Lion Capital

The Lion Capital of Ashoka is one of the most significant artefacts of ancient India and serves today as the National Emblem of the Republic of India. Carved from polished sandstone, this sculpture originally crowned a stone pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BCE at Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The capital symbolises the ideals of power, courage, pride, and confidence, embodying the principles of Buddhist philosophy and Indian statehood.

Historical Background

The Lion Capital was commissioned during the reign of Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya Dynasty, who ruled from circa 268 to 232 BCE. Ashoka is renowned for his role in spreading Buddhism across Asia and for promoting the principles of Dhamma (righteousness), tolerance, and non-violence.
The Ashokan Pillars were monumental sandstone columns erected throughout his empire to mark important locations associated with the Buddha’s life and to propagate moral and ethical teachings. The Sarnath pillar, from which the Lion Capital originates, was erected to commemorate the Buddha’s first sermon at the Deer Park of Sarnath, where he set in motion the Dharmachakra (Wheel of Law).

Description and Symbolism

The Lion Capital of Ashoka is a masterful example of Mauryan art and Buddhist symbolism. It is carved out of a single block of Chunar sandstone, renowned for its fine grain and high polish. The sculpture consists of four lions seated back-to-back atop a circular abacus, which rests on a bell-shaped lotus base.
Key symbolic features include:

• Four Lions: Represent power, courage, pride, and confidence. They face the four cardinal directions, symbolising the universality of Buddha’s teachings.
• Abacus: Below the lions is a circular abacus with four carved animals — an elephant, a bull, a horse, and a lion — each separated by a Dharmachakra (Wheel of Law) in high relief. These animals symbolise different phases in the life of the Buddha and the spread of Dharma.
• Lotus Base: The inverted bell-shaped lotus symbolises the womb of creation and spiritual rebirth.
• Dharmachakra: The wheel represents motion, law, and continuity — the eternal cycle of life and the propagation of moral order.

Originally, the entire pillar stood approximately 15 to 20 metres high, with the Lion Capital crowning it. The shaft of the pillar, inscribed with Ashokan edicts in Prakrit language and Brahmi script, conveyed messages of ethical governance, compassion, and justice.

Symbolic Animals on the Abacus

Each animal carved on the abacus carries deep philosophical significance:

• Elephant – Symbolises the Buddha’s conception, recalling the dream of Queen Maya.
• Bull – Represents strength and the zodiac sign under which the Buddha was born.
• Horse – Denotes the Buddha’s renunciation, when he left his palace riding his horse, Kanthaka.
• Lion – Symbolises the Buddha himself, the “Lion of the Shakyas,” representing his fearless proclamation of truth.

Together, these animals symbolise the stages of the Buddha’s journey from birth to enlightenment and the dissemination of his teachings.

Artistic Features and Mauryan Craftsmanship

The Lion Capital exemplifies the highly developed craftsmanship of the Mauryan period. The polish of the sandstone is mirror-like, a hallmark of the imperial Mauryan art style. The naturalistic modelling of the lions’ musculature and expressive faces reflects both realism and stylisation.
The sculptural style shows a fusion of Indian artistic tradition with Persian and Hellenistic influences, which were prevalent due to contact with the Achaemenid Empire. The symmetrical composition and detailed carvings display the sophistication of Mauryan artisans.

Discovery and Preservation

The Lion Capital was discovered in 1905 by F. O. Oertel, a British archaeologist, during excavations at Sarnath. The capital was found in fragments near the original Ashokan pillar site. It was subsequently reassembled and is now preserved in the Sarnath Archaeological Museum near Varanasi, where it remains one of the most treasured exhibits.
The original Ashokan pillar, from which the capital was detached, still stands at Sarnath, though it is broken and devoid of the capital. Replicas of the Lion Capital are displayed in museums and government institutions across India.

Adoption as the National Emblem

On 26 January 1950, when India became a republic, the Government of India adopted the Lion Capital as the National Emblem. The adaptation retained the four lions (though only three are visible in the two-dimensional representation) and the abacus with the Dharma Chakra at the centre.
The motto “Satyameva Jayate”, meaning Truth Alone Triumphs, from the Mundaka Upanishad, was inscribed below the emblem. This emblem is now found on official government documents, currency notes, and all Indian administrative insignia, symbolising the nation’s commitment to truth, justice, and peace.