History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v1.c12.7

v1.c12.7

Asoka himself had left enough materials for us in his 13th edict about his conquest of Kalinga and in the special edicts at Dhauli and Jaugada about the administration of the newly conquered territory. In the 13th edict Asoka says that Kalinga was conquered by him in the 8th year from his coronation. During the conquest one hundred and fifty thousand men were captured and carried away into slavery, one hundred thousand men were killed and many times that number died as the result of the war. The horror of having killed many hundred thousands of men in action, as well as by the indirect effects of this campaign, is very well expressed by that Emperor himself, and there are no reasons to doubt the sincerity of the great Emperor’s contrition. In a little country like Kaliṅga, even if we take it at its greatest extension, from the mouth of the Ganges to that of the Godāvarī, the slaughter of three or four hundred thousand men and the capture of one hundred and fifty thousand must have meant terrible carnage. The numbers of Kaliṅgans, who were captured, killed or died of privations, indicate the stubborn resistance of the nation to the aggression of the Northern Empire. In that little strip of country, extending along the Eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal, many a great battle must have been fought from the banks of the Suvarṇarekhā to that of the Kṛṣṇā. A small but determined army could have opposed an invader at every river and there are so many of them all through. Aśoka is silent about the number of engagements, because it was not his object to record the events of his reign. There are hundreds of impregnable forts along the foot of the Eastern Ghats, at least some of which must have been stormed before the entire country submitted to Aśoka Maurya. Then comes the privations and horrors of a foreign invasion; the destruction of standing crops; the burning and plunder of markets and bazars and the consequent famine and pestilence, which follow in the wake of such castastrophes due to the wickedness of man. The number of persons killed in action and those captured during the war must have been infinitesimal compared with the vast numbers that died of starvation, and plague and other diseases which each great war in this world carries in its train. Aśoka himself says: "Verily the slaughter, death and captivity of the people, that occur when an unconquered (country) is being conquered, is looked upon as extremely painful and regrettable by the Beloved of the God. But this is to be looked upon as more regrettable than that, namely, that there dwell Brahmanic, Sramanic, and other sects and house-holders, among whom are established this hearkening to the elders, hearkening to the parents, hearkening to the preceptors, seemly behaviour and steadfast devotion to friends, acquaintances, companions and relatives, and to slaves and servants. There (in the war) to such (pious) people befall personal violence, death, or banishment from the loved ones. And in case they are settled in life and possess undiminished affection, their friends, acquaintances, companions and relatives (thereby) meet with a calamity, (and) their that (calamity) becomes their personal violence....Even one-hundredth or one-thousandth part of those who were slain, died, or were captured in Kalinga, is to-day considered regrettable by the Beloved of the gods." This expression of remorse has been believed to be genuine by all modern writers on the subject. The great Emperor ordered the incision of this edict at all places except within the boundaries of Kalinga proper. So, later in life, Asoka was ashamed to express even his remorse in the country of Kalinga, so great was his remorse and so long was its continuity.¹