9
votes
Accepted
How did Ashwatthama pray to and invoke Lord Shiva on the last night of the war?
The camp of Pandavas was protected by a very dreadful form of Lord Shiva which Ashwattahama witnessed while he was entering the camp as described in this chapter of Saupitaka Parva:
Sanjaya said, &...
- 48.2k
8
votes
Accepted
How can Ashwatthama be an incarnation of Lord Shiva?
First of all Ashwatthama is not purely Shiva Avatar, he is mixed incarnation as told in this chapter of Mahabharata:
And, O king, his son the heroic Aswatthaman, of eyes like the lotus-petals, ...
- 48.2k
8
votes
Accepted
How did Aswathama get rid the sin of killing Upapandavas and curse of Lord Krishna?
In a Kannada version of Mahabaratha written by Kumara Vyasa, the author says that Ashwatthama got rid of curse by Shakti Worship. Some people claim that Kumara Vyasa wrote Mahabaratha by listening to ...
- 31.1k
8
votes
Accepted
What is the story of Badarayana Vyasa?
Badarayana and Veda Vyasa are one and the same.The reason why Vyasa came to be known by the Badarayana name is explained in the following passage:
In the Brahmasutra, on which there are ...
- 111k
6
votes
Accepted
Is Ashwatthama no longer cursed?
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 ...
5
votes
Difference between giving curse and taking revenge
Taking revenge is a bad conduct but curse is not. What is the
difference between both?
It is not that cursing is considered by the scriptures as a highly recommended act. It is definitely not so. ...
- 111k
5
votes
Where was Ashwatthama when Pandavas spread the false news of his death?
After the death of Guru Drona:
The Kauravas were struck by grief and fear. Their all-conquering
general was dead. Unable to believe it, they fled. Duryodhana, Karṇa,
Śakuni, and the Kuru chiefs ...
- 8,860
4
votes
Ashvatthaman's immortality?
In a Kannada version of Mahabaratha written by Kumara Vyasa, the author claimed that he wrote Mahabaratha by listening to Sage Aswatthama.
It was said in order to escape from the curse of Lord ...
- 31.1k
3
votes
Accepted
Was Ashwatthama punished for his heinous crime?
Pandavas went to punish Ashwatthama for the crime of killing Pandva children and Dhrishtadyumna but he used the divine weapon brahmashira against them. Then, Arjuna also used brahmashira in defend and ...
- 24k
3
votes
Accepted
Is it stated explicitly anywhere in the Mahabharata that a progressively adharmic War made Ashwatthama a monster?
Only person who thought in the lines of Drona being killed with fraud caused change to Aswattama is Dhritarashtra while speaking with Sanjaya but it is not explicitly stated anywhere else.
We can ...
- 1,266
3
votes
Accepted
What was the symbolism of Ashwatthama's story?
Shreemad Bhagwad Geeta known as Yatharth Geeta is very beautifully compiled and interpreted by Paramhans Swami Adgadanand. It is expressed in the best possible allegoric way. Symbolizing each and ...
- 578
3
votes
What was the symbolism of Ashwatthama's story?
अश्वत्थामन्, Aśvatthāman means the horse-voiced.
At the time of his birth, he neighed like the (celestial) steed Ucchaihsravas.
Drona, obedient to the injunctions of his father and moved by the
...
- 17.3k
3
votes
What is the story of Ashvatthama's mani (jewel)?
From the Ganguli translation of the Mahabharata, Sauptika Parva, Ashvatthama himself explains the powers of his gem:
Drona's son said, "This my gem is more valuable than all the wealth that has ...
- 30.6k
3
votes
Accepted
Where was Ashwatthama when Pandavas spread the false news of his death?
Addressing your questions one by one.
Q. Where was Ashwatthama when Pandavas spread the false news of his death? On that day, was Ashwatthama too far from his father like Arjun was when Abhimanyu died?...
- 25.7k
2
votes
How can we explain the 'vardan (boon)' of 'amaratva (immortality)'?
It all depends on how you gratify the god. Yes, some people are born with divine attributes like Vyasa in the down text and Hanuman also but it is their understanding and thinking.
For Vyasa to be ...
- 3,106
2
votes
How can we explain the 'vardan (boon)' of 'amaratva (immortality)'?
Those who are born are certain to die. Only beginningless doesn't have end for the obvious reasons.
BG 2.27 - Those who have a birth, it's certain [for them] to die, Hence you don't have to grieve ...
- 19.7k
2
votes
Ashvatthaman's immortality?
To realize how he got immortality, we should know about his birth.
Which god's portion was Ashwathama?
And, O king, his son the heroic Aswatthaman, of eyes like the lotus-petals, gifted with ...
- 3,106
2
votes
Accepted
Why Ashvatthama tried to kill Pareekshit while he was in the womb of his mother?
Due to fear of Bhimasena & he might harm Ashwatthama in any deceitful way, he invoked the Brahmashira. Arjuna also invoked the same to counter it. Sage VyAsa asked both of them to revert their ...
- 19.7k
1
vote
Is it stated explicitly anywhere in the Mahabharata that a progressively adharmic War made Ashwatthama a monster?
The link provided by @Tej in his excellent answer enabled me to begin to read the full text of that awful "night time massacre" in its English translation.
The following exchange between ...
- 235
1
vote
Is it stated explicitly anywhere in the Mahabharata that a progressively adharmic War made Ashwatthama a monster?
Only Kripacharya , Kritverma and Ashwatthama were alive after the war. Upset by the defeat and death of loved ones, they were sitting under a great banyan tree. Ashwatthama remembers how his father ...
1
vote
Where was Ashwatthama when Pandavas spread the false news of his death?
Just adding in the accepted answer.
Why Dronacharya believed in the fact that Bhima killed his son?
As described by Nog Shine, the sages appeared at that place in their subtle forms and said that he ...
- 24k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible