Eight years after being crowned king, Ashoka decided to annex Kalinga, or present day Orissa, into his kingdom. This was the first and last battle that Ashoka ever fought. Though Ashoka won, he was horrified by the sight of the dead and wounded on the battlefield. Over one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers were captured, and over one hundred thousand were killed. This experience changed Ashoka, and he swore that he would never wage war again. He took up Buddhism, and vowed to practice only virtuous actions in the future.
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