Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c11.146
Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c11.146
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c11.146
The second dominant fact about Aśoka was his paramount position as the emperor of a vast empire (*Mahālaka Vijita*), extending right from Bactria to Mysore and from Saurāṣṭra on shore of the western ocean to Kaliṅga on the eastern sea-coast. His authority was unchallenged and almost unparalleled. All that he did was in the capacity of the supreme head of the secular state and also as the spiritual guide, friend and philosopher of the strongly organised church of Buddhism. Whatever the emperor would think, plan and do, the effect of the emperor's power as the supreme ruler of his people would primarily dictate action and had to be taken into account.