Ashoka's Dharma : Its interpretations and paradigms as gleaned from rock edicts; An article by Dr. G C Chauhan

ASOKA DHARMA: ITS INTERPRETATIONS AND PARADIGMS AS GLEANED FROM ROCK EDICTS

                                                                           

          Dharma is one of those Sanskrit terms that defy all attempt at an exact rendering into English or any other language. This term has passed through several changes. My attempt here is to briefly define and examine the Asoka ‘Dharma’ through the lances of epigraphic traditions of Asoka’s times and explain the paradigms of Dharmaas  reflected in the edicts of Asoka and the changes introduced over the time. The notion of dharma which has been depicted in Asoken epigraphic traditions time and again in all-comprehensive, confusing and the same time difficult to define or understand.

Welcome to Chauhan's HIstory Blog

History has been quite a subject of interest amongst people but the perception that youth has of History shows their ignorance of such a vast, wide rational discipline. We grow up in a society where more leverage is often given to life sciences, mechanical and technical streams and other vocational discipline rather than humanities. It is not for the reason that these streams interest them more but this is merely notion in India that one can produce the best intellect if one has ever been the part of a Science School or Engineering College or a Medical Institution. With the passage of time this thought also changed a bit and people got attracted to paramedical and non-medical sciences. Above all with the growing influnces of capitalization and industrialization, commerce got bit more preference. Still Humanity lacked behind. It is general perception in India that one who can not opt for either of Commerce or Science, should opt for ART as there is hardly anything else left for him to do.