Forgotten love story

End of war and birth of Parikshit

Subsequently, Ashwathama visits the Pandava camp with the promise of killing all the Pandava brothers to fulfil his promise made to Duryodhana. But he ends up killing all the five sons of Draupadi. Moreover, he violated the rules of the war by attacking them when they were asleep.

Therefore, to rid himself of the sin he has committed, Ashwathama meets Sage Vyas, who in turn asks him to perform austerities. Meanwhile, the Pandavas visit Sage's ashram to get hold of Ashwathama on the behest of Draupadi for killing their sons. But soon after seeing them, Ashwathama releases the Brahmastra to kill all the five brothers at the same time. To save the Pandavas, Shri Krishna asks Arjun to release the same weapon.

Fearing the destruction of the universe, Sage Vyas uses his divine powers to stop the two Brahmastras coming from either side. He subsequently, asks Arjun and Ashwathama to take back their weapons. Arjun obeys Sage's orders, but Ashwathama reveals that he doesn't know how to retrieve it. The Sage then asks him to change the direction of the weapon, and Ashwathama purposely aims it towards Uttara, who was carrying late Abhimanyu's child in her womb.

Hence to punish Ashwathama for killing a child in the womb of the mother, Shri Krishna curses him by saying that he would roam around the world seeking peace and salvation, but he wouldn't find it anywhere. Moreover, he asks him to detach the jewel from his forehead and hand it over to Yudhisthir because he no longer deserves to be a superior being.

Draupadi's womb was destroyed by the weapon...She could never have children again....Uttara – Arjuna's daughter-in-law was carrying Abhimanyu's son in her womb. The weapon destroyed the child too!Ashwattama looked as the Pandavas and Lord Krishna looked at him horrified. Lord Krishna spoke for the first time, his voice trembling with anger, 'You think you have destroyed the Pandavas...I, Krishna am telling you now...You will be under the rule of Uttara's child, whom you just killed! That child will become a great king...And you Ashwattama...' Krishna looked at the ugly Ashwattama and spoke venomously, 'I curse you...You will always have painful sores all over your body with all diseases...there will always be a foul smell coming from you...you will not have a single friend to talk to....and you will keep roaming the earth, without death till the end of Kali Yuga!' Ashwattama howled as Krishna continued, 'Hand me your stone...' Ashwattama was born with a stone embedded in his forehead. The stone was supposed to keep him free of diseases and death...Ashwattamma having no choice handed over the stone to Krishna.It is believed that Ashwattama still roams around the earth with no one to talk to...The wound that was caused because of the stone being removed from his head was never supposed to heal...It is believed that he would be given salvation by Kalki, the next Avatar of Lord Vishnu, which is yet to come....Back at Kurukshetra, the Pandavas were dejected. They had won the great war but for no reason...they had no reason to keep the huge kingdom...no one to share it with...no one to continue it after them....uUttara was about to give birth, . The whole kingdom was waiting as this was the heir who was going to rule them eventually.However disaster struck! The child was born dead....The people in the palace were brokenhearted as Krishna came forward. Draupadi and Uttara came forward as Uttara spoke between sobs, 'My child....my child...please....please...do something....' Krishna nodded and took the child in his arms. He closed his eyes and spoke softly, 'I have lived a life following my purpose and fulfilling it...If that is so, I will give you life....' The woman watched as a mysterious force flew from Krishna into the child....The silence of the whole palace was shattered by the wailing of the young child....Uttara, Draupadi and the Pandavas were thrilled on hearing the young child's wails. They all picked the child and cuddled him.The child was called as Parikshit – meaning one who was tested by time. As he had already been tested by death, he was given that name...He was also called as Vishnuratha meaning the one who was always protected by Lord Vishnu