Ashwatthama / Tube / Incarnation / liberates / Next Vyasa

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashwatthama

Sanjaya to Dhṛtarāṣṭra

in whom

1. human and 
2. Varuna and 
3. Agneya and 
4. Brahma and 
5. Aindra and 
6. Narayana weapons are always present?

The high-souled Drona, having obtained the science of weapons from Rama have imparted (a knowledge of) all the celestial weapons unto his son desirous of seeing the latter adorned with all the accomplishments (of a warrior). 

There is only one person in this world, viz., the son, and none else, whom people desire to become superior to themselves. All high-souled preceptors have this characteristic, viz., that they impart all the mysteries of their science unto either sons or devoted disciples. 

Becoming his sire's pupil. O Sanjaya, and obtaining all those mysteries with every detail, the son of Saradwat's daughter has become a second Drona, and a great hero. Aswatthaman is equal 

1. to Karna in knowledge of weapons,
2. to Purandara in battle, 
3. to Kartavirya in energy, and 
4. Vrihaspati in wisdom. 

1. In fortitude, that youth is equal to a mountain, and 
2. in energy to fire. 
3. In gravity, he is equal to an ocean, and 
4. in wrath, to the poison of the snake. 

He is the 

1. foremost of all car-warriors in battle, 
2. a firm bowman, and 
3. above all fatigue. 

1. In speed he is equal to the wind itself and 
2. he careens in the thick of fight like Yama in rage. 
3. While his engaged in shooting arrows in battle, the very earth becomes afflicted. 
4. Of prowess incapable of being baffled, hero is never fatigued by exertions. 
5. Purified by the Vedas and by vows, 
6. he is a thorough master of the science of arms, like Rama, the son of Dasharatha. 
7. He is like the ocean, incapable of being agitated. 

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07191.htm

Arjuna to Yudhistira said, 'He, relying upon whose energy the Kauravas, having addressed themselves to the accomplishment of fierce feats, are blowing their conchs and staying with patience, he about whom thou hast thy doubts. O king, as to who he may be that is roaring so loud, having rallied the Dhartarashtras after the fall of the disarmed preceptor, he, who is

1. endued with modesty, 
2. possessed of mighty arms, 
3. has the tread of an infuriated elephant, 
4. owns a face like that of a tiger, 
5. always achieves fierce feats, and dispels the fears of the Kurus, he upon whose birth Drona gave away a thousand kine unto Brahmanas of high worth, he O king, that is roaring so loud, is Aswatthaman. As soon as he was born, that hero neighed like Indra's steed and caused the three worlds to tremble at that sound. Hearing that sound, an invisible being, O lord, (speaking audibly) bestowed upon him the name of Aswatthaman (the horse-voiced). 
6. That superhuman being who is in that habit of displaying his friendship for all creatures, 
7. that hero, hearing of the seizure of his sire's locks, will certainly consume us all in battle today.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07193.htm

Tube
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ashwatthama

http://timesofindia.speakingtree.in/spiritual-slideshow/seekers/god-and-i/19-avatars-of-lord-shiva/62986
http://thekarna.wordpress.com/2010/05/12/ashwatthama-the-12th-rudra/

http://deathconqueror.blogspot.com/2012/02/sons-of-draupadi-upa-pandavas.html
http://anandatirtha.wordpress.com/2011/02/15/mahabharata-kurukshetra-war-after-the-fall-of-duryodhana/

Crow and Owl
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m10/m10001.htm

Caste System

The Indian epic Mahabharata gives us a glimpse of the caste system that prevailed in ancient India. Apart from the four basic orders (varnas or castes) Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra, the Mahabharata mentions several other castes that sprang from their intermixing.

Intermixing of the Four Basic Castes

The son that a Sudra begets upon a Brahmana woman is called a Chandala. Begotten upon a Kshatriya woman by a person of the Sudra order, the son is called a Vratya. He who is born of a Vaisya woman by a Sudra father is called a Vaidya. The Vaisya, by uniting himself with a woman of the Brahmana order, begets a son that is called a Magadha, while the son that he gets upon a Kshatriya woman is called a Vamaka. The son begotten by a Kshatriya upon a Brahmana woman, is called a Suta (MHB 13:14).

