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Chest fallen emperor was looking out of his window. Through the veil of clouds, he could see the bloodbath, the silent cries of the wounded, vultures circling the dead, and picking on the eyes and exposed flesh of the dying. The river, which symbolized Kindness had turned red. 150,000 gave their lives for the freedom of their land. It was too little. He had fulfilled long cherished dream of his grandfather. He had claimed the impossible and recorded impossible win in the annals of history. He was the imperial king of the land from mountains to sea. Yet it tasted like ash.
Killing 99 of his brothers, they were not fit to rule such vast empire and the dynasty would crumble. It was for greater good. 500 ministers he ordered to be beheaded, were not loyal. Disloyal ministers would eat up the throne like termite, brining in the ruin of the glory of the Mauryan empire. Ashoka’s Hell was needed to send a message to people not to step out of line. 500 concubines had insulted him. It felt like fire burning his rough skin. He needed them to know how it felt being burnt alive. Being called Kamashok, and then Chandalashok did not bother him. He had justified everything in past. For all the dead bodies on Dhauli Hills, he had no justification. His lust for power and his beliefs had caused the death of 250,000 men. Many would follow later with septic wounds or diseases that would spread soon after the war with soil tasting the rotting fresh around. He had no justification. He had won. Democracy was defeated. He knew it was his defeat.
The emperor renounced violence and embraced the path of peace, preached by The Enlightened One, who once was a prince. He, who spoke of peace and non-violence. He needed to warn other kings the horror of biasness, violence, lust for power and anarchy. He believed his Dharma Chakra would tell it all.
He hoped, he would spread the words, and philosophy of Buddha amongst all contemporary teachers and leaders, of new ideas, thoughts and visions. He saw him as bull, the most significant inseminator, seeding the philosophy of non-violence. He knew Dharma cannot be practiced without a willful effort to do good. It needs loyalty, speed, and energy. He wanted to be the royal horse carrying the doctrine of peace loyally, with speed and energy. His dream was to show his people the path to become mentally strong and steadfast. Practice of Dharma controls and tames the uncontrolled minds drawn to adharma like hatred, fanatism, and communalism to become transparent and responsible. His wished the teaching of his Buddha would spread across the land and seas. Four lions, representing Buddha looking in four directions stood up for protection against the uncontrolled mind, tyranny, spreading the teaching of equality, justice & ahimsa (non-violence) in all spheres of life.
He was done with all that was evil. He had become Priyadarshini-Ashok. From his windows he has been seeing the rising carnage, the willful destruction, and the anarchy.
He could see his defeat again. The defeat he felt he felt on the sands of river Daya, seemed so insignificant now. This defeat felt harsher and more intense. He had lost. The spirit of Dharma Chakra was shattered while its lifeless body was crowned.
