Later there was a great change in the
conditions of Magadha. The rule of the Nandas ended; the reign of Chandragupta Maurya
started. During this period Kalinga had become free. She now took every opportunity to
make Magadha feel her strength. Bindusara, son of Chandragupta Maurya, became the king of
the state after his father's death. After Bindusara's death, Ashoka, his son, ascended the
throne. (It was this Ashoka, who later came to be called 'Ashoka the great' and who has
won a great place in our history.)
Ashoka was already the ruler of a vast empire.But Kalinga, his southern neighbor, was
still free. his, he could not bear. Eight years after he became king, he decided to attack
this state. And he was determined to cripple Kalinga forever.
Compared to Magadha, Kalinga was a small state. But the Kalingas were a freedom-loving
people, with a great sense of self-respect. They fought fearlessly for their freedom. But
before Ashoka's mighty army it all proved useless.Kalinga became subordinate to Ashoka.
One of the stone edicts of Ashoka describes this terrible war as follow, "Eight
years after he became king,Ashoka,known as 'Devanampriya' (the favorite of the Gods)
conquer Kalinga. He took one hundred and fifty thousand persons as prisoners; another
hundred thousand were killed; the injured were countless."
Ashoka saw with his own eyes the horror of the war. He could not bear the sight of the
death, destruction and suffering that the war had wrought.
Blood flowed like a stream. The battlefield was full of the dead bodies of men and
animals. The cry of the wounded and the dying was unbearable. His heart melted. I shall
not fight again," he decided. He embraced Buddhism, which lays stress on
But Kalinga had lost her freedom.