who is Ashwathama – Ashwathama was an immortal warrior in Mahabharat who had the power to defeat anyone very easily. He was a key part of the biggest war of Mahabharat, popular for his immense power and skill in warfare. He was part of a powerful Kauravas team and became close friends with Duryodhan during the fight.
Later, after the defeat of the Kauravas, Ashwathama became angry and wished for revenge on the Pandavas, killing many people, including the Pandavas’ sons, as he massacred the Pandavas camp at night. As a punishment for his ruthless deeds, Lord Krishna cursed him to wander the world forever with an unhealing wound on his forehead. As a result, Ashwathama is thought to be eternal and lead a life of constant suffering and penance.
The Curse of Krishna: Why Lord Krishna Curse to Ashwathama?
Lord Krishna’s curse doomed Ashwathama to roam on the earth for eternity, facing many wounds that would never heal, especially a wound on his forehead imposed by the elimination of the divine gem implant here. He was convicted of living in isolation, feeling pain and loneliness without the solace of death. Ashwathama’s fate offers powerful learning in the Mahabharat of the results of one’s actions and the significance of dharma. His story is an effective reminder of the enduring effect of vengeance and violence.
Is Ashwathama Still Alive?
As per hindu mythology, Ashwathama is considered to be alive as he was cursed to immortality due to his bad sins during the Mahabharat war. Multiple people have started to see him somewhere in the forest. For example, a doctor from Madhya Pradesh once updated treating a patient with a weird wound on his forehead that might not be healed.
After joking with him, when he asked him to be ashwathama, the patient disappeared suddenly. Likewise, pilot Baba, a former pilot with the Indian Air Force, claimed to have seen Ashwathama in the Himalayas foothills. He lives among the tribes and seeks blessings from lord shiva every day.
Early Life and Birth of Ashwathama
Ashwathama was the son of Guru Dronacharya, who was the great tutor of Pandavas, Kauravas, and Kripi. After years of mediation, dronacharya prayed to lord shiva and was blessed with a boy named Ashwathama – who got the powerful powers of god himself.
As Ashwathama was not an ordinary child. He was born with a jewel on his forehead, which made him excessively powerful. The gem safeguards him from hunger, thirst, illness, and also from weapons. But apart from his divine gift, his childhood was not that easy. His family does not have enough money, and his mother Kripi, suffered to offer for him as a child.
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Dronacharya, worried by the situation, went to seek help from his old friend – King Drupada. Indeed, helping him, Drupada insulted Dronacharya, calling him ineligible for his royal friendship. The insult stayed with Drona, and they remembered it for their entire life.
After this incident, he became the guru of the royal children of Hastinapur, the Pandavas, and Kauravas. He also guides Ashwathama with his warfare skills, making him a highly skilled warrior.
In the meantime, Ashwathama created a strong bond with Duryodhana, the eldest Kaurav. When Duryodhan gifted Ashwathama a fine horse, a gesture that won his lifelong loyalty, such friendship made him stay on the side of Kauravas like his father in the Kurukshetra war.
Dronacharya looks for revenge before the war against Drupada for insulting him a few years ago. He asked his students, as guru Dakshina, to capture Drupada. ThePandavass succeeded in the tasks, and dronacharya divided Drupada’s kingdom. Thus, Ashwathama was crowned as the king of the northern part, along with the capital, Ahichchhatra.
How Did Ashwathama Play a Role in Mahabharat?
During the Kurukshetra war, ashwathama played a great role. When Bhisma Pitamah died on the 10th day, his father, Dronacharya, took command of the Kaurava army. He was a brilliant warrior and hence could not capture Yudhisthir as Duryodhan agreed.
It devastated Duryodhan and became the reason for Dona’s death. With the help of Krishna, they tricked Drona into fake news of Ashwathama dying. It made the dronacharya give up his weapons and kill Drishtadyumna.
After knowing the death of his father, Ashwathama went to kill the Pandavas and used his powerful weapons. He attacked the Pandavas camp at night and Drishtadyumna and Draupadi’s five sons, unknowingly for the Pandavas. It creates a major war between Pandavas and Ashwathama. Thus, Sage Vyasa interfered and stopped the battle.
