Kalinga War
| The Kalinga War | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Maurya Empire | Kalinga | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Ashoka the Great | Rani Padmavati (presumed) | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| Total 400,000 | 60,000 infantry,[1] 1,000 cavalry,[1] 700 war elephants[1] |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 10,000 | 100,000+ (exaggerated figures by Asoka himself)[2][3] (including civilians) |
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Kalinga War (Sanskrit: कलिंग युद्धम्, Oriya: କଳିଙ୍ଗ ଯୂଧ୍) was a war fought between the Maurya Empire under Ashoka the Great and the state of Kalinga, a feudal republic located on the coast of the present-day Indian state of Orissa. The Kalinga war, the only major war Ashoka fought after his accession to throne, is one of the major battles in the history of India. Kalinga put up a stiff resistance, but they were no match for Ashoka's brutal strength. The bloodshed of this war is said to have prompted Ashoka to adopt Buddhism. However, he retained Kalinga after its conquest and incorporated into the Maurya Empire.
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[edit] Background
The main reasons for invading Kalinga were both political and economic.[4] Since the time of Ashoka's father, King Bindusara, the Mauryan Empire based in Magadha was following a policy of territorial expansion. Kalinga was under Magadha control during the Nanda rule,[citation needed] but regained independence with the beginning of the rule of the Mauryas. That was considered a great setback for the traditional policy of territorial expansion of the Magadhan emperors and was considered to be a loss of political prestige for the Mauryas merely imperative to reduce Kalinga to complete subjection. To this task Ashoka must have set himself as soon as he felt he was securely established on the throne.[5] The war began in the 8th year of Ashoka's reign, probably in 261 BC. Ashoka's grandfather Chandragupta had previously attempted to conquer Kalinga, but had been repulsed. After a bloody battle for the throne after Bindusara's death, Ashoka tried to annex Kalinga. Ashoka was successful only after a savage war, whose consequences changed Ashoka's views on war and led him to pledge never to wage a war. It is said that in the aftermath of the Battle of Kalinga the Daya River running next to the battle field turned red with the blood of the slain; about 100,000 Kalinga civilians and more than 10,000 of Ashoka's own warriors were among those slain.
Dhauli hill is presumed to be the area where the Kalinga War was fought. The historically important Dhauli hills are located on the banks of the Daya River of Bhubaneswar in Orissa (India). Dhauli hill, with a vast open space adjoining it, has major Edicts of Ashoka engraved on a mass of rock by the side of the road leading to the summit of the hill.
[edit] Aftermath
Ashoka had seen the bloodshed with his own eyes and felt that he was the cause of the destruction. The whole of Kalinga was plundered and destroyed. Ashoka's later edicts state that about 100,000 people were killed on the Kalinga side and 10,000 from Ashoka's army. Thousands of men and women were deported.
Ashoka's response to the Kalinga War is recorded in the Edicts of Ashoka. The Kalinga War prompted Ashoka, already a non-engaged Buddhist, to devote the rest of his life to Ahimsa (non-violence) and to Dharma-Vijaya (victory through Dharma). Following the conquest of Kalinga, Ashoka ended the military expansion of the empire, and led the empire through more than 40 years of relative peace, harmony and prosperity.
- "Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Priyadarsi, conquered the Kalingas eight years after his coronation. One hundred and fifty thousand were deported, one hundred thousand were killed and many more died (from other causes). After the Kalingas had been conquered, Beloved-of-the-Gods came to feel a strong inclination towards the Dharma, a love for the Dharma and for instruction in Dhamma. Now Beloved-of-the-Gods feels deep remorse for having conquered the Kalingas." Rock Edict No.13[6]
According to oral histories, a woman approached him and said, "Your actions have taken from me my father, husband, and son. Now what will I have left to live for?". Moved by these words, it is said, that he accepted/adopted Buddhism, and vowed to never take life again.
[edit] In popular culture
The Kalinga War is depicted in Santosh Sivan's 2001 Bollywood epic Asoka, starring Shahrukh Khan, Ajith Kumar and Kareena Kapoor.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Pliny the Elder (77 AD), Natural History VI, 22.1, quoting Megasthenes (3rd century BC), Indika, Fragm. LVI.
- ^ Ashoka the Great (r. 272-231 BC), Edicts of Ashoka, Major Rock Edict 13.
- ^ Radhakumud Mookerji (1988). Chandragupta Maurya and His Times. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 81-208-0405-8.
- ^ Ramesh Prasad Mohapatra(1986) Page 10. Military History of Orissa. Cosmo Publications, New Delhi ISBN 81-7020-282-5
- ^ Ramesh Prasad Mohapatra (1986) Page 12. Military History of Orissa. Cosmo Publications, New Delhi ISBN 81-7020-282-5
- ^ S. Dhammika, The Edicts of King Ashoka, Kandy, Buddhist Publications Society (1994) ISBN ISBN 955-24-0104-6 (on line)
