In the ancient Hindu epic Mahabharata, Krishna plays a pivotal role and influences the lives of the epic’s many characters in profound ways. One of Krishna’s most defining acts in the story is bestowing a curse on a character that changes their life completely.
The Story of the Mahabharata
To provide context on Krishna’s curse, it is important to understand the overall storyline of the Mahabharata. The Mahabharata tells the story of a dynastic struggle between two groups of cousins, the Kauravas and the Pandavas, over control of a kingdom called Hastinapur.
The Kauravas are depicted as the villains, led by the eldest Kaurava brother Duryodhana. The Pandavas are the heroes, led by their eldest brother Yudhishthira. When the blind king Dhritarashtra tries to bypass Yudhishthira and make Duryodhana the king, conflict ensues between the cousins.
This leads the Pandavas and Kauravas to eventually wage war against each other in the legendary Kurukshetra war. The Pandavas are ultimately victorious, but at the cost of immense bloodshed on both sides. Many characters in the story are impacted by the conflict between the two families.
Krishna’s Crucial Role
Krishna, believed to be an incarnation of the god Vishnu, is a central figure who influences the story in important ways. He supports the Pandavas and acts as an advisor, friend, and charioteer to the Pandava brothers at various times. His guidance and interventions at key moments help turn the tide in the Pandavas’ favor.
One of Krishna’s most pivotal actions is the curse he places on a character who betrays the Pandavas. This curse sets in motion events that ultimately aid the Pandavas in defeating their Kaurava cousins.
The Curse upon Ashwatthama
The character cursed by Krishna is a warrior named Ashwatthama, who fought on the side of the Kauravas. Ashwatthama was the son of Drona, the sage who served as weapons master to both the Pandavas and Kauravas.
Late in the war, when Drona is the supreme commander of the Kaurava army, he becomes nearly invincible and devastates the Pandava forces. Krishna knows that the Pandavas cannot defeat Drona unless he is discouraged and loses the will to fight.
Krishna comes up with a cunning plan – he suggests to Yudhishthira that he spread the false rumor that Ashwatthama had been killed, which they hoped would demoralize Drona enough to cease fighting. Yudhishthira is reluctant to tell a lie, but Krishna convinces him it is justified to defeat an enemy by any means necessary.
The Lie About Ashwatthama’s Death
Yudhishthira broadcasts to Drona in the midst of battle that Ashwatthama had died, while muttering under his breath that he was not sure if it was a man or an elephant named Ashwatthama. After hearing this, Drona is stricken with grief and desperately asks Yudhishthira to confirm if his son is truly dead.
Yudhishthira, compelled by Krishna to tell the lie, definitively states that Ashwatthama is dead. This false news makes Drona desert his weapons and enter into meditative yoga, allowing himself to be killed. However, unbeknownst to the Pandavas, Ashwatthama was still alive on the battlefield.
Ashwatthama’s Revenge
When the real Ashwatthama hears about his father’s death due to Yudhishthira’s lie, he becomes consumed with rage and vengeance. Late at night after the war ends, Ashwatthama sneaks into the Pandava camp with the evil aim of murdering the remaining Pandava heirs.
Finding the Pandava tents empty except for the five sons of the Pandavas sleeping inside, Ashwatthama brutally kills all five boys in cold blood. Then he unleashes the ultimate ancient Hindu weapon, the Brahmastra, to try to wipe out the remaining Pandava allies.
Krishna’s Fury Upon Ashwatthama
When Krishna and the Pandavas learn of Ashwatthama’s horrific war crime, Krishna becomes enraged. He immediately sets out to stop Ashwatthama and neutralize the Brahmastra weapon before it does more harm.
When Krishna catches up to Ashwatthama, his anger leads him to curse Ashwatthama in a terrible way. Krishna proclaims that for his evil misdeeds, Ashwatthama will roam the world eternally for thousands of years as an unloved outcast, with injuries festering and cries for help unanswered.
Krishna also takes away Ashwatthama’s precious jewel from his forehead, which was the source of his power and warrior skills. Furthermore, Krishna condemns Ashwatthama to suffer from incurable diseases and live in constant agony for three thousand years of Kali Yuga.
The Aftermath of the Curse
Ashwatthama begs for forgiveness and mercy from Krishna, but his pleas are refused. He is left to wander the earth suffering from his curse. The jewel taken from Ashwatthama’s head is later used as an ornament to adorn the image of Krishna.
Due to Krishna’s curse, Ashwatthama becomes a lost soul destined to endure physical and emotional pain endlessly with no respite. He serves as a tragic example of how Krishna punishes those who go against dharma and commit sins against humanity in the Mahabharata story.
While heartbroken over losing their children, the Pandavas take solace knowing that justice was served to Ashwatthama through Krishna’s curse, which was seen as righteous punishment for his appalling war atrocities.
Krishna’s Curses in Context
Looking at the broader perspective, Krishna cursing Ashwatthama should be seen in the context of Krishna’s larger role in the Mahabharata. As an incarnation of Vishnu, Krishna acts in the story to destroy evil and establish righteousness on earth.
Krishna uses his divine wisdom and foresight to guide the Pandavas, intervene at key moments in their favor, and punish those who severely transgress dharma and cause harm. His cursing of Ashwatthama serves this purpose of upholding dharma.
However, Krishna does not only use curses as punishment. To those who sincerely repent their misdeeds and reform themselves, Krishna also shows mercy. His character ultimately represents the Hindu ideals of dharma, divine wisdom, and the triumph of good over evil.
Other Examples of Krishna’s Curses
While the cursing of Ashwatthama is Krishna’s most pivotal and impactful curse in the Mahabharata, it is not the only instance of Krishna using curses as moral punishment. Some other examples include:
The Cursing of Yayati
Krishna curses the hedonistic king Yayati to premature old age after Yayati disobeys his father and indulges in worldly desires. Yayati repents and is eventually freed from the curse.
Cursing of Narakasura
Krishna slays the evil demon Narakasura and curses him that he will have no funeral rites performed upon his death. This prevents Narakasura’s soul from reaching the afterlife.
Cursing the Wives of Krishna
When Krishna’s wives consorted with Narakasura, Krishna cursed them to be reborn on earth and separated from him until the Kali Yuga period.
The Symbolic Significance of Krishna’s Curses
Beyond the literal actions described in the Mahabharata, Krishna’s curses carry symbolic spiritual significance. The curses represent:
- The triumph of morality over immorality
- Karma and the consequences of one’s actions
- Punishment of sins but also possibility of redemption
- The divine exercise of justice to restore balance
Thus, Krishna’s curses serve both a literal narrative purpose and a symbolic spiritual message about righteous conduct and upholding dharma in the text.
Conclusion
In the Mahabharata, the powerful figure of Krishna intervenes at crucial junctures to steer the Pandavas towards victory against their cousins, the Kauravas. A pivotal action Krishna carries out is his angry cursing of Ashwatthama for his heinous war crimes.
Krishna’s curse condemns Ashwatthama to thousands of years of suffering and removes his source of power. This serves justice for Ashwatthama’s sins, protects the Pandavas, and upholds morality in a difficult moral crisis during the war. The curse stands out as a definitive moment that shifts the tide further in favor of the righteous Pandavas.
Beyond this specific incident, Krishna’s use of curses in the Mahabharata signifies divine justice and the triumph of dharma. As an avatar of Vishnu, Krishna utilizes curses along with wisdom, strategic counsel, and protection of devotees to help establish ethical order amidst moral chaos. His cursing of villains and sinners serves as tool for restoring balance and righteousness in the world.