Ashoka - GS questions based on daily current affairs

1)   All inscriptions refer to Ashoka as devanampiya (beloved of the gods) and piyadasi. Which was the first inscription to mention the name Ashoka?

a. Kalinga
b. Maski
c. Girnar
d. Dhauli
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Maski

Explanation:
The name of Ashoka occurs only in copies of Minor Rock Edict I found at three places in Karnataka and one in Madhya Pradesh. The Ashokan inscriptions are found in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Altogether, they appear at 47 places.
2)   Which of the following scripts are used by Ashoka in his Rock Edicts?

1) Aramaic
2) Greek
3) Kharoshthi
4) Brahmi

a. Only 3 and 4
b. Only 4
c. Only 1, 3 and 4
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
The writing system of the Ashokan inscriptions are considered to be the earliest. These are found written in four scripts. In his empire in Afghanistan he used Aramaic and Greek scripts for his edicts. In the Pakistan region Kharoshthi script was used. Kharoshthi evolved on the Varnamala system of the Indian languages is written from right to left. The Brahmi script was used for the rest of his empire from Kalsi in the north in Uttsrranchal upto Mysore in the south.

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