Post by jksivan on Sept 29, 2013 20:32:10 GMT 5.5
Dear Children
93 '' ASWATHTHAMA'S DASTARDLY ACT ''
With Dhuryodhan's death, there was no war excepting the skirmishes of a few left on the Kauravas side. They could not perform any such activities in the open as they were aware they will be crushed by Pandavas who were victorious in the war and swayed the kingdom now.
Aswaththama was the only strong person and note worthy warrior left over in the Kaurava forces. He was loyal to Dhuryodhan. He was brought up as one of the Kaurava princes in the palace. He was a brahmin boy born to Dhronacharya. Dhrona and Kripa were respected and cared for by the Kauravas and the two teachers well versed in Dhanur vedha, taught the Kaurava princes all the martial arts and developed their skills in archery. Aswaththama joined the 100 Kaurava children and learnt along with them taught by his father.
He mastered the arts and techniques and became a strong warrior in the Kaurava forces and liked by Dhuryodhan and his brothers.
So naturally, when Dhuryodhan was killed by Bheema, Aswaththama wanted to take a revenge of the Pandavas and vowed to kill the entire Pandavas and bring their heads as trophies. He wanted to make the blind king happy by throwing the heads of the dead Pandavas in retaliation of killing the Dhuryodhan brothers.
One night he stealthily entered the Pandava camp and found the Pandavas sleeping side by side and in one stroke killed them and brought their heads to the blind king Dhritharashtra within a few moments.
''Grand pa, see what I have done. I avenged the death of our beloved Dhuryodhan by killing the Pandavas. Here are their heads'' so saying he placed the heads at the feet of the old blind king Dhritharashtra. He felt happy he did his duty to Dhuryodhan and repaid in gratitude. He felt Dhuryodhan's soul will rest in peace by his act of killing the Pandavas. He was very happy and congratulated himself for his act. Only when he himself saw the heads he was shocked and shuddered. He realised the biggest blunder committed by him. The five heads he brought belonged to the children of Pandavas only. Aswaththama shouted in agony, what he did by mistake in the night before. He thought the persons found sleeping in the Pandavas camp were the five Pandavas but in fact they were the children of the Pandavas. the sons of Arjuna, Bhemaa etc.
When he realised his mistake and expressed his fault, the old King Dhritharashtra scolded him. '' Aswaththama now only I understand why your father the great Dhronacharya never had a good opinion about you and did not rely on you. You damn fool, see the result of your hasty stupid act. You have heartlessly killed the sleeping innocent children and you have earned the wrath of the Pandavas by this''
In the Pandava camp, every one was shocked, sad and sorrowful. They were taken a back by the dastardly act of Aswaththama. Draupathi, Kunthi and the other mothers of the children, were crying in agony. '' Krishna did you see what Aswaththama had done '' cried Dhraupadhi.
Arjun vowed to trace Aswaththama and bring dead or alive for punishment and place him under the feet of Draupadhi before the funeral ceremonies began for the departed children.
Krishna went with him. The news of Arjuna chasing him had reached Aswaththama. He ran and hid himself He was traced and Aswaththama tried best to avoid Arjuna. When he realised the impossibility of escaping from Arjuna he suddenly remembered he had the Brahmasthram with him. It was the last weapon he had with him. His father Dhronacharya did not teach him the manthras to use it completely. He could onlysend it but cannot retrieve it. He knew the calibre of his son and suspected his fitness to own the Brahmasthram. So only once Aswaththama could use it and it will be lost after that .
So now Aswaththama used his Brahmasthram against Arjun. “ Krishna, what is this lightning approaching us, suddenly from Aswaththama. Looks like Brahmasthram to me.'' Yes Arjun, It is the dangerous weapon Aswaththama had been preserving all along to kill you. Now he has used it against you. You can counter it only with another Brahmasthram. So use your Asthram very fast before it nears us. Also remember, Aswaththama does not know the manthra to retrieve it back. So you can utter the manthra for his Bramhasthram also to return to you.
The two Brahmasthrams met in the air and as a consequence, there was fire every where and the sea of heat tormented and tortured everything in the three worlds. Arjuna the Brahmasthram had done its duty of attacking each other and because you uttered the proper manthra they will be returning to you.
The bewildered weaponless Aswaththama tried his best to get back his Brahmasthram and miserably failed. He could not run as he was surrounded by Arjun and Krishna. He was now unarmed. Arjuna caught hold of him and tied him and put him on the chariot and returned to his camp.
''Draupadhi, see the murderer before you, who was responsible for the death of our children. He stealthily entered our camp and killed those innocent children. You tell me what punishment we can give to this murderer. Shall I cut his head and throw at your feet. So saying Ajuna took the sword from his waist.
Dhraupadhi prevented any hasty action by Arjun. She stopped Arjun. '' Please Arjun, dont do anything hasty. Remember in spite of whatever he had done, he is a Brahmin. More over, he is the son of your Guru. You learnt all the arts and sasthras of Dhanur Vedha from Dhronacharya, and you owe your skills to him as a Guru. As a mark of respect for your Guru and gratitude towards him, let us not do anything for his sake, to this unworthy son of your Acharya.
Arjun, understand his old mother is still alive. Think of her. She had already lost her great and loving husband, the revered Dhronacharya. She is in sorryh. Let u us not add to her tragedy by killing her only son, this fool, Aswaththama, to make her further sad and sorrowful. We know how we suffer at the loss of our children, Why should that old woman exprience the loss of her only son. Leave him free. Is it possible for bringing back alive, our children by killing Aswaththama. Our children are lost for ever and so why kill him? ''
Yudhishtra and other Pandavas saw the reason in what Draupadhi said admonishing the errant Aswaththama.. Bheema was initially not acceptable to this and wanted life for life. Every one looked at the silent Krishna who was observing all these.
“Krishna what is your opinion and what do you say.
"why do you ask me Arjuna, it is you who vowed to bring the head of Aswaththama to be thrown at the feet of Draupathi. You can do one thing. You are the one who vowed. So you have to do somthing to honour your commitment. At best you can grant him life, as requested by Draupadhi herself, but he has to receive punishment for his dirty act. Sisuhaththi (murdering children) had alrady robbed the power in him, and brightness of his face. Instead of his head, you remove his hair, his crown, his ornaments, and ear rings, and the jewel he wears on his hair. With this he had lost every status he has in society. Chase him out. He is now rendered a weak brahmin like any one else with no power in him.
Aswaththama disappeared. He will not again appear in our stories any more.
The Pandavas went to Ganga and Triveni Prayag and performed the last rites for the children and those who sacrificed their lives for them in the long battle that was held at Kurukshethra. Their duties for all the departed ended with that and the souls rested in peace.