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Which one of the following edicts mentions the personal name of Asoka ?
Explanation
Most Asokan inscriptions identify the ruler by titles such as “Devanampriya” and “Piyadarsi,” and do not give his personal name, Asoka [1]. The Maski Minor Rock Edict is the decisive exception: its inscription explicitly links the title Devanampriya with the personal name Asoka, thereby confirming that the titulary in other edicts refers to King Asoka [2]. By contrast, the Rummindei (Lumbini) pillar inscription uses the title “Devanampriya Priyadarsi” without the personal name, recording the king’s pilgrimage and donations at the Buddha’s birthplace [3]. Hence, Maski is the edict that mentions Asoka’s personal name.
Sources
- [1] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 2: Kings, Farmers and Towns > 7.3 Historical evidence from inscriptions > p. 47
- [2] https://www.ijnrd.org/papers/IJNRD2109002.pdf
- [3] https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/322e0c38-2f2f-4cd9-98f5-3bcd43793098/download
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