ABSTRACT
Building on the unification of India achieved by his grandfather, Candragupta, Asoka strengthened his empire's administration and commerce; he also converted to Buddhism, elevating it from a small sect to the status of a major world religion. At the death of Bindusara in about 273, Asoka immediately became involved in an unclear succession dispute, resolved only when he raised an army against, and possibly killed, his brother Sumana-Susima. About 260, Asoka invaded Kalinga, a rebellious semitribal area on India's eastern coast, with a large army. Although the invasion was successful, Asoka was disgusted by the wholesale slaughter he witnessed. Asoka cemented the idea of an Indian national identity but sowed the seeds of religious and cultural conflicts that endure today. Asoka ably managed his vast empire, strengthening internal government and further reinforcing the idea of a larger India in the entire Asian subcontinent.
