Created page with "{{Use Indian English|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox monarch |image = |caption = |birth_name = |birth_date = 3rd Century BCE |birth_place = |death_date = |death_place = |dynasty = Maurya |title = Prince of the Maurya Empire |predecessor = |successor = |spouse = |issue = |father = Bindusara |mother = Subhadrangi |religion = Tirthika, Buddhism }} '''Vitashoka''' or '''Tis..." Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
brief expanded layout to improve readability and improved wording after review |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Use Indian English|date=December | {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}} | ||
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}} | |||
{{Infobox monarch | {{Infobox monarch | ||
|image | | image = | ||
|caption | | caption = | ||
|birth_name | | succession = Prince of [[Maurya Empire|Magadha]] | ||
|birth_date | | birth_name = | ||
|birth_place = | | birth_date = 3rd century BCE | ||
|death_date | | birth_place = | ||
|death_place = | | death_date = | ||
|dynasty | | death_place = | ||
|title | | dynasty = [[Maurya Empire|Maurya]] | ||
|predecessor = | | title = | ||
|successor | | predecessor = | ||
|spouse | | successor = | ||
|issue | | spouse = | ||
|father | | issue = | ||
|mother | | father = [[Bindusara]] | ||
|religion | | mother = [[Subhadrangi]] | ||
| religion = [[Jainism]] <br> (later [[Buddhism]]) | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''Vitashoka''' or '''Tissa''' (born 3rd-century BCE) was a [[prince]] of the [[Maurya Empire]] as the only full-brother of [[Ashoka]],<ref name=strong /> and the only brother left alive by Ashoka. According to [[Divyavadana]], he was a follower of | '''Vitashoka''' or '''Tissa''' (born 3rd-century BCE) was a [[prince]] of the [[Maurya Empire]] as the only full-brother of [[Ashoka]],<ref name=strong /> and the only brother left alive by Ashoka. According to [[Divyavadana]], he was a follower of [[Jainism]] and used to criticize the [[Buddhist monasticism|Buddhist monks]] for living a comfortable life. He was made to sit on the throne by the courtiers. Vitashoka became a monk and practised austerities rigorously. | ||
Vitashoka | In The Series Bharat Ek Khoj | ||
Vitashoka/Tissa was portrayed by [[Lucky Ali]] | |||
==Name== | ==Name== | ||
| Line 36: | Line 39: | ||
Vincent Arthur Smith, | Vincent Arthur Smith, | ||
Edition 2, | Edition 2, | ||
Clarendon Press, 1901, p. 162</ref> [[Theragatha]] commentary<ref>Ashoka, Radhakumud Mookerji, Edition 3, Motilal Banarsidass, 1995, p.7</ref> regards Tissa and Vitashoka as different individuals. Other sources call him Vigatāshoka, Sudatta, or Sugatra. The [[Mahavamsa]] later names him as Ekavihārika.<ref name=thapar>{{cite book|last1=Thapar|first1=Romila|authorlink1=Romila Thapar|title=Aśoka and the decline of the Mauryas|date=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New Delhi|isbn=9780198077244|edition=3rd|url=http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198077244.001.0001/acprof-9780198077244-chapter-2|accessdate=9 January 2016|chapter=2|url-access=subscription }}</ref> | Clarendon Press, 1901, p. 162</ref> [[Theragatha]] commentary<ref>Ashoka, Radhakumud Mookerji, Edition 3, Motilal Banarsidass, 1995, p.7</ref> regards Tissa and Vitashoka as different individuals. Other sources call him '''Vigatāshoka''', '''Sudatta''', or '''Sugatra'''. The [[Mahavamsa]] later names him as '''Ekavihārika'''.<ref name=thapar>{{cite book|last1=Thapar|first1=Romila|authorlink1=Romila Thapar|title=Aśoka and the decline of the Mauryas|date=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New Delhi|isbn=9780198077244|edition=3rd|url=http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198077244.001.0001/acprof-9780198077244-chapter-2|accessdate=9 January 2016|chapter=2|url-access=subscription }}</ref> | ||
==In the | ==In the Legends== | ||
