Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c6.3493

v1.c6.3493

Asoka had several wives. His first wife was the daughter of a merchant of **Vedisagiri**, whom he met when stopping at the merchant’s house on his way to **Ujjeni**.¹⁰ Her name was **Devī**, also called **Vedisa-Mahādevī**, and she was a Sākyan, descended from a Sākyan family who migrated to Vedisa to escape from **Viḍūḍabha**.¹¹ Of Devī were born a son **Mahinda**, and a daughter **Saṅghamittā**, who became the wife of **Aggibrahmā** and mother of **Sumana**. Devī evidently did not follow Asoka to Pāṭaliputta, for his *aggamahesī* there was **Asandhamittā**.¹² Asandhamittā died in the thirtieth year of Asoka’s reign, and four years later he raised **Tissa-rakkhā** to the rank of queen.¹³