Which one of the following was not a part of the dhamma of King Ashoka?

Ashoka's Dhamma was a code of ethical conduct and social responsibility rather than a religious creed or a system of royal glorification. The core principles included religious tolerance, where he insisted that all religions should co-exist and that the essence of all sects should be honored [3]. His edicts specifically mention respecting Brahmanas, Shramanas, and various other sects. Furthermore, promoting the welfare of his subjects was a central pillar; he viewed his subjects as his children and appointed Dhamma Mahamattas to ensure their well-being and happiness [1]. While Ashoka emphasized respect for parents, teachers, and elders, the concept of 'honouring the king' as a mandatory part of Dhamma is not found in his edicts. Instead, the king himself was expected to follow Dhamma and serve his people's welfare [1]. Therefore, option 1 was not a part of Ashoka's Dhamma.

Sources

1. [3] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: The Rise of Empires > Questions and activities > p. 115
2. [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 4: Emergence of State and Empire > Ashoka's Dharmic State > p. 55