Samprati Maurya - Second successor king after Ashoka Maurya

Samprati was the grandson of Ashoka the king, and son of Ashoka's blind son Kunala and great gandson of Chandragupta Maurya founder of Mauryan dynasty. He succeeded his cousin, Dasaratha Maurya as the emperor of Mauryan empire.

The king of Mauryan empire after Dasaratha Maurya:

Due to the blindness of Kunala Maurya, son of Ashoka, he was denied the throne and the son of Tivala, Dasaratha Maurya became the fourth king of Mauryan empire. It was said that Kunala was made blind by his step-mother because of jealous. This led to Dasaratha becoming king of mauryan empire after Ashoka Maurya.



Samprati was the son of his blind father Kunala Maurya and his mother Kanchanamala. Kunala lived in Ujjain with his "Dhai Maa". Samprati Maurya was brought up there. Three years after being denied the throne, Kunala Maurya and Samprathi Maurya approached the court of Ashoka Maurya, in an attempt to claim the throne. Ashoka could not deliver the throne to his blind son Kunala, but was very much impressed by Samprathi Maurya's skills as a warrior and administrator and declared Samprati as successor to Dasharatha. After Dasharatha's death, Samprati Maurya inherited the throne around 224 B.C. He ruled for almost 9 years from 224 B.C. to 215 B.C.(1350 to 1342 B.C.E as per new translations)

Rule of Jain Ashoka:

He was referred as "Jain Ashoka" by Jains for his contributions to Jainism as his grandfather Ashoka did to Buddhism. Samprati was very much influenced by the teachings of Jain monk "Suhastin" and adopted Jainsim. He worked very hard to spread Jainism in India as well as in other countries. He brought Jain scriptures in to existence. Samprathi also repaired the old Jain temples and set up in all of them idols made of gold, silver, stone and other mixture of metals.

He gave importance to Jain ceremony Anjankala. Samprati vihar is named after Samprati Maurya which existed in Vadamanu in Krishna valley during second century. It is said that Samprati built thousands of Jain temples in India, many of which are still in use such as Jain temples at Viramgam and Palitana (Gujarath), Agar Malwa (Ujjain). He is siad to have built hundred and twenty five thousand new Jain temples, thirty six thousand repaired, and twelve and half million Idols, holy statues. He encouraged and supported Jain monks to travel different countries and preach Jainism.



For his service to Jainism, the Jain scripts regarded him as Jain Ashoka and elevated him by dipicting him as a greater king than king Ashoka. According to Jain scripts he ruled for 53 years which has no proof at all.

Death:

Samprathi Maurya died around 190 B.C. He had no children. He was succeeded by king Salisuka, a wicked and cruel king.