Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.1062

c4.1062

6) Aśvatthāmā sees a ghost. Dhṛṣṭadyumna, son of King Pāñcāla, killed Droṇa. When Aśvatthāmā heard of his father's death his rage knew no bound. He immediately went to the heart of the military camp of the Pāṇḍavas, Kṛpa and Sātvata following him. There at the gate of the camp he beheld a ghostly apparition. It is described in the Bhāṣā Bhārata (Malayālam version of M.B.) as follows : He saw a huge figure standing at the door with a body blazing like the Sun and the Moon. Bathed in blood and wearing a tiger's skin in the loins the figure wore a snake as his sacred thread and covered his upper body with a deer-skin. There were innumerable hands for this ghost and in each hand adorned with snake-bangles he held a deadly weapon. With crooked teeth and a ghastly face the goblin gave a shiver to those who saw him. Flames bursting forth from his eyes, ears and mouth he barred the way of Aśvatthāmā. Undaunted the son of Droṇa showered divine arrows on the figure. But the ghost by his supreme powers absorbed the arrows to his body the moment they touched him. In despair Aśvatthāmā meditated on Śiva and the latter appearing before him in person gave a divine dagger. With that he entered the bed-chamber of Dhṛṣṭadyumna, woke him up by striking him with his foot, caught hold of him by the hair on his head and killed him.