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Ashwatthama
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| Ashwatthama | |
|---|---|
| Ashwatthama Ashwatthama uses Narayanastra | |
| Information | |
| Weapon | Bow and Arrow, Sword |
| Family | Dronacharya (father) Kripi (mother) |
| Relatives | Kripacharya (maternal uncle) Bharadwaja (grandfather) |
In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata, Ashwathama (Sanskrit: अश्वत्थामा, romanized: Aśvatthāmā) or Drauni is the son of guru Drona and the grandson of the sage Bharadwaja. Ashvatthama is a Maharathi[1] who fought on the Kaurava side against the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra War. He became a Chiranjivi (immortal) on being blessed by Lord Shiva.
The deceptive plot of his rumoured death led to the beheading of his grieving father Drona, who was decapitated while meditating for his son's soul. Ashwatthama was appointed as the final commander-in-chief of the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra War. Overcome with grief and rage, he slaughters most of the Pandava camp in a single Night combat. Ashwatthama ruled the Northern Panchala being subordinate to the rulers of Hastinapura.
Etymology[edit]
According to The Mahabharata, Ashwatthama means "the sacred voice which relates to that of a horse".[2] It is so-called because when he was born he cried like a horse.[3]
Birth and Life Prior to the War[edit]
Template:One source section Ashwatthama is the son of Dronacharya and Kripi. He was born in cave in a forest (in present day Tapkeshwar mahadev temple,Dehradun. Uttrakhand). Drona does many years of severe penance to please Lord Shiva in order to obtain a son who possesses the same valiance as Lord Shiva. Ashwatthama is born with a precious and powerful gem on his forehead as a blessing of Lord Shiva which gives him power over all living beings lower than humans; it protects him from hunger, thirst, fatigue, old age and all sorts of diseases, weapons and deities. The divine gem almost makes Ashwatthama invincible and immortal. Though an expert in warfare, Dronacharya lives the simple life, with little money or property. As a result, Ashwatthama has a difficult childhood, with his family unable to even afford milk. Wanting to provide a better life for his family, Drona goes to the Panchal Kingdom to seek aid from his former classmate and friend, Drupada. However, Drupada rebukes the friendship, claiming a king and a beggar cannot be friends, humiliating Drona.
After this incident, and seeing the plight of Drona, Kripacharya invites Drona to Hastinapur. There, he comes upon the attention of his co-disciple Bhishma. Thus, Dronacharya becomes the guru of both Pandavas and Kauravas in Hastinapur. Ashwatthama is trained in the art of warfare along with them.[4]
Later, Drona asked his disciples to give him his Guru Dakshina. He asked Drupada's defeat in his Guru Dakshina. Kauravas failed to defeat Drupada and were captured by him and his daughter, the Commander-in-Chief Shikhandini. Later, Pandavas defeated Drupada and presented him before Drona. Drona crowned Ashwatthama as king of the southern part of Panchala.
Role in the Kurukshetra war[edit]
Since Hastinapura, ruled by King Dhritarashtra, offered Dronacharya the privilege of teaching the Kuru princes, both Dronacharya and Ashwatthama are loyal to Hastinapur and fight for the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war. Before Dronacharya's death, Ashwatthama visits his father, desiring a blessing of victory that he is denied. Drona advises Ashwatthama to win the war using his own strength and not through a blessing.
On the 14th day of the war, he kills a division of Rakshasas and Anjanaparvan (the powerful son of Ghatotkacha) and defeats Ghatotkacha several times as well breaking all his illusions but fails to kill the powerful asura everytime. He also stands against Arjuna several times, trying to prevent him from reaching Jayadratha, but is eventually defeated by Arjuna. However during the entire process of protecting Jayadratha, Ashwatthama at one point of time successfully saves Duryodhana's divine celestial armour and life by using his Sarvastra arrow and destroying the powerful Manavastra arrow launched by an angry Arjuna towards Duryodhana mid-way.
Death of Drona[edit]
On the 10th day of the war, after Bhishma falls, Drona is named the supreme commander of the armies. He promises Duryodhana that he will capture Yudhishthira, but then he repeatedly fails to do so. Duryodhana taunts and insults him, which greatly angers Ashwatthama, causing friction between Ashwatthama and Duryodhana. Krishna knows that it was not possible to defeat an armed Drona. So, Krishna suggests to Yudhishthira and the other Pandavas, if Drona were convinced that his son was killed on the battlefield, then his grief would leave him vulnerable to attack.
Krishna hatches a plan for Bhima to kill an elephant by the name Ashwatthama while claiming to Drona it was Drona's son who was dead. Ultimately, the gambit works (though the details of it vary depending on the version of the Mahabharata), and Dhristadyumna beheads the grieving sage.
Narayanastra usage[edit]
After learning of the deceptive way his father was killed, Ashwatthama becomes filled with wrath and invokes the celestial weapon called the Narayanastra, against the Pandavas.
