Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.1063

c4.1063

7) Aśvatthāmā and his jewel. The anger of Aśvatthāmā did not abate even after killing Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the butcher of his father. With a view to destroying the whole Pāṇḍava dynasty he sent against the Pāṇḍavas the all-powerful Brahmaśirāstra (a missile charged with great power by a holy incantation). But Droṇa had given the same type of missile to Arjuna also and so he sent forth his to meet the other. It created such a great explosion that all the elders on both the sides joined together and requested them to withdraw the missiles. Arjuna demanded the jewel on Aśvatthāmā’s head to withdraw his missile. But Aśvatthāmā refused to part with it. He said, “This jewel of mine is more valuable than all the wealth of both Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas put together. If you wear this you need not be afraid of your enemies, disease, hunger and thirst. No harm will come to you from Yakṣas, Nāgas or thieves. I will never part with such a jewel”. (Ślokas 28-30, M.B., Chapter 15, Sautika Parva). After great persuasion Aśvatthāmā surrendered his jewel but without withdrawing the missile directed it towards the womb of Uttarā who was bearing a child then. We are reminded of an incident which happened when the Pāṇḍavas were residing in Upaplavya; a poor brahmin looking at Uttarā said, “When the Kauravas will be weakening in power a child will be born to you. The boy will have to bear a test even while in the womb and so you must name the child Parīkṣit (One who has been tested)”.