RAS question
Which Mauryan emperor's edict mentions 'Dhamma' and has been found in Rajasthan at Bairath?
Correct answer: (C) Ashoka.
Ashoka's Bhabru, or Bairath, edict is the Mauryan edict associated with Dhamma and found at Bairath in Rajasthan.
Explanation
The Bhabru, or Bairath, edict belongs to Ashoka. It is an Ashokan edict found at Bairath in Jaipur district, recording Ashoka's reverence for the Buddhist Sangha and Dhamma. The edict lists seven Buddhist texts, is unique among Ashokan edicts for directly mentioning Buddhism, and was discovered by Captain Burt in 1840. Encyclopaedia Britannica supports the Rajasthan link: rock inscriptions found near Bairat in north-central Rajasthan show the area was under Ashoka, the Mauryan emperor, in the 3rd century BCE. Ashoka therefore fits both the edictal reference to Dhamma and the Bairath location.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Bindusara did not issue any discovered edicts, while the Bhabru, or Bairath, edict belongs to Ashoka.
- (B) No edicts of Chandragupta Maurya have been found, while the Bairath evidence is tied to Ashoka.
- (D) Samprati's edicts are not found in Rajasthan, while the Bhabru, or Bairath, edict is found at Bairath in Rajasthan.
Concept
Mauryan epigraphy in Rajasthan uses Ashokan inscriptions as historical evidence. Bairath links Rajasthan's early historical archaeology with the wider Mauryan imperial and Buddhist context, making it important for RAS preparation.