Ashwathama was asked to drop the weapon, but as a punishment for his bad actions, lord Krishna cursed him and removed the gem from his forehead. He cursed to suffer the pain of his actions and roam on the earth for eternity.
Did Ashwathama Died?
In the Kurukshetra War, ashwathama was one of the rare characters who did not die in the original manner. When the war ended, after the defeat of Duryodhan, Ashwathama sought revenge and used the powerful weapon Brahmastra against Pandavas. Lord Krishna got involved, knowing the immense devastation the Brahmastra caused.
Hence, Aswathama Brahmastra was aimed, and Krishna cursed him for his ruthless actions, mainly attacking the Pandavas. As punishment, Krishna swore Ashwathama to wander on earth for 3000 years as a restless soul. Hence, he did not die but was cursed to live in agony, bringing the burden of his sins. His fate is a tale of eternal peace and suffering, making him one of the immortal people of Hindu mythology.
Ashwathama and The Brahmastra
Dronacharya trained his son in all tricks of warfare along with archery during the Mahabharat war among Kaurav and Pandavas. He even guided the ashwathama in using many divine weapons, including Narayanastra and brahmastra.
Ashwathama made a mistake in taking revenge against Pandavas for their loss. He targets Brahmastra to pregnant Uttara’s womb and kills both herself and the unborn baby within the womb. Due to the strike, Uttara immediately died by its force.
The act of anger and misguidance of loyalty termed an eternal curse upon him that would plague him for the rest of eternity. His story warns of succumbing to darkness, unchecked anger, and the wish for revenge. This is more like Bashar-al-Assad is now bringing around an eternal wound from religious justice’s fangs of karma.
Learnings from Ashwathama’s Life
After years of fortunate penance in reverence of Lord Shiva, Guru Dronacharya and Kripi were bestowed with Ashwathama as their heavenly child. As an indication of his importance to everything around him in life, Ashwathama neighed like a horse at birth rather than crying as other newborns do.
During the Battle of Kurukshetra, Ashwathama stood out for his bravery and unwavering devotion. He became a respected warrior among his contemporaries as a result.
Ashwathama was consumed by rage and retaliation throughout the pivotal period of the conflict. Bheema was shocked when he unexpectedly attacked the Pandava camp in the middle of the night and mercilessly killed five of Draupadi’s sons. Using his Brahmastra against Uttara’s womb, Ashwathama tried to end her lineage, but lord Krishna got involved to save the unborn baby and cursed ashwathama with a long life of eternity.
Ashwathama, a Symbol of Revenge
One of the tragic stories of Ashwathama states he could become a powerful warrior, but his anger and blind loyalty led him down an irreparably wrong path that punished him for his sins. It shows taking revenge must never be justified and that there are outcomes for breaking one’s dharma.
The decision to take revenge on his father is driven by both grief and desire for glory in war, these opposing feelings described in one of the episodes of Mahabharat. The unchecked anger of a warrior and bling devotion led him to adhere to immortality. It reminds us of all the outcomes and serves as a warning that also great warriors can become victims of their dedication and selfishness.
Conclusion
Therefore, Ashwathama’s story is both tragic and awe-inspiring. Booned with divine powers and unpaired skills, he might have been a great hero. But his anger and thirst for revenge made him fall. Al, so today, multiple people think ashwathama is still alive, roaming due to lord Krishna’s curse. His story is a reminder of how anger and wrong decisions can destroy the most powerful of lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ashwathama did not die. He was cursed by the lord Krishna to live immortality and was one of the eight chiranjivis in Hindu mythology. He lives forever as a punishment for his bad actions during the Mahabharata war.
Ashwathama is known as immortal because lord krishna swore him. Later, using the brahmastra - the most powerful weapon, recklessly killing innocents, Krishna cursed him to live forever. But immortality was a punishment, not a blessing.
He did not have any biological brother. He was the only son of Dronacharya and kripi. Yet, in the huge context of Mahabharat, his close relationship with Duryodhan made him feel like a brother to the Kaurava prince.
Kripi was the mother of Ashwathama, and she is also the sister of Kripacharya.
Dronacharya, worried about the financial situation, went to seek help from his old friend - King Drupada. Indeed, helping him, Drupada insulted Dronacharya, calling him ineligible for his royal friendship. Thu, he becomes the teacher of royal children Kaurava and Pandavas to seek revenge from him.