An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s1.190
An Index to the Names in the Mahābhārata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s1.190
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[Aishīkaparvan] ("the section relating to the Aishīka weapon"), the 84th of the minor parvans of Mbhr., cf. Aishīka. § 617: The driver of Dhṛṣṭadyumna's chariot, who had managed to escape from Kṛtavarman at a time when he was heedless, informs Yudhishṭhira, in the morning, of the extermination of his army. Yudhishṭhira falls down on the earth; Sātyaki holds him in his embrace; Bhīma, etc. (α), stretch forth their arms. Having recovered his senses Yudhishṭhira laments (β), and despatches Nakula to bring thither Draupadī and the ladies with her; then he proceeds to view the slaughter in his camp, and falls down on the earth with all his followers (X, 10). Draupadī arrives from Upaplavya, falls down in the presence of Yudhishṭhira, is comforted by Bhīma, addresses Yudhishṭhira (γ), and resolves to sit in Prāya, if the Pāṇḍavas do not slay Aśvatthāman. Yudhishṭhira urged her to forget her sorrows, as Aśvatthāman is not to be found. Draupadī insists on Aśvatthāman's slaughter and the depredation of the gem on his head, appealing in particular to Bhīmasena (δ). Bhīmasena, making Nakula his charioteer, sets out in pursuit of Aśvatthāman, guided by the track of the latter's car-wheels (X, 11). Kṛṣṇa urges Yudhishṭhira to make arrangements for the safety of Bhīma, as Aśvatthāman has the Brahmaciras (ε) weapon capable of exterminating all foes (X, 12).
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The Pāṇḍavas, with Kṛṣṇa, proceed on the track of Bhīmasena: Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, and Yudhishṭhira on Kṛṣṇa's car with steeds of the Kāmboja breed: Caibya on the right, Sugrīva on the left, Meghapuṣpa and Balāhaka being pārṣṇivāhas, the standard having been made by Viçvakarman and standing high like Māyā, with Garuḍa. They in vain ask Bhīma to stop. They find Aśvatthāman sitting with Vyāsa on the bank of Gaṅgā in the midst of many Ṛ.; he is attired in a piece of cloth made of Kuça-grass, etc. . . . He consecrates a blade of grass with Mantras, and converts it into that powerful celestial weapon, and throws it off with the words "for the destruction of the Pāṇḍavas" (X, 13). weapon imparted to him by Droṇa, which was capable of neutralizing all weapons. Extraordinary portents appear in nature. Nārada and Vyāsa, trying to save the three worlds, stand between the two fires (X, 14). Arjuna withdraws his weapon; but Aśvatthāman is incapable of withdrawing his, as no person of uncleansed soul can bring it back, after it has once been let off, but only a brahmacārin (and such a one is Arjuna); otherwise it strikes off his own head. Vyāsa praises Arjuna for not having before used the Brahmaciras weapon; "that region where Brahmaciras is baffled by another high weapon, suffers a drought for twelve years"; he proposes to him to give the Pāṇḍavas the gem on his head; then the Pāṇḍavas would in return grant him his life.
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Aśvatthāman surrenders his gem, whose wearer ceases to have any fear from weapons, etc., and from D., Dā., and N., and Rā.; the weapon he throws into the wombs of the Pāṇḍava women (X, 15). Kṛṣṇa says that a brahman at Upaplavya has said to Uttarā, "while the Kuru line will become extinct, a son will be born to thee, and he will for that reason be called Parīkṣit." Aśvatthāman says that his words could not but be fulfilled. Kṛṣṇa says that the fœtus will die, but be recalled to a long life; but Aśvatthāman shall wander for 3000 years alone, and without being able to talk to anyone; the stench of pus and blood shall emanate from him, and inaccessible forests and dreary moors shall be his abode; he shall wander over the earth with the weight of all diseases on him. Parīkṣit shall learn the use of all weapons from Kṛpa and rule the earth for sixty years; Kṛṣṇa will revive him. Vyāsa approves of Kṛṣṇa's curse. Aśvatthāman proceeds to the forest. The Pāṇḍavas with Kṛṣṇa, Vyāsa, and Nārada, taking with them the gem, come to Draupadī, who is sitting in Prāya. Bhīma comforts Draupadī (η). Draupadī asks Yudhishṭhira to place upon his head the gem taken from Aśvatthāman. Yudhishṭhira asks Kṛṣṇa (X, 16) about the true cause of Aśvatthāman's success in destroying the Pāṇḍava army (θ). Kṛṣṇa ascribes it to the aid of Mahādeva, and relates that when Brahmā, desirous of creating, saw Rudra, he asked him to create living creatures;
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Rudra promised to do so, and plunged into the waters and practised austerities. Then Brahmā into existence another being in order to make him lord of living creatures, and he created Dakṣa. Rudra ran towards their creator from hunger, and ate him, and he repaired to Brahmāṇ. . . . as their food, and the weak being eaten by the strong, creatures multiplied. Then Rudra and Brahmā became angry, and caused a great destruction of beings in the earth. He had created the world, and all these creatures were destroyed by his anger and rage, to the great terror of the gods, until a severer austerity was performed by the gods, and he was prepared . . .