Why does Ashwatthama still yearn for salvation even after 3,000 years? Why did Krishna cruelly curse him after snatching the gem from his forehead?

News Topical, Digital Desk : Thousands of years have passed since the end of the Mahabharata war, but one warrior still awaits redemption. That warrior is Ashwatthama. According to legend, Ashwatthama still wanders, suffering the unbearable pain of his wounds. But the question arises: why did Lord Krishna inflict such a harsh and cruel curse on the son of his beloved guru, the Pandavas?

That dark night of vengeance

At the end of the Mahabharata war, as Duryodhana lay breathing his last, Ashwatthama vowed to destroy the Pandavas. Fueled by this vengeance, he attacked the Pandava camp in the dark of night. However, he inadvertently killed five of the Pandava sons (Draupadi's sons). This heinous crime shattered the rules of the entire war.

Use of the forehead gem and Brahmastra

When the Pandavas learned of this massacre, they pursued Ashwatthama . To defend himself, Ashwatthama used the infallible Brahmastra. He knew how to fire it, but he didn't know how to retrieve it. Lord Krishna asked him to withdraw the Brahmastra, but when he deflected it towards the womb of Abhimanyu's wife, Uttara, Krishna's fury reached its peak.

Lord Krishna not only protected Uttara's womb, but also punished Ashwatthama by removing the shining gem from his forehead that protected him from hunger, thirst, and disease.

That cruel curse of Krishna

After the gem was snatched away, Krishna cursed Ashwatthama that: “You will wander on this earth until the end of Kaliyuga. Pus and blood will flow from your body, you will wish for death, but death will not come to you. You will remain ostracized from society and will continue to suffocate in loneliness.” It is believed that Ashwatthama is still seen near the Asirgarh Fort and other ancient temples in Madhya Pradesh, where he asks for oil to heal the wound on his forehead.

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