If a Kshatriya begets a son upon a Brahmana woman, such a son, comes to be regarded as a Suta. The son begotten by a Vaisya upon a woman of the Brahmana order comes to be regarded as a Vaidehaka. If a Sudra unites with a woman belonging to Brahmana, the son that is begotten is called a Chandala. The son begotten by a Vaisya upon a Kshatriya woman becomes a Vandi or Magadha. The son begotten by a Sudra upon a Kshatriya women, becomes a Nishada (occupation: fishing) and upon a Vaisya women, becomes an Ayogava (occupation: Takshan: carpenter) Intermixing within these new classes create more castes. There were as many as fifteen such castes (MHB 13:48).

Emergence of Numerous Other Castes

From the union of Magadhas of a certain class with women of the caste called Sairindhri, there springs up another caste called Ayogava. Vaidehas, by uniting themselves with women of the Sairindhri caste, beget children called Maireyakas whose occupation consists in the manufacture of wines and spirits. 

From the Nishadas spring a caste called Madgura and another known by the name of Dasas whose occupation consists in plying boats. 

From the Chandala springs a race called Swapaka whose occupation consists in keeping guard over the dead. The women of the Magadhi caste, by union with these four castes of wicked dispositions produce four others. These are Mansa, Swadukara, Kshaudra, and Saugandha. From the Nishadas again springs up the Madranabha caste whose members are seen to ride on cars drawn by asses.

From the Chandalas springs up the caste called Pukkasa. The caste called Kshudra springs from the Vaidehaka. The caste called Andhra which takes up its residence in the outskirts of towns and cities, also springs up (from the Vaidehakas). Then again the Charmakara, uniting himself with a woman of Nishada caste, begets the class called Karavara. 

From the Chandala again springs up the caste known by the name of Pandusaupaka whose occupation consists in making baskets and other things with cleft bamboos. From the union of the Nishada with a woman of the Vaidehi caste springs one who is called by the name of Ahindaka (13:48). Some names like Vaidehaka, Magadha, Andhra etc were indicative of tribal names like Videha, Magadha and Andhra. The whole description seems to be the result of an attempt to include the non-Vedic tribes into the structure of four-order caste system.

Caste Based on Character

The idea that four orders and castes were based on birth was different from another school of thought that they were mere descriptions of different people in the society based on their character and occupation. In the second case caste was flexible, more a matter of choice and not based on birth. In later periods, caste system based on birth became rigid and numerous other castes started getting created. This devolved into the unbonafide systems of castes found in India today. Many passages in Mahabharata describe the flexible caste system which in later periods was totally forgotten by the Indian society.

An example is the conversation between Yudhisthira and Naga Nahusha (MHB 3:179):

Naga: "O Yudhishthira, say, Who is a Brahmana?"


Yudhishthira: "O foremost of Nagas, he, it is asserted by the wise, in whom are seen truth, charity, forgiveness, good conduct, benevolence, observance of the rites of his order and mercy is a Brahmana." Naga: "O Yudhishthira, truth, charity, forgiveness, benevolence, benignity, kindness and the Veda which worketh the benefit of the four orders, which is the authority in matters of religion and which is true, are seen even in the Sudra."


Yudhishthira: "Those characteristics that are present in a Sudra, do not exist in a Brahmana; nor do those that are in a Brahmana exist in a Sudra. And a Sudra is not a Sudra by birth alone, nor a Brahmana is Brahmana by birth alone. He, it is said by the wise, in whom are seen those virtues is a Brahmana. And people term him a Sudra in whom those qualities do not exist, even though he be a Brahmana by birth."Naga: "O king, if thou recognise a person as a Brahmana by characteristics, then, O long-lived one, the distinction of caste becometh futile as long as conduct doth not come into play."


Yudhishthira: "In human society, O mighty and highly intelligent Naga, it is difficult to ascertain one’s caste, because of promiscuous intercourse among the four orders. This is my opinion. Men belonging to all orders beget offspring upon women of all the orders. And of men, speech, sexual intercourse, birth and death are common. And to this the Rishis have borne testimony by using as the beginning of a sacrifice such expressions as-of what caste so ever we may be, we celebrate the sacrifice. Therefore, those that are wise have asserted that character is the chief essential requisite. The natal ceremony of a person is performed before division of the umbilical cord. His mother then acts as its Savitri and his father officiates as priest. He is considered as a Sudra as long as he is not initiated in the Vedas. Doubts having arisen on this point, Naga, Swayambhuba Manu has declared, that the mixed castes are to be regarded as better than the other castes, if having gone through the ceremonies of purification, they do not conform to the rules of good conduct, O excellent Naga! Whosoever now conforms to the rules of pure and virtuous conduct, him have I, here now, designated as a Brahmana."

