 He also announced an award of one dinara (silver coin) to anyone who brought him the head of a Nirgrantha heretic.According to "Ashokavadana", as a result of this order, his own brother, Vitashoka, was mistaken for a heretic and killed by a cowherd.Their ministers advised him that "this is an example of the suffering that is being inflicted even on those who are free from desire" and that he "should guarantee the security of all beings".