Question

Consider the following Maurya rulers:
1) Ashoka
2) Dasaratha
3) Brihadratha
4) Kunal

Who among them bore the title of Devanampiya?
A) Only 1
B) 1 and 2
C) 1, 2, and 3
D) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer 1

Hint: He was born in an ancient Greek city called Pella. He ruled from 336 B.C. to 323 B.C. He belonged to the Argead Dynasty, which was the founder and the ruling dynasty of the Kingdom of Macedonia. After sacking the city of Thebes, he was awarded the generalship of Greece.

Complete answer:
The word ‘Devanampriya’ literally means, ‘beloved of the Gods’. In the Mauryan Empire, it was used to refer to king Ashoka who was also known as Ashoka the Great. He was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, who was the founder of the Mauryan Empire. He ruled almost the entire Indian subcontinent from 268 B.C. to 232 B.C. His empire covered all the areas from Afghanistan in the west to Bangladesh in the east. His capital was in Patliputra which is presently known as Patna.

‘Devanampriya’ is also used to refer to another Mauryan ruler, Dasharatha. He was referred to as ‘Devanampriya’ in the inscriptions found in the Barabar Hill Caves. He was the grandson of Ashoka and he still continued Ashoka’s religious and social policies. Under his rule, the Mauryan empire lost several territories and the empire began to decline. His reign began in 232 B.C and ended in 224 B.C. when he died. He was succeeded by his cousin Samprati, who managed to revive the Mauryan Empire.

The Mauryan ruler Bihadratha was also known as Maratha, which means the ‘Grand Charioteer’. Kunal on the other hand was the son of King Ashoka, but he never succeeded his father, as he was blinded at a very young age. Thus, Ruler number (3) and (4) were not called Devanampriya.

Thus, the correct answer is Option (B) Both 1 and 2.

Note: The title ‘Devanampriya’ was also used to refer to Tissa of Anuradhapura, a Sri Lankan ruler who ruled from 307 B.C. to 267 B.C. Tissa was responsible for the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka with support from the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The Mahavamsa is an epic Sri Lankan poem, written in Pali which tells us about Tissa of Anuradhapuram.