Tishyarakshita (

Pali Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...

: ''Tissarakkhā'',

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

: ''Tiṣyarakṣitā'') was the last queen consort of Emperor

Ashoka Ashoka, also known as Asoka or Aśoka ( ; , ; – 232 BCE), and popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was List of Mauryan emperors, Emperor of Magadha from until #Death, his death in 232 BCE, and the third ruler from the Mauryan dynast ...

of the

Maurya Empire The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in South Asia with its power base in Magadha. Founded by Chandragupta Maurya around c. 320 BCE, it existed in loose-knit fashion until 185 BCE. The primary source ...

in the 3rd century BCE. She is primarily known from Buddhist chronicles for her treacherous role in the Mauryan court, including her alleged involvement in the blinding of

Kunala Kunala (IAST: ) (263 BC – ?) was the Crown Prince and second son of 3rd Mauryan Emperor Ashoka and Queen Padmavati and the presumptive heir to Ashoka, thus the heir to the Mauryan Empire which once ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinen ...

, Ashoka's heir, and the destruction of the original Bodhi Tree.

Sources and historicity

The primary sources that mention Tisyarakshita are Buddhist texts, including: * The Divyāvadāna (3rd–4th century CE) * The Aśokāvadāna (4-5th century CE) * The

Mahāvaṃsa ''Mahāvaṃsa'' (Sinhala: මහාවංශ (Mahāvansha), Pali: ''මහාවංස (Mahāvaṃsa)'') is the meticulously kept historical chronicle of Sri Lanka until the period of Mahasena of Anuradhapura. It was written in the style of ...

(5th century CE) Tisyarakshita is absent from Ashokan inscriptions, leading some historians to suggest that Buddhist chroniclers exaggerated her actions.

Early life

Little is known about Tisyarakshita’s origins. She ascended as queen consort after the death of Ashoka's chief queen,

Asandhimitra Asandhamitra (304 BCE – 240 BCE) was an empress and 1st chief consort of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka. She was Ashoka's second wife and first empress consort Given the title "agramahisi", or "Chief Empress", Asandhimitra was likely from a roya ...

, around 240-9 BCE.

Role as queen

Tisyarakshita reportedly gained political influence in the later years of Ashoka’s reign.

Blinding of Kunala

One of the most prominent accounts about Tisyarakshita is her alleged involvement in the blinding of Kunala, Ashoka’s son. The Aśokāvadāna states that she attempted to seduce

, but when he rejected, she issued an order that led to his blinding. The Divyāvadāna presents a similar version but highlights Kunala’s later forgiveness of Tisyarakshita. The Mahāvaṃsa suggests that the blinding was due to court intrigue, without explicitly blaming Tisyarakshita. Historians debate whether Kunala was actually blinded or whether the story is a later Buddhist embellishment.

Poisoning of the Bodhi Tree

The destruction of the Bodhi Tree at

Bodh Gaya Bodh Gayā is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple complex, situated in the Gaya district in the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Bihar. It is famous for being the place where Gautam ...

is another event attributed to Tisyarakshita. The Aśokāvadāna states that she hired a Matanga sorceress to curse the Bodhi Tree, mistakenly believing it to be a woman who had captured Ashoka’s devotion. After realizing her mistake, she tried to rectify her actions. The Divyāvadāna states that she was jealous of Ashoka’s devotion to the tree and ordered it poisoned. The Mahāvaṃsa confirms the poisoning but notes that the tree was later revived.

Death

Tisyarakshita's fate is uncertain, most accounts do not mention her after Ashoka’s final years.

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * {{cite book , last=Thapar , first=R. , title=Aśoka and the Decline of the Mauryas , year=2012 , publisher=Oxford University Press , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NoAyDwAAQBAJ 230s BC deaths 3rd-century BC Indian people 3rd-century BC women Ancient Indian women Concubines Indian queens consort Mauryan dynasty Wives of Ashoka