Is Ashwatthama no longer cursed?

Question

I am aware that Ashwatthama was cursed by Lord Krishna that he will roam the forests till the end of Kaliyuga, with blood and puss oozing out of his injuries and he will cry for death but death will not come to him.

However, I recently read a contradicting theory.

According to Kannada version of Mahabharata, Ashwatthama got in touch with Parshurama and asked him to save him from Lord Krishna’s curse. It was believed that Parasurama and Sage Durvasa initiated Ashwatthama into Sakthi worship, which is considered to be the supreme of all modes of worship. By this, Ashwatthama bypassed the curse of Lord Krishna.

Can anyone shed some light on the possibility of this?

Answer 1

First of all Ashwatthama was not cursed till end of Kaliyuga. The curse was to last for 3,000 years as per Sauptika Parva (taken from Mahabharata)

As regards thyself, all wise men know thee for a coward and a sinful wretch! Always engaged in sinful acts, thou art the slayer of children. For this reason, thou must have to bear the fruit of these thy sins. For 3,000 years thou shalt wander over this earth, without a companion and without being able to talk with anyone. Alone and without anybody by thy side, thou shalt wander through diverse countries, O wretch, thou shalt have no place in the midst of men. The stench of pus and blood shall emanate from thee, and inaccessible forests and dreary moors shall be thy abode! Thou shalt wander over the Earth, O thou of sinful soul, with the weight of all diseases on thee.

I have not come across any recension in which curse has been bypassed. This seems to be a folklore

Answer 2

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m10/m10016.htm

For 3,000 years thou shalt wander over this earth, without a companion and without being able to talk with anyone. Alone and without anybody by thy side, thou shalt wander through diverse countries, O wretch, thou shalt have no place in the midst of men. The stench of pus and blood shall emanate from thee, and inaccessible forests and dreary moors shall be thy abode! Thou shalt wander over the Earth, O thou of sinful soul, with the weight of all diseases on thee.

If the three thousand years are over, then the curse of Krishna is also over. Krishna cursed Ashwathama for three thousand years so you need to find out how many years has it been since the Kurukshetra War was over till now and if the answer is 3,000 years more more than that, that means Ashwathama is no longer cursed but if the answer is less than 3,000 years, that means Ashwathama's curse is still in effect.

Also, if you recite Mahabharata or hear the Mahabharat being recited, you become cleansed of every sin.

That learned man who recites this history of sacred days in the midst of a listening auditory becomes cleansed of every sin, conquers Heaven, and attains to the status of Brahma. Of that man who listens with rapt attention to the recitation of the whole of this Veda composed by (the Island-born) Krishna, a million sins, numbering such grave ones as Brahmanicide and the rest, are washed off. The Pitris of that man who recites even a small portion of this history at a Sraddha, obtain inexhaustible food and drink. The sins that one commits during the day by one’s senses or the mind are all washed off before evening by reciting a portion of the Mahabharata. Whatever sins a Brahmana may commit at night in the midst of women are all washed off before dawn by reciting a portion of the Mahabharata.

So if Ashwathama recites Mahabharata, his sins are washed.

Ashwathama is also the next Vyasa in the 29th mahayuga.

In the next Dwápara, Drauńi (the son of Drońa) will be the Vyása, when my son, the Muni Krishńa Dwaipáyana, who is the actual Vyása, shall cease to be (in that character)

Parasara, the father of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa is describing Vishnu Purana so when he said Vyasa, he said his son.

Ashwathama will also be the next Saptarishi in Savarni Manvantara

In the period in which Sávarńi shall be the Manu, the classes of the gods will be Sutapas, Amitábhas, and Mukhyas; twenty-one of each. The seven Rishis will be Díptimat, Gálava, Ráma, Kripa, Drauńi; my son Vyása will be the sixth, and the seventh will be Rishyasringa

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/vp/vp076.htm

Not all Brahmarishi are Saptarishi but all Saptarishi class members are Brahmarishi and Ashwathama is future Saptarishi in Savarni Manvantara and also future Vyasa