Ashwatthama was a distinguished figure of the well known Indian Epic THE MAHABHARTA. He was the son of GURU DRONACHARYA, the royal guru of the PANDAVAS and KAURAVAS and his mother was KRIPI who was the sister of KRIPACHARYA, a warrior and teacher of HASTINAPUR. He is considered as one of the eleven RUDRAS manifested by LORD SHIVA. Ashwatthama was born as a result of GURU DRONACHARY’S intense prayers to LORD SHIVA, asking for a brave son like the lord himself. Even his name comes from a sacred sound made by a horse, ASHWA means horse and THAMA means sound.
Ashwatthama fought with the KAURAVAS In the KURUKSHETRA WAR against the PANDAVAS, serving as a powerful warrior.
Even today, thousands of years later, the story persists across India of strange sightings of a man with a bleeding forehead, wandering forests, temples, and mountains. Who was Ashwatthama truly? Why was he cursed? And the most asked question, where is he now?
Here’s a list of 10 unknown but fascinating facts about ASHWATTHAMA that no one knows-
Interesting Facts about Ashwathama –
Born with Mystic gem :-
Ashwatthama was not an ordinary child. He was the son of Guru Dronacharya, a great warrior and teacher in the Mahabharata. Ashwatthama was born with a divine gem called “MANI” embedded in his forehead. This gem was a divine gift from Lord Shiva. It made him powerful in many ways like he didn’t fall sick, he didn’t feel fear, and no ordinary weapon could hurt him. He was also blessed with great memory and strength. The gem also protected him from ghosts and supernatural things. People believed that Ashwatthama had an aura of divinity around him. His birth itself was unusual. Dronacharya prayed hard to Lord Shiva to have a child as brave and strong as him, and his wish was granted. This made Ashwatthama stand out from others.
Incarnation of LORD SHIVA (RUDRA):-
Ashwatthama is considered as an avatar of LORD SHIVA’s anger being i.e. RUDRA. Even the meaning of his name is “sacred voice of a horse” which was based on the divine and unique sound heard at the time of his birth. Ashwatthama had a deep connection with Lord Shiva. His birth itself was the result of Dronacharya’s devotion to Lord Shiva. It is also said that during the war, Ashwatthama prayed to Lord Shiva to give him the strength to defeat the Pandavas. In one story, Shiva granted him a powerful weapon called the “Narayanastra,” which could destroy the entire armies. Ashwatthama’s bravery and skill in battle were often credited to Shiva’s blessings. However, when he misused his power and killed innocent children, even Lord Shiva turned away. This shows that even those with divine powers must act responsibly.
Immortal, But Not Blessed:-
Ashwatthama is one of the seven Chiranjivi, people who are said to live forever in Hindu mythology. But unlike others like Hanuman or Parashurama, Ashwatthama’s immortality is not a blessing. It is a punishment. He was cursed to roam the world endlessly, without home, family, or comfort. He would suffer from pain, loneliness, and guilt for the terrible acts he had done. It is believed that even after thousands of years, Ashwatthama still walks the earth, in an invisible form, watching the world change but never able to take part in it
Revenge took over the reason :-
Ashwatthama massacred the five sons of the Pandavas (called the Upapandavas). He also killed Dhrishtadyumna, Draupadi’s brother, in cold blood while he was asleep, despite Dhrishtadyumna begging for a fair fight. After being caught and confronted by the Pandavas, he invoked the Brahmastra, a divine nuclear-like weapon, aiming to destroy the Pandava lineage. Meanwhile, Arjuna also countered his Brahmastra The clash of these weapons threatened to destroy the entire universe, and the sage Vyasa intervened. Arjuna withdrew his weapon, but Ashwatthama couldn’t, so he redirected it toward Uttara’s womb, who was carrying Parikshit, the future heir of the Pandavas. Lord Krishna saved the unborn child, but the act confirmed Ashwatthama’s total fall from dharma.
