chapter7- End of the War
As an introduction to the narration of Bhagavatha Sootha told the rshis about the events that took place after the Mahabharatha war leading to the prayOpavEsa of Parikshith.After the war When DhuryOdhana fell down with his thigh broken by Bhima, AsvatthAma, the son of acharya DhrOna wishing to please DuryOdhana killed all the children of Dhroupadhi while they were sleeping which act was repugnant even to DhuryOdhana. Arjuna wishing to take revenge pursued Asvatthama with Krishna acting as his charioteer.He defeated AsvatthAma and bound him and brought him to their camp.Krishna urged Arjuna to kill him because he committed a grievious sin in killing young sons of Dhroupadhi and said that one should not kill those who are not in their senses, sleeping , unconscious , a woman or a child.But Arjuna did not want to kill the son of his acharya and brought him to Dhroupadhi.
But Droupadhi was moved with pity and said as he is the son of the guru he should not be killed.Droupadhi was described as vAmasvabhava, of right conduct and as such sho did want to do adharma even when she has lost her sons. She said that Krpi, the mother of Asvatthama should not undergo the same sorrow like herself by losing her only son, for which she was praised by Dharmaputhraa.But Bhima out of anger wanted to kill AasvatthAma and
AthathAyee is the one who sete fire,gives poison,kills one who is without defence, confiscates property and appropriates another man's wife.
Arjuna understood
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