Question

Which was the last battle of Ashoka?
1. Battle of Plassey
2. Battle of Kalinga
3. Battle of Calicut
4. Battle of Panipat

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 2 : Battle of Kalinga

The correct answer is the Battle of Kalinga.

• The last battle of Ashoka was the Battle of Kalinga.
• The Kalinga War (ended c. 261 BCE) was fought in ancient India between the Maurya Empire under Ashoka and the state of Kalinga, an independent feudal kingdom located on the east coast, in the present-day state of Odisha and north parts of Andhra Pradesh.
• He decided to give up fighting wars after the victory over Kalinga because he was horrified by the violence and bloodshed in that.
• He is the only king in the history of the world who gave up conquest after winning a war. 
• Rock Edict No. 13 in Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra noted that Ashoka had witnessed the slaughter on the battlefield of Kalinga, he considered the victory over Dharma the best victory.

• Ashoka:
  • He is remembered as a model ruler, controlling a vast and diverse Mauryan empire through peace and respect, with dharma at the center of his ideology.
  • Ashoka's fame is largely due to his pillar and rock edicts, which allowed him to reach a wide audience and left a lasting historical record.
  • Ashoka killed his brothers to ascend the throne of Magadha.
  • Ashoka fought a war to conquer Kalinga.
  • Ashoka was also known as ‘Chandaashoka’.