Ashwatthama

Ashvatthama (Sanskrit: अ ामा, Aśvatthāmā) or Ashvatthaman

Ashwatthama
(Sanskrit: अ ामन्, Aśvatthāman) or Drauni is the son of guru Drona
and the grandson of the sage Bharadwaja. Ashvatthama is a mighty Mahabharata character
Maharathi[1] who fought on the Kaurava side against the Pandavas in the
Kurukshetra War. Ashvatthama is considered as avatar of one of the eleven
Rudras and one of the seven Chiranjivi. Along with his maternal uncle
Kripa, Ashvatthama is believed to be a living survivor of the Kurukshetra
War. The deceptive plot of his rumoured 'death' led to the beheading of his
grieving father Drona, who was incapacitated while meditating for his son's
Ātman. Ashvatthama was appointed as the final commander-in-chief of the
Kauravas in the Kurukshetra War. Ashvatthama, overcome with grief and
rage, manifests his latent powers as a Rudras. He slaughters most of the
Pandava camp in a single night offensive. Ashwatthama probably ruled the
Northern Panchala being subordinate to the rulers of Hastinapura.
Northern Panchala was then reduced to the status of a province of the Kuru
Kingdom.

Ashvatthama uses Narayanastra

Contents
Etymology
Birth and Life Prior to the War
Role in the Kurukshetra war
Death of Drona
Narayanastra usage
Becoming commander
Attack on Pandava Camp
Aftermath of the Attack
Epilogue
References
External links

Etymology
According to The Mahabharata, Ashvatthama means "the horse-voiced".[2] It is so called because when he was born
he cried like a horse.[3]

Birth and Life Prior to the War

Ashvatthama was the son of Dronacharya and Kripi. Drona did many years of severe penance to please Lord Shiva in
order to obtain a son who possesses the same valiance as Lord Shiva. Born a Chiranjivi, Ashvatthama was born with a
gem in his forehead which gives him power over all living beings lower than humans; it protected him from hunger,
thirst, and fatigue. Though an expert in warfare, Dronacharya lived the simple life of a Brahmin, with little money or
property. As a result, Ashvatthama had a difficult childhood, with his family unable to even afford milk. Wanting to