When the weapon is invoked, violent winds begin to blow, peals of thunder are heard, and an arrow appears for every Pandava soldier. This puts fear into the Pandava army, but on Krishna instructions all the troops abandoned their chariots and also lay down all its weapons and surrender it to the weapon. As Lord Krishna himself is the incarnation of Narayana, he knows about the weapon, as the weapon only targets an armed person while ignores unarmed ones. After getting their soldiers to disarm (including Bhima with some difficulty), the Astra passes by harmlessly. When urged by Duryodhana to use the weapon again, desirous of victory, Aswatthama sadly responds that if the weapon is used again, it will turn on its user.
According to the Neelakantha Chaturdhara compilation, the Narayanastra destroys one Akshauhini of the Pandava army completely. After the use of Narayanastra, a terrible war between both armies takes place. Seeing his Narayanastra fail to kill the Pandavas enraged Kripi Kumara stays resolute on his chariot, he touches water and invokes the Agneyastra and launches that blazing shaft in it's superior form with the help of Mantras towards all his visible and invisible foes on all sides. The powerful weapon soon overpowers and encompasses Arjuna with several fiery flaming arrows and starts creating havoc within the Pandava army, upon witnessing this sight and realising the seriousness of situation, Arjuna uses his Brahmastra to subdue the powerful Agneyastra of Ashwatthama but the Agneyastra by then already destroyed and burnt another complete Akshauhini of the Pandava army, only Arjuna and Krishna survives that devastating attack which shocks Ashwatthama deeply as he leaves the battlefield with confusion and doubt on his knowledge and skills. Later Ashwatthama defeats Dhrishtadyumna in direct combat, but failed to kill him as Satyaki and Bhima cover his retreat in the process both Bhima and Satyaki engages in a battle against Ashwatthama, furious Kripi Kumara defeats both the warriors and makes them retreat from the battlefield as well.[4] .[5] As the battle progresses he fights Arjuna again on day 16
16th Day War[edit]
By using an ordinary yet powerful bow Ashwatthama fire millions of arrows at a time which results in the stupefaction of Arjuna himself. Then after some time Ashwatthama again overpowers Arjuna as he bathes in blood, but at last Arjuna with no other option pierce his steeds and the wounded steeds carries Ashwatthama away from Arjuna and also his weapons gets exhausted. King Malayadhwaja of Pandya Kingdom, one of the mightiest warrior of Pandavas fights brilliantly against Ashwatthama. After a long duel of Archery between them Ashwatthama makes Malayadhwaja carless, weaponless and obtains an opportunity to kill him on the spot but he spares him temporarily for more fight.Then Malayadhwaja proceeds against Ashwatthama on an elephant and throws a powerful lance which destroys latter's diadem.Then Ashwathama cut off the head and arms of Malayadhwaja and also kills 6 followers of Malayadhwaja. Seeing this all the great warriors of Kauravas starts applauding Ashwatthama for his act.[6]
Becoming commander[edit]
After the terrible death of Dushasana, Ashwatthama suggests Duryodhana make peace with the Pandavas, keeping in mind the welfare of Hastinapur. Later, after Duryodhana is struck down by Bhima and facing death, the last three survivors from the Kaurava side, Ashwatthama, Kripa, and Kritavarma rush to his side. Ashwatthama swears to bring Duryodhana revenge, and Duryodhana appoints him as the commander-in-chief.
Attack on Pandava Camp[edit]
Along with Kripa and Kritavarma, Ashwatthama plans to attack the Pandavas camp at night. When Ashwatthama reach there he encounters Lord Shiva in a terrifying ghost form guarding the Pandavas camp, not recognising him Ashwatthama fearlessly starts attacking that terrifying ghost with all his powerful weapons but failed to inflict a single damage upon it, after which Ashwatthama starts meditating on Lord Shiva while sitting inside a pit of fire finally impressing him after which Lord Shiva appears in his true form infront of Ashwatthama and offers him a divine sword and then Lord Shiva himself enters the body of Ashwatthama making him completely unstoppable.
After that Ashwatthama enters the camp, he first kicks and awakens Dhrishtadyumna, the commander of the Pandava army and the killer of his father.[7] Ashwatthama beats up and strangles the half-awake Dhrishtadyumna as the prince begs to be allowed to die with a sword in his hand ultimately choking him to death. Ashwatthama then proceeds with butchering the remaining warriors, including the Upapandavas, Shikhandi, Yudhamanyu, Uttamaujas, and many other prominent warriors of the Pandava army. Even though many warriors try and fight back, Ashwatthama remains unharmed due to his activated abilities as one of the eleven Rudras. Those who try to flee from Ashwatthama's wrath are hacked down by Kripacharya and Kritavarma at the camp's entrances.
