What name is used for Ashoka in the Puranic tradition?
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Puranic genealogical tradition refers to Ashoka by the name Ashokavardhana. Mauryan history is reconstructed from several different bodies of evidence: Ashokan inscriptions, archaeological remains, the Arthashastra tradition, Buddhist and Jain narratives, Puranic genealogies, and Greek or Roman accounts. These sources were produced at different times and for different purposes, so their claims should not automatically be treated as identical in reliability. Contemporary inscriptions are especially valuable for royal titles, donations and administrative messages, whereas later religious traditions often preserve influential memories that should be identified explicitly as traditions. Devanampiya and Piyadasi are inscriptional epithets, while Dharmashoka is a religious or literary designation; they are not the specific Puranic name requested.