Question 75 from UPSC CSE 2016 - Ancient
History

Question

Who among the following had first deciphered the edicts of Emperor Ashoka?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. James Prinsep

Strategy: Recall the specific historical figure associated with the first deciphering of Emperor Ashoka's edicts. This is a factual recall question requiring no complex analysis.

Key Info: **James Prinsep (1799–1840)**
- A British scholar, orientalist, and numismatist who worked for the East India Company.
- He is renowned for being the first to decipher the ancient Indian scripts of Brahmi and Kharosthi in 1837.
- This breakthrough enabled the reading of Ashokan edicts, which were written primarily in these scripts. His work provided invaluable insights into Emperor Ashoka's reign, the Mauryan Empire, and the spread of Buddhism in ancient India.
- He was also the founding editor of the *Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal*.

**Ashokan Edicts**
- A collection of over 33 inscriptions on pillars, rock surfaces, and cave walls, commissioned by Emperor Ashoka (268 to 232 BCE) of the Mauryan Dynasty.
- **Content:** Primarily convey Ashoka's policy of 'Dhamma' (righteous conduct, peace, non-violence, and social welfare), his administrative reforms, and instructions to his officials.
- **Language and Script:** Most edicts are in Prakrit language using the Brahmi script. In the northwest, some were written in Kharosthi script, and bilingual or even trilingual inscriptions (Aramaic, Greek) have been found.
- **Significance:** They are primary sources for understanding Ashoka's reign, his moral philosophy, and the socio-political conditions of the Mauryan period.

**Georg Bühler (1837–1898)**
- A German Indologist who specialized in ancient Indian law and epigraphy.
- He made significant contributions to the study of ancient Indian scripts, including extensive work on the Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts, and edited many ancient Indian texts.

**Max Müller (1823–1900)**
- A German-born philologist and Orientalist, primarily associated with the study of the Vedic texts and Sanskrit.
- He edited the monumental 50-volume series *Sacred Books of the East*, which translated significant religious texts of Asia.
- He was instrumental in introducing Indian philosophy and religion to the Western world.

**William Jones (1746–1794)**
- A British philologist and judge in India, known for his work in comparative linguistics.
- He is celebrated for proposing the theory of a relationship among the Indo-European languages (then called Indo-Germanic).
- He founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784, which became a leading institution for Oriental studies, and initiated the journal *Asiatic Researches*.
- He translated several Sanskrit works, including *Abhijnanasakuntalam* and *Hitopadesha*, into English.

Answer

Option A: Georg Buhler

Answer

Option C: Max Muller

Answer

Option D: William Jones