The Deplorableness of Brahmanas and Sramanas

This is all deplorable to the vanampier. But has he disavowed violence? No. This reads like a powerful politician playing to an audience, taking on the role of a moralizing, paternalistic figure. I am powerful. I killed people. That was bad. But you know what's s hurting the loved ones of people who are actually good, not like those nasty calingas. If you don't do these things, you are not good. There's this element of deflection and a veiled threat rather than genuine remorse,. which is fine. Ashoka is clearly trying to dress up his military dominance in morality - as every successful empire down to the usa to day