No products in the cart.
Ashwatthama being the son of Guru Dronacharya, is considered one of the seven Chiranjivis in the history of Hinduism. Chiranjivi is an immortal person who is to remain alive on Earth until the end of the current Kali Yuga. We often hear that Ashwatthama is still alive due to the effect of Lord Krishna’s curse. This piece attempts to answer the questions:
What was the curse? Why was Ashwatthama cursed in the first place?
The Kurukshetra War was known to be the Dharmayudh. It means that both the sides had to be equal in power at the beginning. Although, there were 11 Akshuhini senas (form of armies) on the Kaurava side against only 7 Akshauhini Senas on the Pandavas’ side. However, Lord Krishna himself was on the side of the Pandava. It is therefore believed that to balance the forces, Lord Vishnu was on the Pandvas side as Krishna and Lord Shiva was on the Kauravas’ side as Ashwattama. Hence, a balance was created.
Birth of Ashwatthama
Ashwatthama was the son of Guru Dronacharya and Kripi (sister of kripacharya). Also known as Drauni, he was one of the warriors who survived the Kurukshetra War. It is believed that Guru Dronacharya once performed a Tapasya (meditation to please the Gods) for Lord Shiva. He requested Lord Shiva that he himself to be born as his own son. To this request, Lord Shiva agreed to be born as Ashwatthama with a pearl on his forehead that resembled Lord Shiva’s third eye on his forehead. It was known that this Mani (pearl) ensured that Ashwatthama will not die and will be away from all kinds of diseases and injuries. Hence, it protected him from hunger, thirst, and fatigue. So, he was born with such extreme power. People also believed that he was born with a boon immortality as he was the Rudra form (fierce form) of lord Shiva himself.
While Guru Dronacharya taught the Kauravas and Pandavas in gurukul, Ashwatthama was also trained by him. Since his childhood, Ashwatthama had an immense interest towards power and command. He later became friends with the eldest Kaurava – Duryodhan, who was going to be the next king of Hastinapur. Along with Duryodhan, Ashwatthama was also envious of the Pandavas and majorly Arjun. Just as Duryodhana believed that the Pandavas were taking his birth-right to the crown, Ashwatthama felt that Arjuna was usurping his place in Guru Dronacharya’s heart. It was because he noticed that his father Guru Drona was partial towards Arjun in gurukul.
Death of Guru Dronacharya
Ashwatthama along with his father Guru Drona, fought along the Kauravas against the Pandavas. In this battle, Ashwatthama killed the greatest number of people after Karna and Arjun. Further on the tenth day of the Kurukshetra War, Bheeshma was defeated by the Pandavas. Guru Dronacharya was appointed as the commander of the Kaurava army. On defeating Guru Drona, Lord Krishna suggests an idea to the Pandavas.
On the fifteenth day of Kurukshetra War, Pandavas attempt to kill Guru Dronacharya. Following lord Krishna’s advice, they confront Guru Drona that Ashwatthama was killed. Although, the Pandavas could not kill Ashwatthama. It was Bhima who killed an elephant named Ashwatthama. However, initially, Guru Dronacharya does not believe the Pandavas. Later Yudhsithira (the eldest Pandava) who known was known to always speak the truth, confirmed the death of Ashwatthama. This left Dronacharya disheartened as his son Ashwatthama was very dear to him. In despair, he gives up on all his weapons and begins to meditate. On sighting him armless, Dhristadyumna (the son of Drupada and brother of Draupadi ) beheads Guru Dronacharya.
On learning about the death of his father, furious Ashwatthama releases the Narayanastra. Narayanastra has the power to destroy one Akshauhini completely. An Akshauhini is the battle formation consisting of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 65,610 horses and 109,350 infantries. He also tries the Agni Astra, but fails in defeating the Pandavas, at the end of the day.
Hence on the fifteenth day of the Kurukshetra War, the Pandavas defeat Guru Dronacharya. However, this leaves Ashwatthama enraged and he refuses to allow Pandavas to attend the last rites of their Guru Dronacharya.
Defeat of Duryodhan
The Kurukshetra War ended with Bheema defeating Duryodhan, leaving Ashwatthama on the losing side despite his great powers. From the side of the Kauravas, Ashwatthama, Kripacharya and Kritavarma were the only survivors. It is believed after the War ended, they met Duryodhan on his death bed. Even in his last moments, Duryodhan ordered his best friend Ashhwatthama to kill the Pandavas and avenge his death. He adds on saying that it was the only way he could rest in peace. Ashwatthama was left frustrated and decided to take revenge of the death of his friend Duryodhan as well as his own father Guru Dronacharya. He heads with a sword towards the Pandavas tents in anger. Although, Kripacharya and Kritavarma tried to stop him doing such a deed, Ashwatthama was not in a condition to listen to anyone. They being more experienced than Ashwathama, tried to convince him. Ashwathama didn’t ignored them and forcefully asked them to support him because he was the commander in chief. This eventually caused him to meet his fate. He heads to the Pandavas camp, violating the rules of the War and attacking at night. He believed that even his father was killed in an unjust manner and that he was not wrong in attacking the Pandavas this way.
Anticipating such a consequence, Lord Krishna takes the Pandavas along with Draupadi elsewhere before-hand, so as to save them. It being dark, Ashwatthama mistakes the sons of Pandavas to be the Pandavas themselves and stabs them in rage. He also spots Drishtadhyumna and immediately kills him with his sword. He kills everyone on his way. He mercilessly put fire at the Pandavas’ camps and killed many women and children. Also, he killed innocent Upapandava’s mercilessly. It is also believed that that night, Ashwatthama worshiped and invoked Kaala Bhairav who was a form of Lord Shiva responsible for destruction. He was known to have wished for his blessings for attacking the Pandava camps. Kaala Bhairava entered into the body of Aswatthama and with the sword of Kaala Bhairav, Ashwatthama burned the entire Pandava camp to ashes leaving nothing behind.
