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ऐषीकपर्वन् (aiSIkaparvan)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Aishīkaparvan]
(“the section relating to the Aishīka weapon”), the 84th of the minor parvans of Mhbhr., cf. Aishīka. § 617: The driver of Dhṛshṭadyumna'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. (), stretch forth their arms. Having recovered his senses Yudhishṭhira laments (, ) 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 (), 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 (). Bhīmasena, making Nakula his charioteer, sets out in pursuit of Aśvatthāman, guided by the track of the latter's car-wheels (X, 11). Kṛshṇa urges Yudhishṭhira to make arrangements for the safety of Bhīma, as Aśvatthāman has the Brahmaśiras (b) weapon capable of exterminating all foes (X, 12). The Pāṇḍavas, with Kṛshṇa, procced on the track of Bhīmasena: Kṛshṇa, Arjuna, and Yudhishṭhira on Kṛshṇa's car with steeds of the Kāmboja breed: Śaibya on the right, Sugrīva on the left, Meghapushpa and Balāhaka being pārshṇivāhas, the standard having been made by Viśvakarman 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 Kuśa-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). Urged by Kṛshṇa, Arjuna shoots the [Brāhma, PCR.]
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 Brahmaśiras weapon
“that region where Brahmaśiras 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. 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). Kṛshṇa 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 Parikshit.” Aśvatthāman says that his words could not but be fulfilled. Kṛshṇa 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. Parikshit shall learn the use of all weapons from Kṛpa and rule the earth for sixty years
Kṛshṇa will revive him. Vyāsa approves of Kṛshṇa's curse. Aśvatthāman proceeds to the forest. The Pāṇḍavas with Kṛshṇa, Vyāsa, and Nārada, taking with them the gem, come to Draupadī, who is sitting in Prāya. Bhīma comforts Draupadī (). Draupadī asks Yudhishṭhira to place upon his head the gem taken from Aśvatthāman. Yudhishṭhira asks Kṛshṇa (X, 16) about the true cause of Aśvatthāman's success in destroying the Pāṇḍava army (). Kṛshṇa ascribes it to the aid of Mahādeva, and relates that when Brahmán, desirous of creating, saw Rudra, he asked him to create living creatures
Rudra promised to do so, and plunged into the waters and practised austerities. Then Brahmán called into existence another being in order to make him the creator of living creatures, and he created Daksha, etc.
but they ran towards their creator from hunger, desirous of devouring him, and he repaired to Brahmán, who assigned herbs, etc., as their food, and the weak beings to the strong ones. The creatures multiplied. Then Rudra rose from the water, became angry, and caused his productive limb to disappear in the earth. He had created food (herbs and plants) for all these creatures. Then he went away, in cheerlessness and rage, to the Muñjavat mountains in order to practise severer austerities (X, 17). After the Kṛta-age the gods prepared a sacrifice, but not knowing Rudra truly they assigned no share to him. Rudra constructed a bow of two of the four kinds of sacrifices (v. the note of PCR., p. 58), and came as a brahmacārin to the sacrifice
the earth shrank with fear, etc.
Rudra pierced the sacrifice in the heart
it assumed the shape of a deer and fled away with Agni, pursued by Rudra through the skies
the gods were stupefied
Rudra with his bow broke the arms of Savitṛ and plucked out the eyes of Bhaga and the teeth of Pūshan
the gods uttered a cry
the string of his bow burst
the gods and the sacrifice gratified Rudra
he threw his wrath into the water
that wrath, assuming the form of fire, is always employed in consuming the water. He then gave unto Savitṛ his arms, to Bhaga his eyes, and to Pūshan his teeth, and restored the sacrifice. The gods assigned to him all the libations of clarified butter as his share (X, 18).