Conspiracy theories — Ashoka’s Nine

In 1923 Talbot Mundy wrote a book titled ‘The Nine Unknown’. The book is a slow read — I am yet to finish it almost a year after I picked it up. But the book sparked a conspiracy theory — what if Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Dynasty set up 9 immortals to guard the planet?

Ah yes, a great topic for tea-time discussion.

There is absolutely no evidence that this was a real thing in the Mauryan dynasty. But I don’t want to deny it entirely.

There are two sides to this theory though. Mauryans were ridiculously good at what they did. Chandragupta’s detailed book ‘Arthasastra’ is preserved and hell, it is still relevant in many ways. The legend of Ashoka’s transformation, his exploits and his legacy are still revered. The lion capital from Sarnath is the official emblem of India. The dharma chakra from the same structure is used in our national flag. This is for an empire that dates before Christ.

So what the Mauryans wanted to live on, clearly lives on. While they would have not predicted the relevance of all their works today, they did ensure that historians and explorers later found and preserved their work. In fact it was James Princep who revived the details of Ashoka during the early stages of British occupation in India and ensured that he was not forgotten.

On the flip side, there is no painting, sculpture or inscription with the face, costume or even description of what Ashoka looked like. Till date, no one has any idea about his appearance. Any interpretation took large liberties in his portrayal.

So whenever they wanted to keep secrets, they were more than successful at it. Meaning even if such a society existed, we may never know. Of course the part of them being immortal and having superhuman abilities are not valid in the discussion.

My view would be to keep alive this theory with multiple interpretations of how the knowledge was passed on to future generations, effectively ‘immortalizing’ them. Why you ask?

• Chanakya was the royal advisor to Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka’s grandfather
• Susruta, who is believed to have been the first surgeon on earth lived around the period of the Mauryans
• Aryabhatta claimed he was from Pataliputra, Ashoka’s capital
• The Gupta dynasty which ruled over majority of India, in what is considered the best age of Indian history formed in the same region ruled over by Ashoka
• Sher Shah Suri ruled from his empire from Pataliputra, which he changed to Patna, as it is known even today

I know! I know! There is very little link to all the other dynasties that succeeded the Mauryans and there is even lesser possibility of all them having to gain from a secret society of nine men formed around 300 BC.

But think of it. If Ashoka did have great men who knew science, art of war and administration, what is to prevent them from improving on them and passing them on to future generations. These generations after generations of people could have had a royal seal that could be carried forward for identification by future kings.

It is a myth that is very easy to debunk. What is the fun in that?