Fifth century legendary text [[Ashokavadana]] narrates a story of someone in [[Pundravardhana]] and then again at [[Pataliputra]] who drew a picture of the [[Buddha]] bowing before [[Mahavira]]. As a punishment, Ashoka ordered the [[Jain monasticism|Jain monks]] to be put to death and declared a reward for killing of [[Jainism|Jains]]. Someone captured Vitashoka taking him to be a Jain. He was taken to Ashoka. After identifying that it was his own brother, Ashoka stopped giving orders for executions.<ref name=strong>{{cite book | author=John S. Strong | authorlink = John S. Strong | title=The Legend of King Aśoka: A Study and Translation of the Aśokāvadāna | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kp9uaQTQ8h8C&pg=PA232 | accessdate=30 October 2012 | year=1989 | publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. | isbn=978-81-208-0616-0 | pages=222–233}}</ref>{{rp|232}} | |||
However, according to the more authentic works based on Ashoka's life, Vitashoka's fate remains unknown after Ashoka | However, according to the more authentic works based on Ashoka's life, Vitashoka's fate remains unknown after Ashoka became emperor. Some scholars suggested that Vitashoka must have become a general or a minister of Ashoka. According to the [[Dipavamsa]], it is stated that Ashoka killed 100 brothers.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.233422|title=The Making Of The Indian Nation|last=Balkrishna Govind Gokhale|publisher=Asia Publishing House, Bombay|pages=22|quote=... killed all his brothers save one and the number of brothers is stated to be 100...This story is obviously inspired by a desire to present a sharp contrast in the character of Ashoka before and after his conversion to Buddhism.}}</ref> In contrast, the [[Mahavamsa]] records that Ashoka killed 99 brothers.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/TheHindusAnAlternativeHistoryWendyDoniger_201404|title=The Hindus An Alternative History|last=Wendy Doniger|publisher=The Penguin Press, New York|year=2009|pages=173|language=English|quote=Myths about Ashoka became current shortly after his own time, when Buddhist texts...this resulted in a fantasy that Ashoka killed his ninety-nine brothers.}}</ref> In Tibbetan Buddhist tradition, [[Taranatha]]’s 'History of Buddhism in India' state that Ashoka killed 6 brothers.{{sfn|Thapar|1961|pp=25–26}} On the other hand, the Buddhist legend [[Ashokavadana]] mentions the killing of only one brother, Susima, without any reference to other brothers being killed. | ||
These variations highlight the discrepancies and uncertainties that arises in interpreting historical events by sectarian Buddhist texts.{{sfn|Lahiri|2015|p=102}} Ashoka's Rock Edict V mentions his brothers and sisters, indicating they were alive during his reign and held noble positions. This contradicts Buddhist legends, which claim he killed all his brothers except one. The edict suggests that such accounts are likely exaggerated. | |||
<ref>{{cite book | last = Olivelle | first = Patrick | title = Ashoka: Portrait of a Philosopher King | publisher = Yale University Press | year = 2023 | isbn = 9780300270006 | page = 84 | url = https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Indian_Lives_Series_Book_1_Ashoka/LsXPEAAAQBAJ?hl=en | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20250823112410/https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Indian_Lives_Series_Book_1_Ashoka/LsXPEAAAQBAJ?hl=en | archive-date = 23 August 2025 | quote = He refers to his sisters, along with his brothers, in Rock Edict V in the context of the duties of the dharma-mahamatras. | access-date = 12 June 2025 | url-status = bot: unknown }}</ref> | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| Line 47: | Line 52: | ||
[[Category:Mauryan dynasty]] | [[Category:Mauryan dynasty]] | ||
[[Category:Mauryan princes]] | [[Category:Mauryan princes]] | ||
[[Category:Family of Ashoka]] | |||
[[Category:3rd-century BC Buddhists]] | |||
[[Category:Indian Buddhists]] | |||
Latest revision as of 07:19, 12 February 2026
| Vitashoka | |
|---|---|
| Prince of Magadha | |
| Born | 3rd century BCE |
| Dynasty | Maurya |
| Father | Bindusara |
| Mother | Subhadrangi |
| Religion | Jainism (later Buddhism) |
Vitashoka or Tissa (born 3rd-century BCE) was a prince of the Maurya Empire as the only full-brother of Ashoka,[1] and the only brother left alive by Ashoka. According to Divyavadana, he was a follower of Jainism and used to criticize the Buddhist monks for living a comfortable life. He was made to sit on the throne by the courtiers. Vitashoka became a monk and practised austerities rigorously.
