At the time Kalinga war (321B.C.,) Name the king of Kalinga
kingdom or Who is the opponent king of The great Asoka?

Answer Posted / harry

Chaitraraj was the name of king of Kalinga at the time of Kalinga war, who assumed the throne after his father took sanyasa. Kalinga had grown in power during Chaitraraj's father’s reign. Chaitraraj's personality was rock solid. He refused to yield an inch to Ashok's demands.

Just before the war, his father came to war council to advise him to make peace provided Ashok would build a lake or something beneficial to people, but he rejected telling his father Kalinga under him will never surrender. Ashok send his chief minister Radhagupta to negotiate with him to surrender, but he refused. He warned that Kalinga war will be costly to Magadha too and will start beginning of collapse of Magadha Empire. Chaitraraj was captured, but even then he refused to acknowledge Ashok.

After seeing the carnage Ashok had change of heart and he released Chaitraraj unconditionally. Chaitraraj left with remnant of Kalinga army, which survived capture, to interior of Kalinga. Radhagupta feared that he would pose a threat. But he did not carry out any war against Magadha until Ashok was alive as he was true Kshatriya and doing anything that would break his Dharma was unacceptable to him.

After him his successors defeated Magadha, under Ksharvel.

History is written by winners, so Magadha writers simply never mentioned his name. To them he was unimportant person who stood in way of glorious Ashok, who had spread the message of peace everywhere.

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