Traces the life of Emperor A*soka, the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya who assended the throne of Magadha in the 3rd century B.C. To extend the borders of his kingdom, he wages one of the bloodiest wars in history with the neighboring kingdom of Kalinga, leaving it ravaged and devastated. Confronted by the aftermath of his conquest, A*soka is overcome with remorse and renounces the path of war to dedicate his life to spreading the teachings of Buddhism.