Prelims 2020 · Q30
EasyWho among the following rulers advised his subjects through this inscription?
"Whosoever praises his religious sect or blames other sects out of excessive devotion to his own sect, with the view of glorifying his own sect, he rather injures his own sect very severely."
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) Ashoka
The inscription is Ashoka's Rock Edict XII. In it he urges restraint in speech: no praising one's own sect or running down others, because that harms one's own sect most and every sect deserves honour.
- ✓ (a) Ashoka's rock edicts advise respect for all sects; Rock Edict XII says a person who extols his own sect and disparages others out of attachment to it injures his own sect very severely. His Dhamma officers were also appointed to work among all sects.
- ✗ (b) Samudragupta (Gupta period) is known for conquests recorded in the Allahabad pillar inscription, not for edicts advising subjects on sectarian restraint.
- ✗ (c) Harshavardhana patronised several faiths, but no such edict is associated with him.
- ✗ (d) Krishnadeva Raya of Vijayanagara (16th century) is known for the Telugu poem Amuktamalyada and for his patronage of temples and scholars, not for edicts advising subjects on sectarian restraint.
Remember · Ashoka's Rock Edict XII: praising your own sect and blaming others harms your own sect; all sects should be honoured. Tolerance was a core part of his Dhamma.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Ch 5 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 7 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Chapter 5 “My officers of Dhamma are busy in many matters of public benefit, they are busy among members of all sects, both ascetics and householders.”
- D. C. Sircar, Inscriptions of Asoka (Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt of India), Rock Edict XII, translation ↗ · reference work “Truly, if a person extols his own sect and disparages other sects with a view to glorifying his sect owing merely to his attachment to it, he injures his own sect very severely by acting in that way.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·