Ashoka's Chamber of HELL
As the number of people executed by Ashoka continued to grow,Ashoka’s prime minister Radhagupta became worried that Ashoka would become unpopular. Hence Radhagupta counseled Ashoka that it was not appropriate for the monarch to execute people himself,
As the number of people executed by Ashoka continued to grow,Ashoka’s prime minister Radhagupta became worried that Ashoka would become unpopular. Hence Radhagupta counseled Ashoka that it was not appropriate for the monarch to execute people himself,
as Ashoka was doing, and that continuing to do so would make him unpopular. He suggested that Ashoka appoint a royal executioner.
An extremely cruel young man named Girika was found and appointed for the task.
An extremely cruel young man named Girika was found and appointed for the task.
Girika used to take pleasure in bullying his peers and torturing animals, and readily agreed to take up the job of an executioner.
Girikaa asked Ashoka for a building exclusively devoted to the art of execution. And so a building was built, with a beautiful exterior,
Girikaa asked Ashoka for a building exclusively devoted to the art of execution. And so a building was built, with a beautiful exterior,
and instruments of torture inside. It was named ‘Ashoka’s Hell. Girika asked that he be allowed to execute anyone who entered the building, and no one be allowed to leave the building alive, a request Ashoka granted.
Girika soon became notorious, and came to be called ‘Chandagirika’ or Girika the Terrible, a nickname to match that of his Emperor, who had come to be known as Chandashoka, or ‘Ashoka the Terrible’
Some time later, a monk named Samudra arrived in Pataliputra.
Some time later, a monk named Samudra arrived in Pataliputra.
He entered Ashoka’s Hell by mistake, drawn in by its beautiful exterior. Girika arrested and imprisoned him. Ashoka had found one of the women of the royal household conversing with a youth, and had sent her to Girika. She was executed before Samudra’s eyes.
On seeing this, Samudra attained enlightenment and became an arhat, and when Girika began to torture Samudra, the young monk reacted to the torture with equanimity, and even supposedly performed a few miracles. A crowd began to gather, and the Emperor himself came to watch.
The monk gave Ashoka a discourse, and Ashoka came to regret his behaviour. Girika then claimed the right to execute Ashoka, pointing out that Ashoka had entered the building, and therefore Girika was entitled to kill him, as per Ashoka’s own order.
Ashoka pointed out that Girika himself had entered the building prior to him, and ordered Girika to be taken away and executed, and he building demolished.
The Chinese travelers Fa Hein and Xuanzang both report having visited the ruins of the execution chamber, and there still exist ruins that are identified as the remains of Ashoka’s Hell.
