O bull of Bharata's
race, of all thy brothers, Bhima is thy dearest! Beholding him fallen
into a great danger why dost thou not stir thyself? The weapon called
brahmashira, which that subjugator of hostile towns, Drona, communicated
to his son, is capable of consuming the whole world. The illustrious and
highly blessed preceptor, that foremost of all wielders of bows,
delighted with Dhananjaya, had given him that very weapon. Unable to
endure it, his only son then begged it of him. Unwillingly he imparted
the knowledge of that weapon to Ashvatthama. The illustrious Drona knew
the restlessness of his son. Acquainted with all duties, the preceptor
laid this command on him, saying, "Even when overtaken by the greatest
danger, O child in the midst of battle, thou shouldst never use this
weapon, particularly against human beings." Even thus the preceptor Drona
spoke unto his son. A little while after he again spoke, saying, "O bull
among men, thou wilt not, it seems, walk in the path of the righteous."
Hearing those bitter words of his sire, the wicked-souled Ashvatthama, in
despair of obtaining every kind of prosperity, began in grief to wander
over the earth.
Then, O chief of the Kurus, while you were living in the woods, O
Bharata, he came to Dvaraka and took up his abode there, worshipped by
the Vrishnis. One day, after he had taken up his abode in Dvaraka, he
came to me, without a companion and when I myself was without anybody by
my side, on the seacoast, and there smilingly addressing me said, "O
Krishna, that weapon, called brahmashira, worshipped by gods and
gandharvas, which my sire, the preceptor of the Bharatas, of prowess
incapable of being baffled, and obtained from Agastya after performing
the austerest penances, is now with me, O Dasharha, as much as it is with
my sire.
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