Asoka: The Buddhist Emperor of India

by Vincent Arthur Smith

The Buddhist Emperor of India is a historical book written by Vincent A. Smith. The book provides a detailed account of the life and reign of Emperor Asoka, who ruled India from 268 to 232 BCE. Asoka was the third monarch of the Mauryan dynasty and is considered one of the greatest rulers in Indian history. The book delves into Asoka's early life, his rise to power, and his transformation from a ruthless conqueror to a compassionate Buddhist emperor. Smith explores the various aspects of Asoka's reign, including his policies, edicts, and religious beliefs. The author also examines the impact of Asoka's reign on Indian society, culture, and religion. The book is divided into several chapters, each focusing on a specific aspect of Asoka's life and reign. The author uses a variety of sources, including historical records, inscriptions, and archaeological findings, to provide a comprehensive and accurate account of Asoka's reign. The Buddhist Emperor of India is a valuable resource for anyone interested in Indian history, Buddhism, or the Mauryan dynasty. The book is well-researched and provides a fascinating insight into the life and reign of one of India's greatest rulers.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Genres: India, History

Paperback

First published May 1, 2006

About the author

Vincent Arthur Smith CIE (3 June 1843 – 6 February 1920) was an Irish Indologist, historian, member of the Indian Civil Service, and curator. He was one of the prominent figures in Indian historiography during the British Raj.

In the 1890s, he was key to exposing the forgeries of Alois Anton Führer, then working for the Archaeological Survey of India, who Smith caught in the act of making fake inscriptions.

Reviews

[Vishnu Chevli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka, they have a good number of books dedicated to them in our historical fiction shelf. Many of them were related to Chanakya. Well as I said, they are all "Historical Fiction" which means at the end they are fiction. And most of the fictions are written as thrillers or war/strategy book, so it would show more violent and emotional side which affect readers the most. Till now I haven't read historical records or researched book on Mauryas. So when an opportunity was appeared to review "Asoka The Buddhist Emperor of India" by Vincent Smith I simply grabbed it.

I was not aware Asoka was such a well researched and well-accepted book worldwide. The book is published in multiple languages in multiple countries.

Being a historic scholar and having exposure to multiple ancient Indian sites, Vincent (the author) has dug out as many relevant information about Asoka than we can find in folklore. The author has been to various sites which were created during Asoka's time. He has studied them and presented us with the crux of his findings.

We have heard much myth about Asoka how he became king by killing his 100 brothers. What if I say there is no proof of that theory. What all Asoka did after the war of Kalinga? Read this book to know more.

The language of the book is slight academical. So is the flow to the subject and medium paced. For people who wanted to know about the great empire and its culture, this is a nice pick. People looking for story and action may stay away from the book. I know cover can misguide you by giving a different picture. And that' what we are for.

Overall a different style & genre. Content of the book is deep.

I would give 3/5 to this book

Detailed Review Link - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2019/...

[Anil Swarup · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely well researched offering from Vincent E Smith. The book primarily centres around understanding of Asoka through his 84000 edicts, some of which have been analysed and discussed at length. A book worth reading for those researching on the subject.

[Rahul Waghmare · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a reference book rather than a biography. You may get overall glimpses of life and times of emperor Ashoka, but the text runs through mostly with evidences and their interpretations.