Ashoka -- the most famous leader of the Mauryan Empire -- is a beloved historical figure, in India and beyond. His imperial successes, his role in spreading Buddhism, and his story of personal redemption continue to beguile historians and general readers today.

But is the popular narrative completely accurate? We dive into the historical record and look into the inconsistencies, revealing a more nuanced portrait of an emperor whose legacy is larger-than-life.

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Sources (non-exhaustive):

"Emperor Aśoka and Buddhism: Unresolved Discrepancies between Buddhist Tradition & Aśokan Inscriptions," by Ananda W.P. Guruge
"Ashoka and the Decline of the Mauryas," by Romila Thapar
"The Ocean of Churn," by Sanjeev Sanyal
"King Ashoka: His Edicts and His Times," by Ven S. Dhammika
"Ashoka the Great," by M.H. Syed
"Ashoka: the Search for India's Lost Emperor," by Charles Allen
Translated Edicts