Stories From The Bhagavatham - Ashwattama's Revenge And Redemption

 

The Bhagavatham gives us a brief glimpse into the days after the great war of Kurukshetra.

As Duryodhana was lying on the ground, his thigh broken by Bheema, Ashwattama, the son of Dronacharya, came to meet him. On seeing his friend’s broken condition, Ashwattama’s fury knew no bounds. He took an oath before Duryodhana that he would avenge the war by destroying the Pandavas.

That night, Ashwattama sneaked into the camp of the Pandavas. Although he did not find the Pandav brothers, he found their children and Draupadi’s brothers all sleeping. In a fit of anger, Ashwattama committed a terrible deed – he killed all the children of the Pandavas as well as the brothers of Draupadi. After setting fire to the camp, he walked away.

It is said that even Duryodhana himself was shocked when Ashwattama told him about this heinous act and severely reprimanded him.

In the morning, the news reached the Pandavas. Draupadi’s grief cannot be expressed here in words, having lost all of her children as well as her brothers in a single night. A heart-broken Arjuna promised her. “I will bring the head of the sinner who did this and will lay it at your feet.”

Yet once again, Krishna became Arjuna’s charioteer as they both set off in search of Ashwattama who was trying to escape from the kingdom. When Arjuna finally caught up with Ashwattama, the later invoked the Brahmasheersha Astra with the invocation – ‘May the world be rid of all Pandavas’ – and hurled it towards Arjuna.

“Krishna, what is happening?” Arjuna remarked in dismay as the very skies lit up with the glow of the Astra. “I feel like my entire body is burning with a fire that is yet to reach me. How can I escape this?”

“The son of your Guru has hurled the Brahmasheersha Astra towards you.” Krishna grimly said. “Drona has taught both you and his son, the consequences of using this Astra. Ashwattama has evidently spared no thought for the outcome and has used this Astra with a desire to destroy the entire world. Invoke the same Astra; that is the only way to fight this.”

Arjuna prayed to the deity of the Astra and invoked the same. As the two great fires sped towards each other in the sky, the Rishis from the heavens approached the warring opponents and said. “Immediately withdraw these Astras! If the two fires meet, it will be the end of the world.”

Arjuna obeyed them and recalled his Astra. However, Ashwattama could not do so. The sins he had committed had made him lose his power over his own Astra. To save himself, he directed the weapon towards the unborn children of the Pandavas.

Arjuna caught up with Ashwattama and tied his hands with a rope. Krishna said in anger. “This is the man who has committed the gravest sin of killing children in their sleep. Show no mercy to him! You have promised Draupadi that you would lay his head at her feet.”

Arjuna hesitated. This was Ashwattama, the son of his Guru, the playmate of his childhood. His Guru Drona had loved Arjuna even more than he loved Ashwattama. Unable to kill the person who had been like a brother to him, Arjuna took Ashwattama to Draupadi and his brothers and asked them to decide his fate.

Draupadi’s deep grief at the loss of her children had emptied her heart of all hatred and anger. She told Arjuna. “This is the son of your Guru and the only reason that your Gurumata is still living. I do not want her to suffer the same fate as myself. Please release him.”

While her decision was met with approval by everyone, only Bheema stood in silent anger, not happy with the decision. Krishna told Arjuna. “You are in a dilemma now. If you kill Ashwattama, you will be going against the decision of Draupadi and your brothers. If you spare his life, you will incur the wrath of your brother Bheema. Try to take that action which will be agreeable for everyone.”

Arjuna looked at all of them who were patiently waiting for his action. Finally he understood what Krishna was trying to say. With a swift swipe of his sword, he removed the jewel that rested on Ashwattama’s head, thereby removing his Brahminic Tejas which was already tainted by the grave sin of Shishuhatya. He then released Ashwattama and ordered him to leave.

Cutting off the hair of a Brahmin, taking away his wealth and ordering him to leave one’s presence – these are considered as unholy as killing the Brahmin. With his one act, Arjuna had done all these. With lowered eyes and stripped of all respect, Ashwattama walked away.

The next chapter of Bhagavatham describes the conversation between Yudhisthira and the grandsire Bhishma as he lay on his death bed of arrows.

Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya!