Ashwatthama

Ashwatthama is a figure in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, the son of Drona, the royal preceptor and general of the Kauravas. He is a prominent warrior on Duryodhana’s side during the Kurukshetra War, known for his martial prowess and fierce temperament.

In the war’s closing phase, Ashwatthama is involved in a nocturnal assault on the Pandava camp, alongside Kritavarma and Kripacharya. According to the epic, they kill many soldiers who were sleeping and also kill the five sons of the Pandavas, the Upapandavas, in what is one of the war’s most infamous acts. He is also associated with the use of a powerful celestial weapon, traditionally described as a Brahmastra granted after intense penance to Shiva; Krishna intervenes to protect the Pandavas and neutralize the weapon.

After the war, Krishna confronts Ashwatthama and imposes a harsh punishment for his actions: he is condemned to wander the earth for 3,000 years, bearing a grievous wound and living with dishonor rather than death. In some later traditions, Ashwatthama is regarded as a chiranjivi, an immortal being who will endure through the present cycle of time.

In literary and artistic portrayals, Ashwatthama is a controversial figure. He is often depicted as a formidable but morally complex warrior, symbolizing the destructive potential of vengeance and the moral ambiguities of war.