UPSC Prelims 2020 · Question 50 of 100
UPSC Prelims 2020 question on Ashoka Rock Edict XII
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2020
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectAncient History
- TopicMauryan Age
- DifficultyHard
- TypeDirect
Who among the following rulers advised his subjects through this inscription?
'Whosoever praises his religious sect or blames other sects out of excessive devotion to his own sect, with the view of glorifying his own sect, he rather injures his own sect very severely.'
Show answer
Answer: A. Ashoka
This inscription is from Major Rock Edict XII of Ashoka: Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, honors both ascetics and the householders of all religions, and he honors them with gifts and honors of various kinds.
But Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, does not value gifts and honors as much as he values this — that there should be growth in the essentials of all religions. Growth in essentials can be done in different ways, but all of them have as their root restraint in speech, that is, not praising one's own religion, or condemning the religion of others without good cause.
Whoever praises his own religion, due to excessive devotion, and condemns others with the thought 'Let me glorify my own religion,' only harms his own religion.
Therefore contact (between religions) is good. One should listen to and respect the doctrines professed by others. Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, desires that all should be well-learned in the good doctrines of other religions.
This reflects Ashoka's policy of Dhamma — a code of conduct or ideal social behaviour common to all religions of the world.
Hence option (a) — Ashoka — is the correct answer.