UPSC Prelims 2020 Question:

Who 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."

Explanation:

• Major Rock Edict XII of Ashoka refers him as Beloved of the Gods and King Piyadasi. It describes Ashoka’s charity works. It also talks about the ethos of all religions iterating on the tolerance and learning attitude.
  
  
• In this regard, he said that ‘Whoever praises his own religion, due to excessive devotion, and condemns others with the thought "Let me glorify my own religion," only harms his own religion. Therefore contact (between religions) is good. One should listen to and respect the doctrines professed by others. Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, desires that all should be well-learned in the good doctrines of other religions.’
  
  

Therefore, option (1) is the correct answer.

Subject: History | Mauryan Empire