See , this is what i know of Ashwathama .
Ashwathama was NOT overtly jealous of Arjun . He had no cause to be jealous as whatever was taught to Arjun was taught to him too . In the war , he , Arjun , Karna knew special skills ...a bit extra than others . He was the among the few to know how to use the Brahma astra ...known only by Bheeshma , Drona , Krishna himself and Arjun . The CVs r using the jealousy factor as another dramatic ploy . The truth is
Ashwathama was not overtly jealous of Arjun but Arjun was jealous of Eklavya , yes . Much as he was good in other aspects , Arjun had an ego about his archery . Ashwathama sometimes wondered if he would replace him in his father's affections but Drona loved him so much that his doubts were often rested .
Ashwathama was neutral . He was a friend of the Pandavas but got along fabulously well with Duryodhan .
His bond with Drona ...the father son bond is interesting and touching . They both loved each other very much ...they both killed for each other . Drona killed himself by not lifting any arms in defence and sitting listlessly in meditation in his chariot and Ashwathama , enraged used the Brahma astra and killed the sleeping sons of the Pandavas to destroy their dynasty .
Ashwathama was the apple of Drona's eyes and he knew it and was content in the knowledge .
In the war both Drona and Ashwathama fought from the Kuru side as they were in employment of the Kurus .
Ashwathama would NEVER speak rudely to Drona as shown in the serial .
Ashwathama fell out with Duryodhana for 4 days of the war . Tempers were high then , and Duryodhan taunted Drona who had promised to bring Yudhishtir before him . Yudhistir was still not captured and Duryodhan taunted Drona . Ashwathama lost his temper at his father's insult . Such was his love for his father .
But after 4 days Drona was killed by trickery by Pandavas who spread the lies of Ashwathama's death to demoralize him .
This grief was more . So Ashwathama fought on Duryodhan's side with teeth gritting vigour .
When the war was lost Ashwathama knew where Duryodhan was hiding . When Duryodhan too was killed with trickery he became inflamed with rage , sorrow and revenge . He promised a dying Duryodhan to avenge for the trickery of his father and his death too .
So he used the Brahmastra on sleeping Pandava sons and killed the vansh .
He broke war rules .
He was caught and brought before Krishna who cursed him to wander aimlessly in the Kaliyuga carrying the sins of all on his shoulders and never to know peace .
Gandhari was enraged when she heard this and in turn cursed Krishna himself saying he had no right to curse when he could have stopped the war himself .
Krishna accepted the curse with bowed head as it was the curse of a mother who had lost all her sons in the war .
This was what i read .
One more thing . Duryodhan was a rebel even in thoughts and pretty progressive . He pooh poohed the caste system . It was one of the attractions in his friendship with Ashwathama .
Edited by koolsadhu1000 - 11 years ago
Arjun
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Indian Mythology