Losing the Gem:-
His divine gem was taken away by Krishna as part of his punishment as he killed all the sons of Pandavas while they were in deep sleep. This not only took away his powers but also left him physically vulnerable and constantly bleeding. His gem ( mani ) protected him from fear, disease, hunger, pain, thirst and death but when it was taken away by LORD KRISHNA, all these protections were also taken away by him. The removal of the gem left a deep wound on his forehead. Krishna cursed that this wound would never heal, and it would constantly remind him of his sin. People say that from that day, Ashwatthama became a shadow of his former self—not the great warrior he once was, but a lonely soul filled with pain and regret.
Mention in Puranas:-
Ashwathama is not only mentioned in the Mahabharata but also in some Puranas. These texts describe his curse and his connection to Lord Shiva. Some Puranas suggest that he still meditates in secret caves, seeking forgiveness. Others say that he will be present at the end of Kali Yuga when Lord Kalki (the final avatar of Vishnu) appears. His long life and suffering are said to be part of a larger plan in the cycle of time.
The Curse That Outlived a War:-
After the Kurukshetra war ended, Ashwathama was filled with rage. His father, Dronacharya, had died unfairly in the war. To take revenge, he committed a horrible act. He entered the Pandavas’ camp at night and killed the five sons of the Pandavas while they were asleep. These sons were not warriors, and killing them was against the rules of war. Lord Krishna was very angry with Ashwathama for this. As punishment, Krishna cursed him to live forever, wandering the earth without love, peace, or rest. His gem was taken away, and his forehead wound was cursed never to heal. This curse turned his immortality into a life of suffering.
More Than Just a Fighter:-
Ashwathama was also a master of ancient science. From archery to Ayurveda. Some even believe this knowledge of him has helped him survive for thousands of years. Ashwatthama also had strong knowledge in the Vedas and Upanishads.
One of the Few Survivors of Kurukshetra:-
The KUSUKSHETRA war was one of the most devastating one ,while most warriors like BHISHMA, DRONACHARYA, ABHIMANYU and many more were perished in the great war, Ashwatthama walked away not because of victory, but cursed to remember everything he had done at that time. He was the only one among the next generation warriors. He possessed the status of Maratha, which means capable of battling thousands single-handedly.
The Man Who Never Died?
After the Kurukshetra war, Ashwatthama committed one of the most heinous acts in the history. He entered the Pandava camp at night and killed the five sons of the Pandavas while they slept. He also used the powerful Brahmastra, a celestial weapon, to destroy Parikshit, the unborn child of Abhimanyu and Uttara—the last surviving heir of the Pandava dynasty.For these brutal and cowardly actions, Krishna cursed Ashwatthama:
“You will roam the earth for 3,000 years, without relief, without love or home, wounded, shunned, and invisible to all, yet unable to die.”
This means that he will never die, he achieved the status of Immorality, his body would decay, with open, foul-smelling wounds that would never heal and he would suffer mental torment, loneliness, and guilt forever.
Now comes the question that fascinates most of the readers…-
WHERE IS ASHWATHAMA NOW?
To be honest, there is not official answer to this question, but many of us still believe he walks among us. His presence can be seen in various places across India like-
In Ujjain, priests at the Mahakaleshwar temple speak of a strange man who comes every night to offer prayers, leaves before sunrise, and is never seen again during the day.
Along the Narmada River, villagers report sightings of a tall man with glowing eyes and a strange forehead wound who appears and disappears mysteriously.
In the Himalayas, sages and travelers have spoken of an ageless hermit living in silence, who avoids human interaction and carries an unexplainable aura of sorrow and power.
Some even believe Ashwatthama might be preparing for the end of Kali Yuga, where he is prophesied to return alongside LORD KALKI
They can be either myths or not. But even today , many locals of Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Gujarat share some stories of the mystery.
Ashwathama’s story is a blend of mythology, mystery, and various moral lessons. Whether he’s still alive or just a powerful symbol, one thing is certain, his name refuses to fade from history. And maybe, that’s what makes him truly immortal.
