“The lethal war with Kalinga transformed the vengeful Emperor Ashoka into a stable and peaceful emperor, and he became a patron of Buddhism. ... Nevertheless, his patronage led to the expansion of Buddhism in the Mauryan empire and other kingdoms during his rule, and worldwide from about 250 BCE.”
Merchants would be needed more because the warring states were constantly at war.(armies need supplies, merchants have supplies)
For his refusal to authorize large scale relief programs
