The Curse of Ashvatthama

महाभरत

Mahābharata

As retold by

Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

Sanskrit version of Mahabharata inscribed on palm leaves

ASHVATTHAMA EXILED

Then Kṛṣṇa spoke saying “So be it.  Mercy is above  justice. But his crimes must not go unpunished. Arjuna?”

            With a nod from Yudhiṣthira and Bhīma, the mighty Arjuna withdrew his razor-sharp sword. He cut the sacred jewel from the forehead of Aśvatthāmā and shaved his brahminical top-knot. Thit this, that son of a brahmaṇa lost all luster and mystic power. His humiliation was worse than death.

Now, the lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa held his sudarṣana-chakra and fixed the wretched son of Droṇa with his glance and said:

“As for you: sinful wretch. Killer of children.  Coward. The rules of war forbid such awful murder. No warrior kills a child or sleeping foe. You do deserve to die for your foul crimes. And still the fire-born Draupadī pleads your cause. Enough blood has been shed. So to your sentence: For your foul deeds, slaying men and children in their sleep, let all men know you for a coward. May your name, Aśvatthāmā, be a synonym for coward, monster and wretch. “

And Krishna cursed him, saying,  “May you wander the planet for 3,000 years alone and hated by all. O wretch, you shall have no home, no comfort. The stench of blood and pus shall emanate from your vile body forever. Dark forests and parched deserts shall be your abode. You are exiled to wander the earth, O sinner, cursed by plagues and misfortunes.”

Bas Relief of Mahabharat War, Angkor Wat

And with this the foul Aśvatthāmā, whose jewel had been sundered from his head by the powerful Arjuna - was cursed to walk the earth in exile for thousands of years. Driven from the battlefield, powerless and impotent, by both vultures and vermin. Even Rakshasas recoiled at his foul smell as he vainly sought refuge in the dark forests.

The mighty Bhīmasena gave Draupadī the gem plucked from the head of the cruel Ashvatthama and said, “This jewel is yours, my lady. Rise, O black-eyed lady of Panchala, and leave your grieving. Now, Duryodhana has been slain, and all the kings who opposed our cause have been laid to rest. The envious princes who tormented the earth with their arms lie dead on these plains, their souls dispatched to heaven or hell. And the hope of the dynasty, Parikṣit, is safe in the womb of  Uttara. Behold we have torn this gem from the sinful head of Droṇa’s son.” And so saying, he handed the shining jewel to Draupadī.

Kurukshetra War. Traditional Painting, Rajasthan

Then Draupadī, rising from her grief turned to her husband, the noble Yudhiṣthira, and said: “This gem was torn from the head of Droṇa’s son, for he was unworthy. But Droṇa was your guru, your master. He taught you the use of weapons and how to rule. And so it is fitting that you take this jewel upon your head, my Lord, for it has great mystic power. My vow of vengeance is satisfied. I want no more blood.”

Draupadi insulted

And so saying, Draupadī returned the gem to her husband Yudhisthira the king, fixing it on his brow, where it began to glow a deep green.

The Pandavas watched as the cursed Aśvatthāmā wandered away from the battlefield, and slowly entered the forest to live out his exile.

And finally, the lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa, seated on his war chariot decked in gold spoke to the lady Uttara as follows:

“Your child, the heroic Parikṣit, attaining to age and a knowledge of the Vedas as well as the practice of pious vows, shall obtain all weapons from the son of Sharadvata. This righteous king shall rule for sixty years, and shall hear the knowledge of the Bhagavata from Shukadeva, the son of Vyāsa. This boy shall become the mighty-armed king of the Kurus. He shall be known as Parikṣit, who passed the test of fire.

Pariksit Maharaj hearing Bhagavat from Shukadev