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338 POLITICAL HISTORY OF ANCIENT INDIA
It is apparent from the Kalinga Edicts and Rock Edict VI that Asoka kept a watchful eye on the Mahāmātras especially on those who administered justice in cities. But he was more indulgent towards the Rūjūkas for whose intelligence he apparently entertained great respect. To the Rājākas "set over many hundred thousands of people” the emperor granted independence in the award of honours and penalties in order that those officials might perform their duties confidently and fearlessly. He wanted, however, to maintain some uniformity in penalties as well as in procedure. For this reason he issued the following rule :
"To condemned men lying in prison under sentence of death a respite of three days is granted.”
Lastly, Asoka issued certain regulations restricting slaughter and mutilation of animals, and up to the twentyseventh year of his coronation effected twenty-five jail deliveries. This suggests, as has been pointed out by Hultzsch, that the emperor used to proclaim an amnesty to criminals at almost every anniversary of his coronation.
Measures adopted to disseminate Instructions in
the Law of Piety. Though himself convinced of the truth of the Buddha's teaching, of the efficacy of worship at Buddhist holy places, of the necessity of making a confession of faith in the Buddhist Trinity, of keeping in close touch with the Buddhist Order of monks and maintaining its discipline and solidarity, Asoka probably never sought to impose his purely sectarian belief on others. He attempted, however, to put an end to practices and institutions that he considered to be opposed to the fundamental principles of morality which, according to him, constituted the essence of all religions. The prospect that he held
