Statement I : King Ashoka abolished capital punishment and disbanded his army. Statement II : After Kalinga War, Ashoka was remorseful and became a Buddhist.
- A.Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I
- B.Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I
- C.Statement I is true but Statement II is false
- D.Statement I is false but Statement II is true
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, Statement I is false but Statement II is true. Ashoka turned to Buddhism after the Kalinga war, but he neither abolished the death penalty nor disbanded his army.
The Kalinga war, fought around 261 BCE in the eighth year of his reign, left over a lakh dead, and in Rock Edict XIII Ashoka records his deep remorse. He then took up Buddhism and preached dhamma, a code of tolerance, non-violence and care for all. Yet his Pillar Edict IV shows that the death sentence remained; he only allowed condemned prisoners a respite of three days. Rock Edict XIII also warns the forest tribes that the king still has power to punish them, and the Mauryan army was kept intact to hold the empire together.
Option A is wrong because Statement I is false. Option B is wrong for the same reason. Option C is wrong because it reverses the truth: Statement I is false and Statement II is true.
Exam tip: Kalinga war and remorse: Rock Edict XIII; three-day respite for the condemned: Pillar Edict IV.
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