Which Mauryan ruler renounced aggressive warfare and gave greater emphasis to dhamma after the Kalinga War?

Ashoka. Kalinga War because the conquest caused death, deportation and widespread suffering. He subsequently presented dhamma-vijaya—conquest through ethical influence—as superior to aggressive military conquest and expanded measures for public welfare and moral conduct. The wording is deliberately precise: Ashoka’s Buddhist inclination may have begun before the war, but Kalinga clearly became the turning point in his publicly stated imperial policy. Option A, Bindusara, is incorrect because he was Ashoka’s father and ruled before the Kalinga War associated with Ashoka. Option B, Chandragupta Maurya, is incorrect because he founded the Mauryan Empire much earlier and Jain tradition, not the Kalinga edicts, is linked with his later religious life. Option D, Dasharatha, is incorrect because he was Ashoka’s grandson and successor; he did not fight the famous Kalinga War. Thus contemporary inscriptional evidence identifies Ashoka.Emperor Ashoka adopted Buddhism after witnessing the destruction caused by the Kalinga War.

Use the exact Bihar-specific place, period, institution or function stated in the stem.

Bindusara, Chandragupta Maurya, Dasharatha represent different geographical, historical or administrative associations.

Revise the full pair ‘Which Mauryan ruler renounced aggressive warfare and gave greater emphasis to dhamma after the Kalinga War? — Ashoka’ with its context.

Bihar is famous for being the center of ancient kingdoms such as Magadha, the Maurya Empire, and the Gupta Empire. It is also known for Nalanda University and its contribution to Buddhism and Jainism.

Patna is the capital city of Bihar and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It was historically known as Pataliputra.