
cultural institutions.
Forcing the forgetting of Ashoka is not merely a historical lapse; it is
deeply connected to the mental, political, and cultural structure of today’s
centres of power. Ashoka’s legacy represents an egalitarian, non‑violent,
inclusive, people‑centric model of governance. This idealism is unsettling for
dominance‑oriented cultural politics.
2. Ashoka’s Morality‑Based Governance
Ashoka’s inscriptions, issued after his embrace of Buddhism, articulate a
vision of governance rooted in Dhamma—non‑violence, equality,
compassion, and respect for all religious traditions. His administrative
reforms emphasised:
- moral
responsibility over divine authority
- welfare of
subjects over ritualistic obligations
- accountability
over absolutism
- inclusion of women
and marginalised groups
- rejection of
animal sacrifice and ritual violence
This model directly contradicted the Brahminical political order, which
historically legitimised power through ritual authority, caste hierarchy, and
divine sanction.
3. Why Do the State and Brahminical Order Ignore Ashoka?
3.1 Dhamma‑politics vs. Caste Hierarchy
Ashoka’s Dhamma is based on equality and stands in opposition to the caste
system. Brahminical rule, however, rests on “divine authority” and “caste
order.” Honouring Ashoka raises questions about the legitimacy of caste
hierarchy. Hence, the state keeps him away from the mainstream.
3.2 Ashoka posed the greatest challenge to Brahminism through Dhamma
Though a Buddhist, Ashoka gave shelter and respect to all religions. He
expelled hypocrites from the Sangha, rejected animal‑sacrifice‑based rituals,
dismissed caste hierarchy, challenged Brahminical religious monopoly, and gave
space to women and the marginalised. Therefore, today’s rulers and cultural
elites feel that glorifying Ashoka would weaken their own dominance.
3.3 The ‘Arya‑centric’ historical narrative cannot accommodate Ashoka
Indian history is still framed around Vedic tradition. If Ashoka and his
Dhamma are placed in the list of honourable historical pillars, the equation of
Vedas–Yajna–Divine King shifts to Dhamma–Ethical King. In the traditional
narrative of Vedic epics–Gupta era–Rajput–Mughal–British, the Buddhist golden
age is deliberately excluded. Including Ashoka disrupts the Brahminical
presentation of Vedic supremacy and destabilises cultural nationalism.
3.4 Ashoka’s legacy is democratic, not divine
Ashoka never called himself a divine king. His authority rested on moral
responsibility, accountability to the people, and non‑violence. In contrast,
Brahminical ideology requires a divine nation, a divine king, and a divine
culture. Ashoka opposes all of these, which is why Brahminical power structures
stand against him.
3.5 Ashoka’s legacy empowers Bahujans, women, and the marginalised
Ashoka gave women a place in the Sangha, protected the oppressed, and
granted moral rights to the people. His legacy strengthens Bahujan politics,
places the Bahujan masses at the centre of history, and challenges Brahminical
dominance by promoting egalitarian nationalism. Hence, the cultural
establishment finds it difficult to celebrate him.
4. Why Does Cultural Nationalism
Reject Ashoka? – A Cultural Analysis
4.1 Accepting Ashoka’s golden age undermines Vedic supremacy
Honouring Ashoka means honouring Buddhist India, which challenges the
superiority of Vedic India. Therefore, Brahminical cultural nationalism cannot
accept Ashoka as the “central figure of Indian civilisation.”
4.2 Ashoka’s image contradicts the ‘warrior‑king’ ideal of Brahminical
cultural nationalism
Cultural nationalism thrives on war, heroism, divinity, mythical epics, and
dominance. Ashoka’s ideals—non‑violence, morality, equality, truth, and public
welfare—cut directly across this narrative. These values are intolerable to
Vedic‑Brahminical ideology.
Conclusion
The marginalisation of Emperor Ashoka is not an accidental historical
omission but a deliberate political and cultural strategy. Accepting Ashoka’s
centrality would require confronting the caste system, questioning Brahminical
dominance, and acknowledging a democratic, ethical, and non‑violent model of
governance. Such a shift threatens the ideological foundations of contemporary
cultural nationalism.
Instead of restoring Ashoka to his rightful place, alternative mythic
figures are manufactured to reinforce Brahminical supremacy. The reluctance of
state institutions to publicly celebrate Ashoka’s legacy—despite his
unparalleled historical stature—reveals a deeper civilisational insecurity. For
a nation that once produced one of the world’s greatest moral emperors, this
selective amnesia represents a profound historical tragedy.
By Bapu Raut, Mumbai
Author and Blogger
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