Ashoka The Great - Wytze Keuning

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India, 304 BCE

“the tens of thousands of names of monarchs that crowd the columns of history, their majesties and graciousnesses, and serenities and royal highnesses and the like, the name of Asoka shines, and shines almost alone, a star” - H. G. Wells

Wytze Keuning’s epic Ashoka the Great was originally published in the Dutch language in three parts:

1. Ashoka: The Wild Prince
2. Ashoka: The Wise Ruler
3. Ashoka: The World’s Greatest Teacher

The complete story is a sprawling saga covering Ashoka’s life and journey from a prince to an emperor who’s legacy transcends conquest and nation-building. Ashoka is the rebellious second son, never destined to ascend his father’s (Bindusara) throne at Pataliputra; that privilege falls on his elder brother Sumana, around whom the Brahmin courtiers rally and prop up as a successor. Ashoka recognizes his brother as weak and as a pawn in the hands of the Brahmin power brokers. The Brahmin courtiers dominate the cultural narrative because of their control on religious thought, much like the mediaeval church. Their power over the populace makes them an influential force that Bindusara’s family must consider and negotiate with. As soon as Ashoka’s ambition to ascend the throne and his abilities to reign effectively become apparent, the Brahmin’s move against him. Ashoka however proves himself worthy of political machinations and avoids all the traps they’ve laid out for him. Ashoka ascends to his father’s throne and becomes the third Mauryan emperor. 

On a factual note there are important literary licenses that Wytze Keuning has taken.  The opposition of the Brahmin priests is not based on any historical source; Ashoka was removed from court as a young man because of a terrible skin affliction. Ashoka was also the youngest son of King Bindusara, who lent no support to the future emperor. The political situation before Ashoka was bleak - fratricide among royals was as common in Pataliputra among the Maurya as it was among the Mughals and the Ottomans. This reality is what creates the cruel-Ashoka, as he cleverly removes his brothers from the line of ascension before they could have done the same to him. 

The book doesn’t just tell the story of Ashoka’s transformation from warrior to teacher - it brings to life the land, culture and times that Ashoka lived in. From the brahmanical dominance of the social hierarchy to the customs of sati, polygamy and the caste system, Keuning builds this world with the discipline of academic speculation. Ashoka’s wives play both - supportive and adversarial roles. The turning point in Ashoka’s life which centers around his bloodiest battle and his Buddhist leaning is widened; the common perception assumes that Ashoka saw the horrors of war after he won the battle of Kalinga (modern day Orissa), however Keuning (and other academics) claim that Ashoka became a Buddhist before these events of 261 BCE, thereby giving him the intellect to recognize the catastrophe of war. 

The first two books tell the story of a combative protagonist - first against his father’s own court (though with his father’s support), and then as a warrior till the events of the battle of Kalinga. The third book makes a slower story, giving space for Ashoka’s Buddhist message and the result of his metamorphosis from Ashoka the emperor to Ashoka the great. However this also highlights the flaws in the book - it fails to humanise Ashoka, he is portrayed as an ideal and doesn’t suffer from temptations and vices. There is always a sense of the inevitable when reading historical fiction but the interesting bits seem to be skipped or washed over in Ashoka the Great. 

The stories that make up the trilogy are fictional, yet seem authentic given the academic rigour that Wytze Keuning applied. The events seem real and historical because they are based on thoughtful speculation and grounded imagination; they are not based on proven facts. The remoteness of events and the lack of written records have left the author no choice but to rely on general, indirect information of the subject and the morals of that time. Nevertheless Wytze Keuning’s work is widely acclaimed as being an insightful analysis and telling of events. 

Dutch teacher and scholar Wytze Keuning wrote this fictional biography of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in three volumes. Wytze committed around fifteen years to these books and resigned from his post as head-master of a school to dedicate all of his time. The work was deeply personal to Wytze, as he had very limited discussions about it with his family. Wytze’s descendants remained largely unaware of the quality of his work till interest for an English version began to pick up and the translator - J. Elizabeth Steur came knocking on their door.