1. The mystery
We all have grown up listening the stories about the warrior Ashwatthama still being alive, though, not as a result of being immortal but rather as curse given to him by Krishna. Here is more on him
2. Who is Ashwatthama?
Ashwatthama or Drauni was the son of guru Drona and he is the grandson of the Brahmin sage Bharadwaja. Ashwatthama is the avatar of one of the eleven Rudras and he is one of the seven Chiranjivi.After Arjuna and Karna, Ashwatthama killed most number of warriors in the Kurukshetra war on behalf of the Kauravas.
3. What happened to him?
According to legend, Krishna was angry with Ashwatthama for killing Pandava’s sons. He decided to curse Ashwatthama to avenge the destruction of Pandava’s lineage - hence cursing him with an unending life of pain and suffering.
4. Krishna's curse
Krishna cursed Ashwatthama with terrible leprosy that would haunt him for 3,000 years. Krishna further stated that Ashwatthama would not be helped by anyone or provided food or shelter.
5. Krishna's rage
His body was covered in horrible wounds which wouldn’t heal. Blood and pus came out of his wounds constantly.
6. Why did this happen?
To know why all this happened, let's go back in time. In Mahabharata, Ashwatthama's father loved him dearly. False rumours about his death in the Kurukshetra war led to the death of his father at the hands of Prince Dhrishtadyumna. A vengeful Ashwatthama obtained permission from the dying Duryodhana to brutally murder Dhrishtadhyumna after the war had officially ended.
7. Blood on his hands
Ashwathama at the end of the war promised Duryodhana that he would kill the Pandavas and attacked the Pandava camp in the middle of the night, but by error ended up murdering the 5 sons of the Pandavas, borne by Draupadi.
8. What happened next?
The Pandavas, incensed by this act, chased him resulting in his fight with Arjuna. During the fight, Ashwatthama invoked the 'Brahmastra' against Arjuna and Arjuna in response invoked the 'Pashupatastra'. Fearing the destruction of the world, the sages advised both to take back their weapons.
9. The shastra that destroyed everything
While Arjuna could do so, Ashwathama could not and was given the option of choosing any single target to destroy. Out of spite, Ashwathama directed the weapon to the womb of Uttara, Arjuna's daughter-in-law.
10. Being cursed
At this time, Uttara was carrying the unborn Parikshit, son of Abhimanyu, who upon birth would be the future heir to all the Pandava brothers. The Brahmastra weapon was successful in fatally burning the foetus, but Krishna revived the stillborn child and cursed Ashwatthama with leprosy and to roam the world for 3,000 years as an unloved castaway.
11. The bane of immortality
In another version, it is believed that he is cursed to remain alive till the end of the Kaliyuga. It is believed that Ashwatthama migrated to the land currently known as Arabian peninsula.
12. The suffering continued
Ashwatthama also had to surrender a valuable gem set on his forehead, the wearer of which ceases to have any fear from weapons or disease or hunger, and he ceases to have any fear of gods and danavas and nagas.
13. Is he alive?
Now, if the above story is true, then Ashwatthama should be still alive and there has been proof (even though vague) that he indeed is.
14. Proof of his being alive
A doctor in Madhya Pradesh claimed to have a tough patient with a septic forehead. After several applications of a fail-proof potion, the wound was still fresh and kept bleeding. Amazed at this, the doctor said that his wound seems ageless and cureless. He added, by saying, “I wonder, are you Ashwathama”, and laughed.
15. What happened next?
When he turned to apply the next doze, he found the patient seat empty. The patient just disappeared into thin air - the story it was claimed was true.
16. Another story
Some Yogis like Pilot Baba also claim that they have met Ashwatthama who was living among tribes at Himalayan Foothills. It is believed that Ashwatthama offers flowers to a Shivling each morning.
17. Sightings
Apart from this, according to locals a very tall man with noticeable dent in his forehead and in the middle of his forehead visits a restaurant owner once every year, somewhere on the foothills of the Himalayas.
18. What does he do?
Only once a year, he goes and eats "all" the food prepared by the owner and drinks a minimum of 100 litres of water. These "claims" have been made by locals who see the man every year.
19. Once in a year sighting
The villagers on the other hand "claim" that the man after quenching his thirst and anger then quietly disappears in the forest only to "apppear" next year.
20. Matching the dots
It is said that in the Dwayapar Yuga the average height of a man used to be anywhere between 12-14 foot and a man of this stature cannot be from this era. Also they had massive appetites and could live on food they ate once a year for the whole of next year.
21. Not visible to everyone
However, even with all these stories, Ashwatthama sightings are very rare since he has the power to choose to be visible or remain invisible.
