Examine the following two statements about Ashoka and choose the correct option: Statement I: King Ashoka abolished capital punishment and disbanded his army. Statement II: After the Kalinga War, Ashoka was remorseful and became a follower of Buddhism.

Introduction / Context:
Ashoka, one of the most famous Mauryan emperors, is known for his transformation after the Kalinga War and for his policy of Dhamma. Many exam questions test the difference between well known legends and what inscriptions actually tell us. This question asks you to judge two statements about capital punishment, the army, and Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism, and then choose the correct logical combination.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- Statement I claims that Ashoka abolished capital punishment and disbanded his army. - Statement II says that after the Kalinga War, Ashoka felt remorse and became a Buddhist. - We assume evidence is based mainly on Ashokan edicts and standard historical interpretations. - The task is to check the truth of each statement and their relationship.

Concept / Approach:
Ashoka’s inscriptions emphasise non violence, compassion, and concern for all beings. He certainly reduced warfare and promoted moral governance, but they do not say he fully abolished capital punishment or disbanded the army. In fact, some edicts still mention punishments and the need for disciplined administration. It is also widely accepted that after the Kalinga carnage Ashoka turned towards Buddhism and became a patron of Buddhist institutions. Therefore we must carefully separate an exaggerated claim about abolishing punishment and the army from the historically supported statement about remorse and conversion.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Evaluate Statement II. Inscriptions such as the Rock Edicts clearly express Ashoka’s sorrow over the suffering caused by the Kalinga War and his embrace of Dhamma linked with Buddhism. So Statement II is true. Step 2: Evaluate Statement I. While Ashoka reduced aggressive warfare and advocated mild punishments, there is no reliable evidence that he completely abolished capital punishment or dissolved the army. Step 3: Recognise that a large empire like the Mauryan state still needed an army for defence and internal order. Step 4: Therefore Statement I overstates and distorts the historical picture and is false. Step 5: Combine the results: Statement I is false, Statement II is true.

Verification / Alternative check:
If we compare different sources, we find that Ashoka continued to rule a sizeable empire with frontier regions that required military presence. His edicts refer to officers of justice and punishments, which implies that the legal system, including severe penalties in some cases, still existed. At the same time, Buddhist texts and inscriptions agree that Kalinga was a turning point that pushed Ashoka towards Buddhism and non violent ethics. This combination confirms that only Statement II matches historical evidence.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option a: Treats both statements as true and links them, but capital punishment was not fully abolished and the army was not disbanded, so this cannot be correct.
Option b: Assumes both statements are true, which fails because Statement I is historically inaccurate.
Option c: Claims Statement I is true and Statement II is false; this reverses the real situation and is clearly incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners romanticise Ashoka as a completely pacifist king who removed all harsh measures. This leads them to accept the abolition of capital punishment and disbanding of the army as fact. Another pitfall is not reading inscriptions carefully and relying on simplified stories. Remember that Ashoka changed the direction of state policy, but he remained a practical ruler who still needed administrative and military structures.

Final Answer:
The accurate assessment is that Statement I is false and Statement II is true, so the correct option is Statement I is false but Statement II is true.