DDK HistoryF.p65 - CSIR

206 CONQUEST BY MORALITY [7.3
are not indeed attached to some ported (apavudhe) at that time when Kalinga was
taken (would) now be considered deplorable by the Beloved-of-the-gods... .Even the
inhabitants of the forests which are in the dominions of Beloved-of-the-gods, even
those he pacifies and converts. And they are told of the power which Beloved-of-thegods
(possesses) in spite of (his) repentance, in order that they may be ashamed (of
their crimes) and may not be killed.”
The problem of the atavika forest savages was never tackled before
him, except by massacre. The Artihasastra would use these savages only
for military politics and intrigue. One may note that deportation of
conquered people no longer seemed necessary for state economic
purposes when this edict was promulgated.
“And this (conquest by morality) has been won repeatedly by Beloved-of-thegods,
both here and among all borderers, even as far as at 600 yojanas, where the Yona
king Antiochus (rules) and beyond this Antiochus where four kings are ruling named
Ptolemaios, Antigonas, Magas, and Alexandras, and towards the south (among) the
Codas and Pandyas, as far as Tamraparni (Ceylon, or a river near the tip of the peninsula).
Likewise here in the king’s territory, among the Yonas and Kambojas, among the Nabhakas
and Nabhitis, among the Bhojas and Pitinikas, among the Andhras and Pulindas —
everywhere (people) are conforming to Beloved-of-the-god’s instructions in morality.”
The names have been modernized a little. There is no reason to doubt the
great success of the new method, accompanied as it was by useful public
works along the trade routes, as well as by new trade. RE. 4 may
indicate that the great army was thereafter used mainly for parades and
festival demonstrations.
Asoka’s numerous pillar edicts and the minor inscriptions carry the
same tale further. We obtain a fair idea of the officials and divisions of
the empire. There were viceroys at Ujjain. Taxila, Tosali, and an
aryaputra (high governor) in the Deccan, near Brahmagiri. Asoka
himself seems as a prince to have been viceroy at Taxila, and quelled a
revolt of the inhabitants (perhaps another of the Kha£a) which seems
not unlikely, seeing the deteriorated position of Taxila after the Greek
and Mauryan conquests. He does not call himself *’emperor”, but
“the Magadhan king”, Magadha and the Gangetic valley being directly