MAURYAN POWER STRUGGLE

POWER STRUGGLE

Ashoka was born as Devanampriya Priyadarshi Samrat Ashoka, in 304 BC, in Patliputra (close to modern-day Patna), to the second emperor of the Mauryan Dynasty, Bindusara and Subhadrangi. He was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, founder of the Maurya dynasty and the builder of one of the largest empires in ancient India. His mother was queen Subhadrangi. She gave him the name Ashoka, meaning "one without sorrow". Ashoka had several elder siblings, all of whom were his half-brothers from the other wives of his father Bindusara. Ashoka was given royal military training. Born into a royal family, he was good at fighting since childhood and received royal military training. Besides, he was also excellent at hunting, evident from his ability to kill a lion with only a wooden rod.
He was considered a fearless and heartless military leader; he was deputed to curb the riots in the Avanti province of the empire. He was appointed the Viceroy of Avanti province in 286 BC after suppressing the uprising at Ujjain. Bindusara wanted his elder son Susima to succeed him but Ashoka was supported by his father's ministers, who found Susima to be arrogant and disrespectful towards them. A minister named Radhagupta seems to have played an important role in Ashoka's rise to the throne. Radhagupta would later be appointed prime minister by Ashoka once he had gained the throne.
The Dipavansa and Mahavansa refer to Ashoka's killing 99 of his brothers, sparing only one, named Vitashoka or Tissa, although there is no clear proof about this incident. The coronation happened in 269 BCE, four years after his succession to the throne.
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