Editing Ashoka (section)

=== Kalinga war ===
According to Ashoka's Major Rock Edict 13, he conquered Kalinga 8 years after ascending to the throne. The edict states that during his conquest of Kalinga, 100,000 men and animals were killed in action; many times that number "perished"; and 150,000 men and animals were carried away from Kalinga as captives. Ashoka states that the repentance of these sufferings caused him to devote himself to the practice and propagation of dharma.{{sfn|Guruge|1995|p=38}} He proclaims that he now considered the slaughter, death and deportation caused during the conquest of a country painful and deplorable; and that he considered the suffering caused to the religious people and householders even more deplorable.{{sfn|Guruge|1995|p=38}}

This edict has been inscribed at several places, including Erragudi, Girnar, Kalsi, Maneshra, Shahbazgarhi and Kandahar.{{sfn|Guruge|1995|p=37}} However, it is omitted in Ashoka's inscriptions found in the Kalinga region, where the Rock Edicts 13 and 14 have been replaced by two separate edicts that make no mention of Ashoka's remorse. It is possible that Ashoka did not consider it politically appropriate to make such a confession to the people of Kalinga.{{sfn|Thapar|1995|pp=30–31}} Another possibility is the Kalinga war and its consequences, as described in Ashoka's rock edicts, are "more imaginary than real". This description is meant to impress those far removed from the scene, thus unable to verify its accuracy.{{sfn|Guruge|1995|p=56}}

Ancient sources do not mention any other military activity of Ashoka, although the 16th-century writer [[Taranatha]] claims that Ashoka conquered the entire Jambudvipa.{{sfn|Thapar|1961|p=36}}