The Mauryan Empire was established by Chandragupta Maurya in the 4th Century BCE. His successor was Bindusara who was succeeded by Ashoka.
Emperor Ashoka’s Girnar Rock Edict near Junagarh in Gujarat around the year 260 BC:
‘The King honours all religions and sects. His Sacred Majesty does not value gifts and honours as he values the growth of the essential elements of all religious sects. But the root of it is restraint of speech, that is, there should not be honour only of one’s own religion and condemnation of other religions. On the other hand, other religions should be honoured too. By doing this, one helps his own religion to grow and benefits the religion of others also. By doing otherwise, one harms his own religion and injures the other religions too. For whoever honours only his own religion and condemns other religions injures more gravely his own religion. Hence concord alone is commendable and all should listen, and be willing to listen, to the beliefs professed by others.’
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