The Gurus of Hastinapur - Part 8

‘You will not use this weapon, ever!’ Drona told Ashwattaman fiercely. Ashwattaman looked shocked as his father looking almost desperately at him. ‘Even when there is danger to your life, you are not to use this weapon!’ Ashwattaman almost took a step back afraid of the look on his father’s face.

You are not meant to have a virtuous life! The words that his father had just uttered a few minutes back kept coming back. Ashwattaman was unable to hear anything that his father said after that. Pushing his father away, Ashwattaman ran away from the hermitage. He wanted to be as far away from the house as possible. He did not want to come back….At all..

Ashwattaman roamed around in despair. His travels brought him to an unexpected place – Dwaraka, home of Krishna, the Dark Lord. He stayed there for a few days trying to forget all that his father had told him. But he could’nt…

So one day Ashwattaman went to Krishna, when Krishna was all alone.

‘Greetings, Ashwa…’ Krishna started as Ashwattaman interrupted him.

‘I have the Brahmashira weapon with me!’ Ashwattaman announced it in a manner which he might have announced the end of the world.

Krishna for his part was shocked. He blinked as he looked at Ashwattaman. ‘Your father taught you how to use that weapon?’ Krishna asked incredulously.

Ashwattaman nodded his head haughtily. ‘Yes! The weapon which my father obtained from Sage Agastya after performing the strongest penance, now also belongs to me!’ Krishna looked at Ashwattaman as he continued. ‘I will trade it with you….I want your Sudarshana chakra, instead of it!’

Krishna looked at Ashwattaman for a long second not saying anything. He finally nodded his head. ‘If you can wield it, it is yours!’ Ashwattaman looked surprised as Krishna continued. ‘And I do not wish anything in return for it!’

Krishna pointed behind him and there in the centre of the hall, Ashwattaman saw the magnificent chakra – the discus having a 1000 spokes and made of iron.

Ashwattaman went forward and almost carelessly tried to lift the chakra with his left hand. The weapon would not budge. Surprised Ashwattaman caught the chakra with both his hands and tried to pull it….The weapon did not move an inch. Ashwattaman tried and tried and in the end gasping and panting, he gave up in defeat. The weapon remained where it was.

Gasping and sweating, Ashwattaman turned to Krishna who was looking at him with a very strange expression. ‘Arjuna – the Pandava, who is dear to me than my life, he has never asked me for my chakra! Pradhyumna – mine and Rukmini’s son – the son whom I had after 12 years of penance, he has never asked me for my discus! None of my sons have ever asked me for this weapon!’ Krishna shook his head looking at Ashwattaman. ‘Why did you want the chakra?’

Ashwattaman looked at Krishna with anger. ‘You are an unrivalled warrior! After I got the Sudarshana Chakra from you, I would have fought you with it! I would have defeated you in battle! With the chakra I would become invincible!’ Ashwattaman said in cold anger as Krishna realized that Ashwattaman was nursing a wound far too deep to be understood….There was no level to which the man would stoop to and Krishna realized that Ashwattaman with his new found knowledge was unstable and dangerous....