Mahabharatha stories: Krishna & Ashwathaama

On the 18th  day of the Mahabharata war,  Ashwatthama, slaughters all the sons of Pandavas, while they were fast asleep after their victory in the great war. When Draupadi sees all her children dead, she completely breaks down and implores Bhimasena to kill Ashwathama and get the divine gem which he had on his forehead. Bhima immediately takes up his chariot and takes Nakul as his charioteer goes in pursuit of Ashwathama, who is hiding in Veda Vyasa's ashram. 

As soon as Bhima departs, Krishna says,  its very dangerous that Bhima has gone alone to fight against  Ashwathama, who possesses the mighty weapon Brhamshiras. This weapon is extremely powerful and can burn the whole world. Dronacharya was very happy with dedication and devotion of Arjuna and he had imparted the complete knowledge of this weapon to Arjuna. Ashwathama couldn't bear it and  and begged his father to also give this wearpn to him. Dronacharya was reluctant as he knew Ashwathama  was not of a stable mind and reckless in nature. However, the love for his son made him to give the knowledge of this weapon to Ashwathama. He however, enjoined his son to never use this weapon on any human being, even while his own life was at threat in a battle. Drona also told him, it seems you are not destined to lead  life of righteousness. 

Now, when the Pandavas were in the forest during their period of  exile, Ashwatthama was wandering over the whole country and also happen to reach Dwaraka. He was welcomed by the Yadavas as a guest and given all kinds of luxuries. One day he happened to meet Krishna alone and said, "I have received the  Brahmashiras weapon from my father, which I want to exchange with your Sudarshana chakra". Krishna was very amused and said, all the devas, danavas, nagas, gandharvas, men, birds, animals combined together are not even one-hundreths of my energy. You are free to choose any of my weapons(bow, mace or Sudarshana chakra) and you don't have to even exchange your Brahmashira weapon with me. Ashwathama, in all his stupidity, once again asked for Sudarshana. Krishna said take it. Now, Ashwathama tried to lift that great weapon with his left hand, he couldn't move it even an inch, then he tried with his right hand, still he couldn't move it. He used all his strength,  still couldn't even stir that mighty weapon. Having failed miserably at moving Sudarshana, he sat down with exhaustion and dejection. 

Krishna, after enjoying this stupid spectacle of Ashwathama said, Arjuna my dearest friend, Pradyumna my son and Balarama my dearest brother,  I can do anything for these people and also give them anything. They have never asked me what you asked. What was the purpose of your asking me Sudarshana, whom did you want to fight with that great weapon.  Ashwathama said, after acquiring the Sudarshana, he wanted to fight against Krishna himself. He thought that once he obtains Sudarshana, he would become invincible in the three worlds and none(gods, asuras) can defeat him. After failing to even move Sudarshana, he realised that only Krishna is capable of  wielding that mighty weapon and now he wants to go away from Dwaraka. 

Having narrated this story, Krishna tells Yudhishthira, that Ashwatthama is a very cruel and wicked person and they all should rush immediately to save Bhimasena from him. Krishna then takes Arjuna along with him. As predicted by Krishna when Ashwathama sees the Pandavas coming after him, he fires the Brahmashiras weapon for the destruction of Pandavas. Arjuna invokes another Brahmashiras to neutralize the weapon fired by Ashwathama. As, the energy of these weapons is highly dangerous for the humanity, both Vyasa and Naarada asks Ashwathama and Arjuna to withdraw their weapons. The weapon could only be withdrawn by a person who has a very pure soul else it will destroy the person who fired it.. Arjuna is able to do it, but  Ashwathama couldn't and he directs the energy of this weapon on the womb of Uttara who is carrying the unborn child of Abhimanyu. Seeing this act of Ashwathama, Krishan curses him to live for 3000 years with a wound which will not heal. He will not have any companions and people will not welcome him to any society. The Pandavas also take away Ashwathama's divine gem and give it to Draupadi. 

Stories from Mahabharatha: Uttanaka and the celestial earrings

  

Utanka was endued with austere penances. He was completely devoted to his teacher, the great sage Gautama and Gautama was also very highly pleased with the self-restraint, purity of behaviour and devotion of  Utanka

One after another, thousands of disciples completed their studies and after taking Gautama's permission, returned home, however, Gautama didn't permit Uttanka to leave his ashram due to his love and attachment towards Uttanka. One day, while doing some work, a strand of white hair came out of Uttanka's matted lock, seeing  it, Utanka became very sad and started crying. On Gautama's enquiry, Utanka told that he had completely devoted himself to the service of his teacher for several years while hundreds & thousands of other students had left the hermitage and are doing quite well in their lives. He asked, what should be given as Guru dakshina to Gautama to get his permission for leaving. 

Gautama said, he is highly pleased  with Utanka's devotion and using his powers of penance, he turned Utanka into a young man of 16 years and also offered his own daughter in marriage to him. Now, Utanaka told Ahalya, wife of Gautama to ask for any gift. On much insistence, Ahalya asked him to get the celestial ear-rings which are worn by the wife of King Saudasa. 

Uttanka immediately left to get those ear-rings, however unknown to both Ahalya & Uttanka, the King Saudasa. was cursed by his Guru Vashistha to become a cannibal. When Uttanka reached the court of Saudasa, the king was ready to have his meals and was extremely terrifying to even look at. The King was  very happy to see the meal(Uttanka) walking unto him. Uttanka however wasn't scared and told him that he has come for his teacher's sake and as per scriptures he should not be harmed till that work is done. He proposed to come back once he accomplishes the work. The King agrees and ask Uttanka to go and seek the celestial ear-rings from the queen. The queen gives the ear-rings to Uttanka and also asks him to be extremely careful as the ear-rings are of divine nature and all the devas, nagas, gandharvas and other beings always want to get hold of them. Any slight carelessness on his part will cause them to take away the ear-rings. Uttanka then goes back to the King and says,since the King should always respect and protect Brahmins, what advice would the King give to him. The King says,  I'll surely kill you, if you come back, so please go to your teacher and don't come back to me. 

Uttanka proceeded with haste to his preceptor's ashram and taking extreme care to protect the earrings. On the way he got hungry and as he was trying to pluck some fruits, the earrings fell down on earth and immediately were taken up by a snake, who took them in his mouth and went inside the earth to the nether region of the Nagas. Now, Uttanka was filled with rage and he started to dig that snake pit with his stick. The Lord of the celestials(Indra) took pity on Uttanka and he added the strength of his thunderbolt(Vajra) to the stick of Uttanka. With this added strength, soon Uttanka reached the nether regions inhabited by Nagas. The region of Nagas was huge and Uttanka didn't know what to do there. As he was contemplating on his next course of action, the the sacrificial fire(Jataveda) appeared there in a form of a divine horse and asked Uttanka to blow air into my back to get back the earrings. The sacrificial fire was very pleased with Uttanka as for many years Uttanka had worshipped it at his teacher's hermitage. As soon as Uttanka blew air on the horse back, the whole Naga region started to burn with fire coming out of the divine horse's mouth and ears. The nagas got frightened and immediately came out to pacify Uttanka and gave him back the earrings. 

Finally, Uttanka took the earrings to his teacher and presented them to his teacher's wife. He also narrated his whole experience to Gautama who was very pleased with the conduct of Uttanka and then had his daughter married with Uttanka.