Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.1980

c8.1980

Uttarā, wife of Abhimanyu, was pregnant when the war between the Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas started at Kurukṣetra. Aśvatthāmā, son of Droṇa, entered the camp of the Pāṇḍavas at night and slew Dhṛṣṭadyumna. He then sent the most fierce Brahmaśirāstra (missile of Brahmaśira) to exterminate the Pāṇḍavas. To face it and oppose it Arjuna also sent an equally fierce Brahmaśirāstra. The sight of two such powerful weapons opposing each other made all the sages anxious and they led by Vyāsa entered the field and requested them to withdraw their missiles. It was in vain. The missile of Aśvatthāmā went and struck the womb of Uttarā. Once when the Pāṇḍavas after their exile were staying in the village of Upaplavya a brahmin had predicted to Uttarā that at the fag end of the life of the Pāṇḍavas Uttarā would bear a son who would be tested even while in her womb and that the child should be named Parīkṣit. (Parīkṣā = test).