AŚVATTHĀMĀ .
1)
Birth and genealogy. The semen of Bharadvāja Ṛṣi
fell into the hollow of a bamboo and from there was
born Droṇa. As per the instructions of his father Droṇa
married Kṛpī, daughter of the sage, Śāradvata. The
good-natured Kṛpī gave birth to Aśvatthāmā. (See
under Droṇa for genealogy). (Chapter 130, Ādi Parva,
M.B.)
2)
How he got his name. The moment he was born he
made a loud hoot like Uccaiśravas and the sound resem-
bled the braying of a horse. Immediately a voice from
heaven said that the boy should be named Aśvatthāmā.
The boy was, therefore, named so. (Ślokas 48 and 49,
Chapter 130, M.B.).
3)
Training in archery. Aśvatthāmā took his lesson in
archery from his father Droṇa. At that time Droṇa got
new lessons from Paraśurāma and they were also im-
parted to Droṇa's disciples. When Droṇa became the
preceptor of the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas Aśvatthāmā
also went with him. (Ślokas 52 to 64, Chapter 130, Ādi
Parva, M.B.).
4)
Droṇa's affection for his son. Droṇa was very affec-
tionate to his son and wanted to teach him something
special in archery. So he used to instruct him during
the time the other disciples went to fetch water for the
āśrama. Arjuna came to know of this and he, there-
after, started bringing his quota of water quickly
enough to join the special class of Droṇa. Thus Arjuna
and Aśvatthāmā learned a lot more than the others in
the military art. (Ślokas 17-19, Chapter 132, Ādi
Parva, M.B.).
5)
The Mahābhārata Battle and Aśvatthāmā. In Sabhā
Parva we find Aśvatthāmā participating in the Rāja-
sūya of Yudhiṣṭhira. After that we meet him only at
the Kurukṣetra war. Fighting on the side of the Kau-
ravas he played a very important role in that war. He
killed many veteran warriors and kings including the
following: Nīla, Añjanaparvā, Suratha, Śatruñjaya,
Balānīka, Jayānīka, Jayāśva, Srutāśva, Hemamālī, Vṛṣa-
dhara, Candrasena, the ten sons of Kuntibhoja, Sudar-
śana, Vṛddhakṣetra, Cedirāja, Malayadhvaja and Sura-
tha. He defeated many including Śikhaṇḍī, Abhimanyu,
Virāṭa, Sātyaki and Vindhya. By using Āgneyāstra
(the arrow of fire) he made Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna fall
fainting in the battle-field. He commanded the Kaurava
army once. He killed many Pāñcālas and Somakas
while they were sleeping. In Chapter 139 of Droṇa
Parva we read about Arjuna defeating Aśvatthāmā in
a single combat one day.
6)
Aśvatthāmā sees a ghost. Dhṛṣṭadyumna, son of King
Pāñcāla, killed Droṇa. When Aśvatthāmā heard of
his father's death his rage knew no bound. He imme-
diately went to the heart of the military camp of the
Pāṇḍavas, Kṛpa and Sātvata following him. There at the
gate of the camp he beheld a ghostly apparition. It is
described in the Bhāṣā Bhārata (Malayālam version of
M.B.) as follows: He saw a huge figure standing at the
door with a body blazing like the Sun and the Moon.
Bathed in blood and wearing a tiger's skin in the loins
the figure wore a snake as his sacred thread and cover-
ed his upper body with a deer-skin. There were innu-
merable hands for this ghost and in each hand adorned
with snake-bangles he held a deadly weapon. With
crooked teeth and a ghastly face the goblin gave a
shiver to those who saw him. Flames bursting forth
from his eyes, ears, nose and mouth he barred the way
of Aśvatthāmā. Undaunted the son of Droṇa showered
divine arrows on the figure. But the ghost by his sup-
reme powers absorbed the arrows to his body the
moment they touched him. In despair Aśvatthāmā
meditated on Śiva and the latter appearing before him
in person gave him a divine dagger. With that he entered
the bed-chamber of Dhṛṣṭadyumna, woke him up by
striking him with his foot, caught hold of him by the
hair on his head and killed him.
7)
Aśvatthāmā and his jewel. The anger of Aśyatthāmā did
not abate even after killing Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the butcher
of his father. With a view to destroying the whole Pāṇḍ-
ava dynasty he sent against the Pāṇḍavas the all-power-
ful Brahmaśirāstra (a missile charged with great power
by a holy incantation). But Droṇa had given the same
type of missile to Arjuna also and so he sent forth his to
meet the other. It created such a great explosion that
all the elders on both the sides joined together and re-
quested them to withdraw the missiles. Arjuna demanded
the jewel on Aśvatthāmā's head to withdraw his missile.
But Aśvatthāmā refused to part with it. He said, “This
jewel of mine is more valuable than all the wealth of both
Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas put together. If you wear this
you need not be afraid of your enemies, disease, hunger
and thirst. No harm will come to you from Yakṣas,
Nāgas or thieves. I will never part with such a jewel”.
(Ślokas 28-30, M.B., Chapter 15, Sautika Parva). After
great persuasion Aśvatthāmā surrendered his jewel but
without withdrawing the missile directed it towards the
womb of Uttarā who was bearing a child then. We
are reminded of an incident which happened when
the Pāṇḍavas were residing in Upaplāvya; a poor
brahmin looking at Uttarā said, “When the Kauravas
will be weakening in power a child will be born to you.
The boy will have to bear a test even while in the
womb and so you must name the child Parīkṣit (One
who has been tested)”.
When the powerful missile was flying straight towards
Uttarā's womb Śrī Kṛṣṇa said, “Even though the child
in the womb will die of this arrow it will be reborn.
Oh, Aśvatthāmā, you will be denounced by all as a
sinner for killing this unborn babe. To suffer for this
evil deed you will roam about in the earth for three
thousand years. Nobody will associate with you; you will
be shunned by society. You will be tormented by all
diseases on earth. But the babe which you have now
killed will be a famous scholar and brave King. He will
rule this country for sixty years. He will be known
as the next Kururāja. Look, I am giving life to the babe
you have killed”. Vyāsa supported Kṛṣṇa, and Aśvat-
thāmā repenting on his hasty action gave the jewel to
the Pāṇḍavas and left for the forest with Vyāsa.
(Sautika Parva, M.B.).
8)
Synonyms of Aśvatthāmā. The Mahābhārata has used
the following names also for Aśvatthāmā. Ācāryanan-
dana, Ācāryaputra, Ācāryasuta, Ācāryatanaya, Ācārya-
sattama, Drauṇi, Drauṇāyani, Droṇaputra, Droṇasūnu,
Guruputra, Gurusuta and Bhāratācāryaputra.