Ashoka the Great

Synopsis

Ashoka the Great is a historical novel that tells the story of the rise, crisis, and transformation of one of the most enigmatic and revolutionary rulers of antiquity. Ashoka, grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, seizes power with determination and ferocity. The height of his reign coincides with the bloody Battle of Kalinga — a massacre that marks a point of no return in his conscience. Instead of celebrating victory, Ashoka is overwhelmed by remorse and horror at the destruction caused by his own ambition. From that moment begins his metamorphosis: the warrior emperor becomes the “righteous king,” embracing the teachings of Buddhism and choosing to rule not through the power of weapons, but through the Dharma — the law of compassion, tolerance, and justice. The novel follows the stages of this inner and political evolution: the struggle to reconcile power with new ideals, the tensions with the court and the army, the dialogue with monks and advisors, up to the promulgation of the famous Edicts, which still bear witness to the concrete utopia of a sovereign who renounced violence to rule through morality. Blending epic and reflective moments, Ashoka the Great is not merely a historical fresco, but an invitation to the modern reader to reflect on power, responsibility, and the possibility of radical change grounded in inner ethics.

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Excerpt

...“And yet, you are not at peace — you are still fighting within yourself.”

Ashoka held his breath. Those words dug deep, like water seeping into the cracks of a stone.

“They say one cannot rule without the sword,” he murmured at last.

“Perhaps. Or perhaps true rule does not arise from fear, but from understanding.” The monk closed his eyes for a moment, then reopened them — clear as the sky after the monsoon. “Have you ever heard the story of the two children and the mud cake?”

Ashoka looked at him with curiosity. “No, but I’m certain you’re about to tell me.”

The monk smiled faintly. “Long ago, in a distant village, two little brothers were playing in the mud. When the Buddha and his followers passed through the village, the elder of the two, moved by a pure impulse, shaped a mud cake and offered it with devotion. The Buddha smiled, accepted the gift, and foretold that the boy would be reborn as a great ruler, destined to govern with wisdom. But the younger brother’s path was bound to his as well — he would be reborn as his wife and queen, the one who would walk beside him in the Dharma.”

Ashoka remained silent. The story was simple, almost childlike. Yet the weight it carried was anything but light...