The Mauryan emperor Ashoka used the dharmachakra image in monuments, most notably in a pillar capital with lions found at Sarnath. For Ashoka, the wheel (chakra) had a dual sense of the wheel of dharma indicating his connection to Buddhism and the wheel as a graphic representation of empire and royal rule in ancient Indian society. The dharmachakra image found at Sarnath on the Lion Capital has 24 spokes.
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