Ashoka the Great

Hello! My name is Ashoka. I lived a very, very long time ago. I was a prince in a big, beautiful land called India. When I grew up, I became the king of the mighty Mauryan Empire around the year 268 BCE. My kingdom was full of amazing animals, tall mountains, and wonderful people.

When I first became king, I thought a strong ruler had to be a great warrior. I led my soldiers into a big battle to make my kingdom even bigger. This was the Kalinga War around 261 BCE. We won, but when I saw how many people were hurt, my heart felt very sad. I decided right then that I didn't want to be a warrior king anymore. I wanted to be a king who ruled with kindness and peace.

After that day, I spent the rest of my life helping people. I followed the peaceful teachings of Buddhism. I had messages of love and respect carved onto tall stone pillars for everyone to read. I wanted all people and animals to be treated gently. I lived a long life and passed away around 232 BCE. People remember me as a great king who chose peace over fighting. Today, a special wheel from one of my pillars, the Ashoka Chakra, is in the middle of India's flag to remember my dream of a kind and peaceful world.