Why Is Asoka An Enlightened Ruler

Asoka, a mystery to historians. Was he a ruthless conqueror or an enlightened ruler ? To me he is no mystery, he was a brutal dictator. His cruel reign over the Mauryan Empire that covered most of India started in 268 BCE and ended in 232 BCE, when he died. During his lifetime he took part in and did several barbaric actions. Only 7 years into his 36 years that he ruled, he attacked Kalinga. After a gruesome battle the Mauryan Empire came on top, but many died. About 200,000 Kalingans died from hunger and from fighting in the war. Also, 150,000 more Kalingans suffered because they didn’t have homes. So in all, 300,000 Kalingans died from this battle.
Another reason why Asoka wasn’t an enlightened ruler was because he was selfish. After he