1878.] Eajendralala Mitra — On the Early Life of Aioka. 11 



meaning. Asoka was uncomely in his person, and that was the cause o£ his 

 not winning the affection of his father. His conduct too was repulsive. He 

 was so very unruly and troublesome, that he got the nick-name of Chanda 

 or ' the violent.' His father made him over for training to an astrologer, 

 named Pingalavatsa, who foretold, after casting various kinds of lots, that 

 the boy would succeed his father on the throne of Pataliputra. 



When the prince had attained his jnajority, his character did not 

 mend ; he was found so troublesome, that it was deemed advisable to get 

 rid of him by deputing him to quell a mutiny which had broken out at 

 Takshasila, at a great distance from the seat of the empire. His efforts, 

 Beconded, according to the text, by a divine declaration resounding in the 

 air and certain celestial arms dropped therefrom for his use, proved 

 successful, and he was well received by the people of that place. In 

 the meantime his elder brother Susima created disturbances at Pataliputra, 

 and offended the chief minister, through whose intrigue he too was sent to 

 Takshasila, and Asoka was recalled therefrom. 



Soon after, the king fell ill, appointed Asoka, through the instigation 

 of the minister but much against his own will, regent during the absence 

 of his eldest son Susima, and died. Asoka was immediately after anoint- 

 ed and placed on the throne. Susima, on his return, disappointed of his 

 patrimony, rose against his younger brother, and attacked Pataliputra ; but 

 Asoka, through his able minister Kadha Gupta, overpowered him, and, 

 to prevent future disturbances, ordered his ministers " to lop off the heads 

 of all the trees in the royal garden with their flowers and fruits," in the 

 same sense in which Tarquin the Proud lopped off the heads of the " tallest 

 poppies" in his garden, to instruct his son as to what he should do. The 

 ministers demurred, and so he himself struck off their heads, and, retiring 

 to a garden with the ladies of the palace, enjoyed for a time the pleasures of 

 life to the utmost. 



Noticing one day that some of the ladies had broken the branches of an 

 Asoka tree, (Jone'sia Asoka) he was very much annoyed, and directed a wicked 

 man named Chandagirika, " the fierce mountaineer," to burn them to ashes 

 on a large fire, and this was immediately done. The mountaineer, however, 

 soon after met his deserts. Sarthavaha, a rich merchant, had proceeded to 

 sea in the company of a hundred other merchants, and there had a son born 

 unto him, who was named Samudra. On his way home, after twelve years, 

 falling into the hands of pirates, he was deprived of his effects, and 

 murdered along with all his companions. His son Samudra alone escaped, 

 and led the life of a Buddhist beggar. Once he came to the house of the 

 mountaineer to beg alms, and was set upon, but could not by any means be 

 murdered. Surprised at it, the mountaineer reported the circumstance to 

 Asoka. The king came to see the strange beggar, heard everything from 

 him, and then cut off the Jiead of the mountaineer. 