Later, he goes back to Duryodhan and tells him that he can now die peacefully as he killed the Pandavas. In some versions of this story, it is believed that Ashwatthama realizes that he killed the five sons of Draupadi and not the five Pandavas. Either way, it is crucial to note that if some person is about to die the best thing anyone will do is, to tell the truth. In Hinduism, it is considered that hearing truth may give the dying person a chance of heaven. Hence, it was either ignorance by Ashwatthama or knowingly he told dying Duryodhana that he killed all five Pandavas so that he can die peacefully. This was definitely not a good Karma by Ashwatthama.
After Ashwatthama’s attack on the camps of the Pandavas, only Satyaki, Lord Krishna and five of the Pandavas were the remaining survivors of the Kurukshetra War from Pandava side.
When the five Pandavas and Draupadi returned to the camp and learned about this dreadful incident, they become inconsolable. The killing of Draupadi’s sons was however believed to be the effect of Gandhari’s curse (Mother of the Kauravas). After learning about the death and defeat of her hundred sons, Gandhari curses Draupadi that she will too see the death of her sons soon and know the pain of a mother who has lost all her children.
Ashwatthama & Brahmastra
After learning about the destruction that Ashwatthama caused, the Pandavas go in search of him. The finally reach Rishi Vyasa’s ashram. Ashwatthama seeks shelter there as he realizes his mistake of killing the sons of Pandavas and not the Pandavas themselves. Hence, in order to seek Prayaschitam (Salvation), he goes to Rishi Vyasa.
On learning that he was trapped between the Pandavas, Ashwatthama devises a Brahmashirsha Astra (a powerful celestial weapon that causes mass destruction) from a blade of grass that finds on the ground. He releases it against the Pandavas and Lord Krishna. Such an Astra can only be invoked through the use of sacred knowledge of the Vedas. To fight this Astra, Arjun decided to use the Pashupatastra (another celestial weapon). Ashwatthama learns about these Astras from Guru Dronacharya, while Arjun attains these Divyastras (celestial weapons) from Lord Shiva upon pleasing him with his thapasya.
However, both the Astras were very powerful. They were then heading for a head-on collision that would result in the destruction of the entire Earth. On knowing this, Rishi Vyasa asked both the warriors to withdraw their respective weapons. To this order, Arjun decided to withdraw his weapon and was successful in doing so. However, Ashwatthama was never taught on how to withdraw the Brahmastra. It was believed that an archer who could both invoke and withdraw such a powerful Astra had the potential to use it as many times as he wanted to. However, Dronacharya wanted to limit the use of such powers from Ashwatthama. It was because he could then use it only once. He therefore did not teach the withdrawal to Ashwatthama.
Although, Ashwatthama had the power to divert the weapon towards an isolated object. This would further cause no destruction and harm no one on Earth. To end the lineage of the Pandavas, Ashwatthama diverts the weapon towards Uttara’s womb. Uttara was the wife of Abhimanuyu (son of Arjun). She was pregnant with Abhimanyu’s son and the future heir of the Pandavas. This anger both the Pandavas and Lord Krishna. The Pandavas then attempt to kill Ashwatthama. This was opposed by Rishi Vyasa. He says that it was due to the severe sin of killing their Guru Drona by unethical means, the Pandavas suffered severe tragedy and their entire lineage came to extinction. Further Sage Vyasa warned Pandavas that he will curse Pandavas if they ever tried to kill Ashwatthama, the only survivor of their Gurus lineage.
Lord Krishna’s Curse
Lord Krishna explains:
“The unborn baby in Uttara’s womb was not even a part of the War. Lord Krishna adds that God has provided the ultimate protection of the mother’s womb for nine complete months while infant develops into a grown baby. No one is allowed to break this law of nature to kill a baby before its born. It is a deadly sin. Such an act is not at all expected from Lord Shiva himself. He is often called Mahadev (Lord of the lords). If Lord Shiva himself only will resort to killing of the unborn child breaking the ultimate protection from God as the womb, what must be done? It was also a revengeful feeling, anger and then this becomes unacceptable at all. If God himself decides to take revengeful actions with anger and break Dharma then who will save the world?”
However, with his divine powers, Lord Krishna brings he unborn baby back to life. He was then named Parikshit (one who has been tested). He was crowned the King of Hastinapur after the Pandavas. After this, Lord Krishna with his powers, pulls away the Mani from the forehead of Ashwatthama. He then curses him:
“Oh! Ashwatthama You will carry the burden of all the people’s sins on your shoulders and will roam alone like a ghost without getting any love and courtesy till the end of Kaliyuga; You will have neither any hospitality nor any accommodation; You will be in total isolation from the mankind and society; Your body will suffer from a host of incurable diseases forming sores and ulcers that would never heal. May you, Ashwatthama, lead the most wretched life anyone can ever lead. May you never receive love or affection ever in your life unto the end of Time.”
It is to be noted that none of the acts that Ashwatthama did that night were in unconscious states. It was all planned and calculated. The worst among them was the invocation of Bramhastra. He knows that if he invoked Bramhastra he will not able to take it back still he invoked that to destroy this whole world. Also as per Vedas, killing a foetus is heinous crime and Ashwatthama did it knowingly Hence, on the commitment of such sinful activities Ashwatthama had to give up his Gem and he was cursed by Krishna to wander on earth for 3000 years away from human settlement alone in the forest with the stench of pus and blood. He was born with a boon that he would stay immortal and he was protected from any kind of injury. Lord Krishna turned this boon to a curse that ultimately led to Ashwatthama suffer.