After the slaughter, the three warriors go to find Duryodhana. After relaying to him the deaths of all the Panchalas, they announce that the Pandavas have no sons with whom to rejoice their victory. Duryodhana felt greatly satisfied and avenged at Ashwatthama's ability to do for him what Bhisma, Drona, and Karna could not. With this, Duryodhana breathes his last, and mourning, the three remaining members of the Kaurava army perform the cremation rites.
Aftermath of the Attack[edit]
The Pandavas and Krishna who were away during the night, now return to their camp the next day morning. Hearing the news of these events Yudhishthira faints and the Pandavas become inconsolable. Bhima angrily rushes to kill Drona's son. They find him at sage Vyasa's ashram near the bank of Bhagiratha.
The now triggered Ashwatthama invokes the Brahmashirā (the superior and sophisticated version of Brahmastra) against the Pandavas from a tiny blade of grass to fulfill the oath of killing them. Krishna asks Arjuna to fire the Brahmashirā as an anti-missile against Ashwatthama to defend themselves. Vyasa intervenes and prevents the destructive weapons from clashing against each other. He asks both Arjuna and Ashwatthama to take their weapons back. Arjuna, knowing how to do so takes it back.
Ashwatthama however directs the Brahmashirā towards the womb of the pregnant Uttara (Arjuna's daughter-in-law) instead in an attempt to end the lineage of the Pandavas.
Krishna saves Uttara's unborn child from the effects of the Brahmashirā, on request of Draupadi, Subhadra and Sudeshna. As the child faced a test of life even before being born, Lord Sri Krishna named him Parikshit (literally: "the tested one") and later on this child succeeds Yudhisthira to become the next king of Hastinapura. Ashwatthama was then made to surrender the gem on his forehead and cursed by Krishna for three thousand years that he will roam in the forests with blood and puss oozing out of his injuries and cry for death but death would not meet him.[8]
Lineage[edit]
A theory is propounded by historians R. Sathianathaier and D. C. Sircar, with endorsements by Hermann Kulke, Dietmar Rothermund and Burton Stein.[9] Sircar points out that the family legends of the Pallavas speak of an ancestor descending from Ashwatthama and his union with a Naga princess. It was the son born from this union, that would have started this dynasty. This claim finds support in the fact that Kanchipuram was where the Pallavas would dwell, and this was earlier a part of the Naga Kingdom.
A further corroboration is that the gotra of the Pālave Maratha family is Bharadwaja (grandfather of Ashwatthama), same as the one which Pallavas have attributed to themselves in their records.[10]
In Popular Culture[edit]
- In Vaibhav Modi's Dharmakshetra TV series, the role Ashwatthama was played by Saurabh Goyal.
- In Chandraprakash Dwivedi's Ek Aur Mahabharat, the role of Aswatthama was played by Ashok Lokhande.
- In Jamshed Ashraf's Mrityunjanya, the role of Ashwattha was played by Ashok Lokhande. The younger version of Ashwatthama was played by Prasad Barve.
- In B. R. Chopra's Mahabharata (1988), the role of Ashwatthma was played by Pradeep Rawat while the younger version was played by Ayush Shah.
References[edit]
- ↑ K M Ganguly (1883–1896). The Mahabharata, Book 5 Udyoga Parva, Section CLXVIII sacred-texts.com, October 2003, Retrieved 2014-02-11
- ↑ "The Mahabharata, Book 7: Drona Parva: Drona-vadha Parva: Section CXCVII".
- ↑ "Sanskrit - Asien.net".
- ↑ K M Ganguly(1883-1896). The Mahabharata, Book 5 Udyoga Parva, Section CLXVIII sacred-texts.com, October 2003, Retrieved 2013-11-14
- ↑ K M Ganguly(1883-1896). The Mahabharatha Book 7: Drona page 478-479 Aswathama defeated Satyaki, Bhima, Drishtadyumna, October 2003, Retrieved 2015-01-13
- ↑ "The Mahabharata, Book 8: Karna Parva Index". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ↑ K M Ganguly(1883-1896). The Mahabharata Book 10: Sauptika Parva section 8 Ashvatthama killing Dhrishtadyumna, October 2003, Retrieved 2015-04-17
- ↑ Mythgyaan (16 October 2017). "Who is Ashwathama? Why he was cursed by Krishna? Is he still alive?". Mythgyaan. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ↑ Stein, Burton (2016). "Book Reviews: Kancipuram in Early South Indian History, by T. V. Mahalingam (Madras: Asia Publishing House, 1969), pp. vii-243". The Indian Economic & Social History Review. 7 (2): 317–321. doi:10.1177/001946467000700208. ISSN 0019-4646. S2CID 144817627.: "...the rather well-argued and plausible stand that the Palavas were indigenous to the central Tamil plain, Tondaimandalam..."
- ↑ Vaidya C.V., History of Medieval Hindu India, pg.281
External links[edit]
Original text online (in Sanskrit)
- GRETIL etext (Muneo Tokunaga)
- Mahābhārata online
- History: Encounters with Ashvatthama
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