The inscriptions of Emperor Ashoka, issued in the third century BCE, were primarily written in which ancient script in most regions of the Indian subcontinent?

Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to the study of ancient Indian epigraphy and scripts. Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya dynasty issued numerous rock edicts and pillar inscriptions across his empire in the third century BCE. These inscriptions are a major source of early Indian history. Knowing which script was primarily used for these inscriptions is essential for understanding the development of writing in the subcontinent.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question refers to the inscriptions of Ashoka.
• They were issued in the third century BCE.
• We are asked about the script, not the language.
• The options include Brahmi, Devanagari, Gurmukhi and "Classical Sanskrit script".
• We assume awareness that different scripts evolved over time and that later scripts did not exist in Ashoka's period.

Concept / Approach:
Most of Ashoka's inscriptions in the heartland of his empire were written in the Brahmi script, using the Prakrit language. In the northwest, a few inscriptions used the Kharosthi script. However, the dominant and most widespread script was Brahmi. Devanagari, Gurmukhi and later standardised forms of Sanskrit script were developed centuries afterwards and therefore could not have been used in Ashoka's time. Thus, correctly answering the question is mainly a matter of recognising Brahmi as the earliest widely used Indian script for such inscriptions.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Place Ashoka in the historical timeline: he ruled in the third century BCE. Step 2: Recall that his inscriptions are among the earliest large bodies of written material from India and are primarily in Prakrit language. Step 3: Understand that these inscriptions were usually written in Brahmi script across much of the subcontinent, with some use of Kharosthi in the northwest. Step 4: Recognise that scripts like Devanagari and Gurmukhi developed much later in the first millennium CE. Step 5: Conclude that Brahmi is the correct answer for the script primarily used in Ashoka's inscriptions.

Verification / Alternative check:
Epigraphic studies and textbooks consistently state that Ashokan inscriptions are our main source for early Brahmi script. James Prinsep famously deciphered the Brahmi script in the 19th century using Ashokan inscriptions. Devanagari, used today for Hindi and Sanskrit, evolved from earlier forms of Nagari which in turn came from Brahmi, but only centuries after Ashoka. Gurmukhi is the script used for Punjabi and Sikh scriptures, developed in the 16th century by Guru Angad, long after the Mauryan period. These chronological facts confirm that Brahmi is the only correct choice among the options.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Devanagari script: A later script used widely in North India, but not in existence during Ashoka's time.
Gurmukhi script: Developed in the 16th century CE for Sikh scripture, far removed in time from the Mauryan era.
Classical Sanskrit script as used later: Sanskrit as a language existed, but the standardised Nagari based script commonly associated with classical Sanskrit inscriptions came much later than Ashoka.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may confuse language with script and think that because Sanskrit is ancient, its later script forms were used in all early inscriptions. Another common mistake is to assume that the scripts used in modern North India, like Devanagari or Gurmukhi, must also have been used in the distant past. To avoid this, it helps to remember that Brahmi and Kharosthi are the earliest large scale Indian scripts, with Brahmi being the main script of Ashokan edicts.

Final Answer:
Ashoka's inscriptions were primarily written in the Brahmi script across most of his empire.