After the death of Ashoka, there was a turbulent state in the kingom regarding succession. Many inscriptions of the mauryans say that Dasaratha was the successor of Ashoka. The kings after Ashoka were very weak and only almost 50 years after death of Ashoka, the Maurya empire collapsed and ended.
Birth:
There was no record available regarding the birth year of Dasaratha but as per our calculations, most probably he was born around 252 B.C. This was based on information provided in Mauryan inscriptions that he became king when he was only 20. He succeeded Ashoka and became king around 232 B.C (1428 BCE as per new translations). So if his age was 20 in 232 B.C, his birth year would be 252 B.C.
Succession:
Ashoka had three sons and a daughter. His eldest son Mahendra and his daughter Sanghamitra were born to his first wife Maharani Devi. Tivala or Tivara Maurya was born to his second wife Queen Kaurwaki. Another son of Ashoka, Kunala Maurya was born to his third wife Rani Padmavati. Mahendra and Sanghamitra went to spread Buddhism and became famous Buddhist monks. So only two sons were available for succession.
It was believed that Tivala was Ashoka's favourite son. But leaving aside his sons, his grandson, Dasaratha became the Fourth king of Mauryan dynasty. Dasaratha was the son of Tivala Maurya and Samprati was the son of Kunala Maurya.
The clear information is not available for his sons not succeeding Ashoka but his grandson did. It was said that Kunala was made blind by his step-mother, Tishyaraksha because of jealousy. Dasaratha was the son of Tivala and at the time of death of Ashoka, Dasaratha was 20 years old according to Mauryan inscriptions. As Dasaratha was young, instead of his father, he became king.
Rule:
Dasaratha Maurya ruled for almost eight years ( 232 - 224 B.C ). During his rule, the collapse of Mauryan empire started. Firstly, Samprati was given the western part of kingdom making Ujjain as capital and he ruled eastern part, with Pataliputra as capital. One of Dasaratha's uncle, Jalauka, set up an independent kkingdom in Kashmir. Another Mauryan prince, Virasena diclared himself as king of Gandhara. The north-western province ruled by Mauryan ruler Sophagasenus was lost to external invasion. The political unity of Mauryan empire was shattered during Dasaratha's rule thus paved way for downfall of Mauryan empire.
Dasaratha was the last Mauryan ruler after Ashoka to have issued imperial inscriptions and edicts. Thus he was the last Mauryan ruler to be known from the epigraphical sources.
The support of Ashoka to Buddhism was continued by the Dasaratha Maurya. Dasaratha dedicated three caves in Nagarjuni hills to the Ajivikas. The inscriptions at those cave refer him as "Devanampiya and they state that those caves were dedicated by him shortly after he became king."
Death:
Dasaratha Maurya died around 224 B.C (1420 BCE as per new translations). He was succeeded by Samprati.
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