page_title: Uttarā (Mahabharata)
section_title: Ashwatthama's attack
hierarchical_section_title: Uttarā (Mahabharata) / Ashwatthama's attack
caption_attribution_description: English: Mahabharata ([n.d.]) Author: Ramanarayanadatta astri Volume: 6 Publisher: [Gorakhpur Geeta Press] Possible copyright status: NOT_IN_COPYRIGHT Language: Hindi Call number: AAO-3248 Digitizing sponsor: University of Toronto Book contributor: Robarts - University of Toronto Collection: robarts; toronto Full catalog record: MARCXML [Open Library icon]This book has an editable web page on Open Library.
context_page_description: In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Uttarā or Anglicized as Uttaraa was the daughter of Queen Sudeshna and King Virata, at whose court the Pandavas spent a year in concealment during their exile. She was sister of Prince Uttara.
context_section_description: Towards the end of the Mahabharata war, with Uttaraa in labor, Ashwathama, son of Dronacharya, while trying to avenge the defeat of Duryodhana and the Kaurava army, engaged in a war with Arjuna. Knowing he could not beat Arjuna conventionally, Ashwatthama invoked the potent Brahmastra, despite the promise he had made to the father/teacher that he would never use such a weapon. When Arjuna fired a Brahmastra to match, Vyasa intervened, commanding both warriors to withdraw their weapons. While Arjuna successfully did so, Ashwatthama did not possess the required knowledge. Krishna suggested that Ashwatthama redirect the weapon to an uninhabited place. Regretful, tired, but still vengeful, Ashwatthama decided that if he could not end the Pandavas, he would end their lineage. He fired the weapon at Uttaraa's womb, attacking the fetus form of Parikshit. Krishna intervened and revived the stillborn baby, giving Parikshit his name. 
  As a punishment Krishna curses  Ashwatthama  that he would  lose his source of power, the jewel that adorned his shining forehead. This loss of the jewel that adorned his forehead made Ashwatthama lose his state of mental alertness and he was forced to retire to obscurity as a derelict in the forests. Parikshit became heir to the Kuru dynasty and eventually became king of Hastinapur. In due time, Parikshit gave Uttaraa a grandson, Janamejaya.
caption: Krishna saves Uttarā's son
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