(Source: Speaking Tree)
We all have grown up listening the stories about the warrior Ashwatthama still being alive, though, not as a result of being immortal but rather as curse given to him by Krishna. Here is more on him
2. Who is Ashwatthama?
Ashwatthama or Drauni was the son of guru Drona and he is the grandson of the Brahmin sage Bharadwaja. Ashwatthama is the avatar of one of the eleven Rudras and he is one of the seven Chiranjivi.After Arjuna and Karna, Ashwatthama killed most number of warriors in the Kurukshetra war on behalf of the Kauravas.
3. What happened to him?
According to legend, Krishna was angry with Ashwatthama for killing Pandava’s sons. He decided to curse Ashwatthama to avenge the destruction of Pandava’s lineage - hence cursing him with an unending life of pain and suffering.
4. Krishna's curse
Krishna cursed Ashwatthama with terrible leprosy that would haunt him for 3,000 years. Krishna further stated that Ashwatthama would not be helped by anyone or provided food or shelter.
5. Krishna's rage
His body was covered in horrible wounds which wouldn’t heal. Blood and pus came out of his wounds constantly.
6. Why did this happen?
To know why all this happened, let's go back in time. In Mahabharata, Ashwatthama's father loved him dearly. False rumours about his death in the Kurukshetra war led to the death of his father at the hands of Prince Dhrishtadyumna. A vengeful Ashwatthama obtained permission from the dying Duryodhana to brutally murder Dhrishtadhyumna after the war had officially ended.
7. Blood on his hands
Ashwathama at the end of the war promised Duryodhana that he would kill the Pandavas and attacked the Pandava camp in the middle of the night, but by error ended up murdering the 5 sons of the Pandavas, borne by Draupadi.
8. What happened next?
The Pandavas, incensed by this act, chased him resulting in his fight with Arjuna. During the fight, Ashwatthama invoked the 'Brahmastra' against Arjuna and Arjuna in response invoked the 'Pashupatastra'. Fearing the destruction of the world, the sages advised both to take back their weapons.
9. The shastra that destroyed everything
While Arjuna could do so, Ashwathama could not and was given the option of choosing any single target to destroy. Out of spite, Ashwathama directed the weapon to the womb of Uttara, Arjuna's daughter-in-law.
10. Being cursed
At this time, Uttara was carrying the unborn Parikshit, son of Abhimanyu, who upon birth would be the future heir to all the Pandava brothers. The Brahmastra weapon was successful in fatally burning the foetus, but Krishna revived the stillborn child and cursed Ashwatthama with leprosy and to roam the world for 3,000 years as an unloved castaway.
11. The bane of immortality
In another version, it is believed that he is cursed to remain alive till the end of the Kaliyuga. It is believed that Ashwatthama migrated to the land currently known as Arabian peninsula.
12. The suffering continued
Ashwatthama also had to surrender a valuable gem set on his forehead, the wearer of which ceases to have any fear from weapons or disease or hunger, and he ceases to have any fear of gods and danavas and nagas.
13. Is he alive?
Now, if the above story is true, then Ashwatthama should be still alive and there has been proof (even though vague) that he indeed is.
14. Proof of his being alive
A doctor in Madhya Pradesh claimed to have a tough patient with a septic forehead. After several applications of a fail-proof potion, the wound was still fresh and kept bleeding. Amazed at this, the doctor said that his wound seems ageless and cureless. He added, by saying, “I wonder, are you Ashwathama”, and laughed.
15. What happened next?
When he turned to apply the next doze, he found the patient seat empty. The patient just disappeared into thin air - the story it was claimed was true.
16. Another story
Some Yogis like Pilot Baba also claim that they have met Ashwatthama who was living among tribes at Himalayan Foothills. It is believed that Ashwatthama offers flowers to a Shivling each morning.
17. Sightings
Apart from this, according to locals a very tall man with noticeable dent in his forehead and in the middle of his forehead visits a restaurant owner once every year, somewhere on the foothills of the Himalayas.
18. What does he do?
Only once a year, he goes and eats "all" the food prepared by the owner and drinks a minimum of 100 litres of water. These "claims" have been made by locals who see the man every year.
19. Once in a year sighting
The villagers on the other hand "claim" that the man after quenching his thirst and anger then quietly disappears in the forest only to "apppear" next year.
20. Matching the dots
It is said that in the Dwayapar Yuga the average height of a man used to be anywhere between 12-14 foot and a man of this stature cannot be from this era. Also they had massive appetites and could live on food they ate once a year for the whole of next year.
21. Not visible to everyone
However, even with all these stories, Ashwatthama sightings are very rare since he has the power to choose to be visible or remain invisible.
(Source: Speaking Tree)
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