After which war, Ashoka abandoned the policy of physical occupation?

Kalinga War

The correct answer is Option 1- Kalinga War

- After the Kalinga War, Ashoka abandoned the policy of physical occupation through military conquest.

- The Kalinga War was fought around 261 BCE and was one of the most significant and devastating conflicts during the reign of Emperor Ashoka, the third ruler of the Maurya Empire in ancient India.

- The Kalinga War was brutal and bloody, resulting in a massive loss of life and suffering on both sides. The intense and horrifying aftermath of the war deeply affected Emperor Ashoka.

- Witnessing the destruction and human misery caused by the conflict led him to experience a profound change of heart and embrace the path of non-violence and Dharma (righteousness).

- After the Kalinga War, Ashoka renounced military aggression and conquest as a means to expand the empire. Instead, he adopted policies of tolerance, compassion, and welfare for his subjects. He became a patron of Buddhism and actively promoted the principles of ahimsa (non-violence) and dharma throughout his empire.

- Ashoka's transformation is evident in his rock and pillar edicts, inscriptions that disseminated his principles of moral conduct and governance.

The other options:
Battle of the Hydaspes: This battle, fought in 326 BCE between Alexander the Great and Porus, king of the Paurava kingdom, occurred much before Ashoka's reign.
Battle of the Tarain: This battle, fought between the Delhi Sultanate and the Rajput kingdoms, took place in the 12th century CE, long after Ashoka's era.
Magadha-Anga war: This war, fought around the 6th century BCE, predates Ashoka's reign as well.