07 Progress of Dharmavijaya

Aśoka’s biography shows a monarch deeply involved in administrative and spiritual reforms during his second decade. He marked his reign with five-yearly pilgrimages (Dharmayātrā), personally visiting Lumbini (yr 21). He issued proclamations on inter-faith tolerance and judicial fairness. His later years (yrs 26-28) saw a flurry of edicts, including a pioneering animal sanctuary decree, reflecting his mature conviction that persuasion, rather than force, was the most effective tool for his mission.