Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c11.s20.45

c11.s20.45

The reign of Asoka forms the brightest page in the history of India. The ruler himself takes rank easily among the masterminds of the world, and under his leadership India came to occupy the foremost place among the civilized nations of the time. Inheritor of an extensive and highly organised empire, Asoka proved fully worthy of his heritage; he was a man of unbounded energy and he gave himself without stint to the tasks of perfecting the administration of his empire and ensuring the happiness of his subjects. The range of his sympathies was wide, and he was by no means unwilling to adapt foreign models of administration and art to the growing needs and tastes of his country.