In The Series Bharat Ek Khoj Vitashoka/Tissa was portrayed by Lucky Ali
Name[edit | edit source]
Vitashoka is referred to as Tissa (or Tisya) in Sri Lankan texts.[2][3] Theragatha commentary[4] regards Tissa and Vitashoka as different individuals. Other sources call him Vigatāshoka, Sudatta, or Sugatra. The Mahavamsa later names him as Ekavihārika.[5]
In the Legends[edit | edit source]
Fifth century legendary text Ashokavadana narrates a story of someone in Pundravardhana and then again at Pataliputra who drew a picture of the Buddha bowing before Mahavira. As a punishment, Ashoka ordered the Jain monks to be put to death and declared a reward for killing of Jains. Someone captured Vitashoka taking him to be a Jain. He was taken to Ashoka. After identifying that it was his own brother, Ashoka stopped giving orders for executions.[1]:232 However, according to the more authentic works based on Ashoka's life, Vitashoka's fate remains unknown after Ashoka became emperor. Some scholars suggested that Vitashoka must have become a general or a minister of Ashoka. According to the Dipavamsa, it is stated that Ashoka killed 100 brothers.[6] In contrast, the Mahavamsa records that Ashoka killed 99 brothers.[7] In Tibbetan Buddhist tradition, Taranatha’s 'History of Buddhism in India' state that Ashoka killed 6 brothers.[8] On the other hand, the Buddhist legend Ashokavadana mentions the killing of only one brother, Susima, without any reference to other brothers being killed. These variations highlight the discrepancies and uncertainties that arises in interpreting historical events by sectarian Buddhist texts.[9] Ashoka's Rock Edict V mentions his brothers and sisters, indicating they were alive during his reign and held noble positions. This contradicts Buddhist legends, which claim he killed all his brothers except one. The edict suggests that such accounts are likely exaggerated. [10]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 John S. Strong (1989). The Legend of King Aśoka: A Study and Translation of the Aśokāvadāna. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. pp. 222–233. ISBN 978-81-208-0616-0. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
- ↑ Yuan Chwang's travels in India Volumes 14-15 of Oriental Translation Fund Volume 2 of On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629-645 A.D, Stephen Wootton Bushell Authors Thomas Watters, Vincent Arthur Smith Editors Thomas William Rhys Davids, Stephen Wootton Bushell Royal Asiatic Society, 1905 p. 95
- ↑ Ashoka, the Buddhist Emperor of India, Volume 2 Volume 29 of Rulers of India, Ashoka, the Buddhist emperor of India, Vincent Arthur Smith, Edition 2, Clarendon Press, 1901, p. 162
- ↑ Ashoka, Radhakumud Mookerji, Edition 3, Motilal Banarsidass, 1995, p.7
- ↑ Thapar, Romila (2012). "2". Aśoka and the decline of the Mauryas (3rd ed.). New Delhi: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198077244. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
- ↑ Balkrishna Govind Gokhale. The Making Of The Indian Nation. Asia Publishing House, Bombay. p. 22.
... killed all his brothers save one and the number of brothers is stated to be 100...This story is obviously inspired by a desire to present a sharp contrast in the character of Ashoka before and after his conversion to Buddhism.
- ↑ Wendy Doniger (2009). The Hindus An Alternative History. The Penguin Press, New York. p. 173.
Myths about Ashoka became current shortly after his own time, when Buddhist texts...this resulted in a fantasy that Ashoka killed his ninety-nine brothers.
- ↑ Thapar 1961, pp. 25–26.
- ↑ Lahiri 2015, p. 102.
- ↑ Olivelle, Patrick (2023). Ashoka: Portrait of a Philosopher King. Yale University Press. p. 84. ISBN 9780300270006. Archived from the original on 23 August 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
He refers to his sisters, along with his brothers, in Rock Edict V in the context of the duties of the dharma-mahamatras.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)