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What does Ashokan inscriptions tell about the Mauryas? Describe the limitations of the inscriptional evidences. |
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Answer» Solution :The Ashokan inscriptions deseribe the era of Mauryan empire from 269 BCE to 232 BCE The pillats are scattered in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. They are mostly about Buddhism which was prevalent in this subcontinent. They tell about the dharma, social and moral values, about Ashoka's efforts to spread Buddhism. Ashoka refers to himself as Devanam Piya. His conversion to Buddhism, his advice to the monks and people and the ideas about morals arc the major thenmes The limitations of these inscriptions: We do not know much about the times as the themes are limited We have no way of KNOWING whether the reforms given in the edicts were brought into practice. (i) Letters are very faintly engraved, and thus RECONSTRUCTIONS are uncertain. (ii) Inscriptions may be damaged or letters missing (iii) It is not always easy to be sure about the exact meaning of the words used in inscriptions. (iv) Not all have been DECIPHERED, published and translated. (V) Politically or ECONOMICALLY significant was necessarily not recorded in inscriptions (vi) Routine agricultural practices and the joys and sorrows uof daily existence find no mention in inscriptions |
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