A story · Mahabharata — Stories

The Weapon and the Womb

Mahabharata, Sauptika Parva 15

The story · English

Arjuna saw two splendid Rishis standing before him and immediately decided to withdraw his celestial weapon. He joined his hands and told them that he had used the weapon only to neutralize the enemy's attack. Arjuna explained that if he withdrew it, Drona's son would without doubt consume them all with the energy of his own weapon. He asked the Rishis to find a way to secure the welfare of the three worlds. After speaking, Arjuna withdrew the weapon. This was a feat of extreme difficulty that almost no one else, not even Indra, could achieve. Only a person of a cleansed soul who had strictly observed the vow of brahmacarya could bring such a weapon back without it striking off their own head.

Drona's son watched the two Rishis and realized he did not possess the energy to withdraw his own terrible weapon. With a heavy heart, he spoke to the island-born rishi, explaining that he had released the weapon out of fear of Bhimasena. He claimed that Bhimasena had acted sinfully while slaying the son of Dhritarashtra. He admitted that it was for this that he, of uncleansed soul, had let the weapon loose, and that he dared not withdraw it now. He confessed that in his wrath, he had inspired the celestial weapon with the energy of fire specifically for the destruction of the Pandavas, and he believed the weapon would now inevitably take the lives of all the sons of Pandu.

The sage Vyasa corrected him, stating that Arjuna had not shot his weapon out of wrath or a desire for destruction, but simply to baffle the attack of Drona's son. He praised Arjuna for his patience, honesty, and adherence to the duties of a Kshatriya. Vyasa explained that when two such high weapons clash, the region suffers a drought for twelve years because the clouds stop raining. Arjuna had avoided a full clash to protect living creatures. Vyasa urged Drona's son to withdraw his weapon to save himself, the Pandavas, and the kingdom, noting that Yudhishthira did not wish for a victory won through sinful acts. He suggested that the Pandavas would spare his life if he gave them the gem on his head.

Drona's son replied that his gem was more valuable than all the wealth of the Pandavas and Kauravas combined. He explained that the wearer of the gem feared neither weapons, disease, hunger, gods, Danavas, Nagas, Rakshasas, nor robbers. Despite its value, he agreed to the sage's terms. He offered the gem and himself, but warned that the weapon he had released was too mighty to be frustrated. He stated that since he could not withdraw it, he would instead throw the weapon into the wombs of the Pandava women. Vyasa told him to proceed with this act but to entertain no other purpose and to stop himself after the weapon was thrown.

Following the instructions, Drona's son threw the weapon into the wombs of the Pandava women. Krishna, observing this with a cheerful heart, spoke to him about a prophecy. He mentioned that a pious Brahmana had told Virata's daughter, who was now Arjuna's daughter-in-law, that a son would be born to her while the Kuru line became extinct. This child would be named Parikshit. Krishna told Drona's son that the words of the pious man would come true and that the Pandavas would indeed have a son called Parikshit. Drona's son replied with anger that what Krishna said out of partiality for the Pandavas would not happen, and that his weapon would fall on the fetus in the womb of Virata's daughter.

Krishna told him that while the weapon would strike and the fetus would die, the child would live again and have a long life. He then condemned Drona's son as a coward and a sinful wretch, a slayer of children. Krishna pronounced a curse upon him, stating that for three thousand years, he would wander the earth alone, unable to speak with anyone. He would have no place among men, and his body would emanate the stench of pus and blood. His home would be inaccessible forests and dreary moors, and he would carry the weight of all diseases upon his sinful soul as punishment for his cruelty.

Krishna continued by prophesying that the heroic Parikshit would grow to adulthood, gain knowledge of the Vedas, and learn all high weapons from the son of Sharadvata. He declared that the righteous king would rule the earth for sixty years. He told Drona's son that the boy would become the mighty-armed king of the Kurus right before his eyes, for Krishna would revive him from the fire of the weapon using the power of his own austerities and truth. Vyasa agreed, stating that because Drona's son had disregarded the sages and adopted the ways of a warrior despite being a Brahmana, Krishna's words would be realized.

Drona's son, Aswatthaman, told Vyasa that among all men he would live with him, and that the words of the illustrious Krishna should come true. He then handed over his celestial gem to the Pandavas and departed for the forest in a cheerless state. The Pandavas, having vanquished their foes, set out for their encampment accompanied by Krishna, the sage Vyasa, and the ascetic Narada. They carried the gem that had belonged to Aswatthaman. Upon arriving, they found Drupada's daughter, Draupadi, sitting in observance of the praya vow, deeply afflicted with woe and sorrow over the loss of her children.

The Pandavas and Krishna gathered around the grieving princess. Bhimasena, at the request of the king, presented the celestial gem to her. He told her that the slayer of her sons had been defeated and urged her to rise from her sorrow and remember the duties of a Kshatriya lady. He reminded her of the bitter words she had spoken to Krishna as he set out on his peace mission, rebuking the king's wish for peace: she had no husbands, sons or brothers, nor was Krishna alive to her. Bhima called those words worthy of a Kshatriya, and told her the debt to their enemy had been paid in full, as Duryodhana was slain and he had quaffed the blood of Duhsasana.

Bhima explained that they had spared Drona's son out of respect for their deceased preceptor and his birth as a Brahmana, but that his fame was destroyed and he had been stripped of his weapons and his gem. Draupadi replied that she only wished to pay off the debt for the injury they suffered and that the preceptor's son was still worthy of reverence. She asked that the king bind the gem on his own head. Yudhishthira did as she requested, and the gem made him look like a mountain with the moon above it. Draupadi gave up her vow, and Yudhishthira began to question Krishna.

कथा · हिन्दी

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• Before: Aswatthaman at Night · Mahabharata, Sauptika Parva 8
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