Reading Notes: The Kaurava Empire Vol. 2 Part B

Graphic Novel Logo (Animation Xpress.com)

The Kaurava Empire: Vol. 2: The Vengeance of Ashwatthama

Written by, Jason Quinn 

Illustrated and Colored by, Sachin Nagar

Part B is pages 46-87.

About the book

This is a graphic novel based on the Mahabharata.  It describes the events before, during, and after he war from the perspective of Ashwatthama.  It is all flashbacks that he tells Governor Aiken, who he saved from an attack.  Conversation occurs thousands of years after the great war.  Governor Aiken passes judgment, saying the slaughter of children is unforgivable.  She leaves Ashwatthama stranded on the planet.  It tells how war can twist person, and make them do unforgivable.  It is a cautionary tale of the evil actions war can cause.  

Ashwatthama's Downfall

1. he stays to fight with the with the Kauravas (even though he believes the Pandavas are in the right) for two reasons:
1. he does not want to leave his father
2. he wants to prove he is a better warrior than Arjuna
2. he felt shame in the death of Abhimanyu, like a small piece of him died too
3. Drona was killed thinking his son was dead, but it was a war beast with the same name
4. he swears to avenge Drona's death
5. later Duryodhana dies, tells him that Bhemma struck a low blow
6. he and Kripa (his uncle) and Kritavarma (Yadava warrior) went to the Pandava's camp and started to kill everyone in their sleep
7. he killed all of the Pandava's children 
8. he knows its wrong, but he believes the Pandavas won the war by treachery, and they deserve it
9. the Pandavas fire their Brahmastra at him for revenge
10. he fires his as well to kill them and Daupadi
11. both are powerful enough to destroy the universe
12. a god intervenes to stop it
13. the Pandavas stop theirs 
14. he directs his to Uttaraa's womb, killing Arjuna's unborn grandson
15. the god cursed him
1. removed his jewel
2. he will live forever
3. roam the universe alone
4. friendless
5. in pain
6. a living hell
16. In his own words at the end of part B, "I ask you to remember that I was not always like this." and "Once I was gentle and kind... until the war came... until the war turned me into a butcher... a monster beyond redemption.  Can I ever find forgiveness?"