Societies with Caste Based on Choice

Mahabharata provides evidence of societies where caste was just a matter of personal choice. At MHB 8:45 is the following passage:

"Among the Bahlikas one at first becomes a Brahmana and then he becomes a Kshatriya. Indeed, a Vahika would, after that, become a Vaishya, and then a Shudra, and then a barber. Having become a barber, he would then again become a brahmana. Returning to the status of a brahmana, he would again become a slave. One person in a family becomes a brahmana: all the others act as they like."

The whole narration is the opinion of Karna on the tribe of Shalya, viz., the Bahlika tribe. Shalya was disliked by Karna due to some circumstances, So this opinion is biased against the Bahlikas. Yet, it gives evidence that the Bahlikas had a society where caste was a matter of personal choice.

Reference

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03179.htm

Dicussion
https://www.quora.com/search?q=caste

More
http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/features/features.htm

Tube
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Mahabharata+Caste

Single Vs Mono Vs Poly

Bheeshma
http://freeglobaluniversity.blogspot.com/search/label/Celibacy

Ashvatama

kripacharya

Parashurama

http://freeglobaluniversity.blogspot.com/search/label/immortality

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monogamy

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Monogamy

http://www.slideshare.net/search/slideshow?searchfrom=header&q=Monogamy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaurava

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Kaurava

http://www.slideshare.net/search/slideshow?searchfrom=header&q=Kaurava

 Vs 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Polygamy

http://www.slideshare.net/search/slideshow?searchfrom=header&q=Polygamy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandava

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pandava

http://www.slideshare.net/search/slideshow?searchfrom=header&q=pandava 

Peace Vs War Messenger

Bhagwat Yana Parva - Krishna
http://paninformation.blogspot.com/search/label/PandavaThoodhar
Uluka Dutagamana Parva - Son of Shakuni
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05161.htm

Source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udyoga_Parva

Discrimination

Kauravas - Gender Discrimination -  Lost War
http://freeglobaluniversity.blogspot.com/search/label/Gender

Pandavas - Caste Discrimination - Lost Karna

http://freeglobaluniversity.blogspot.com/search/label/Caste

Yadavas - Wine No Discrimination - Lost 

http://oce8.blogspot.com/search/label/Varuni

Sequence

1. Duryodana appoints Bheeshma as Fist Commander in chief 
2. Karna appoints Drona as Second Commander in chief
3. Duryodana appoints Karna as Third Commander in chief
4. Ashwathama appoints Shalya as Fourth Commander in chief
5. Duryodana appoints Ashwathama as Fifth Commander in chief

Formerly

O monarch, formerly Krishna did not respect

1. king Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, or 
2. Drona, so much as he used to respect thee. 

When, however, he came to know thee as one fallen off from the duties of a king, since then Krishna hath ceased to regard thee with respect.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07083.htm

Srutayudha Son of Varuna

Beholding Partha thus proceeding, the brave king Srutayudha, filled with wrath, rushed at him, shaking his large bow. And he pierced Partha with three arrows, and Janardana with seventy. And he struck the standard of Partha with a very sharp arrow having a razor-like head. Then Arjuna, filled with wrath deeply pierced his antagonist with ninety straight shafts, like (a rider) striking a mighty elephant with the hook. Srutayudha, however, could not, O king, brook that act of prowess on the part of Pandu's son. He pierced Arjuna in return with seven and seventy shafts. Arjuna then cut off Srutayudha's bow and then his quiver, and angrily struck him on the chest with seven straight shafts. Then, king Srutayudha, deprived of his senses by wrath, took up another bow and struck the son of Vasava with nine arrows on the latter's arms and chest. Then Arjuna, that chastiser of foes laughing the while, O Bharata, afflicted Srutayudha with many thousands of arrows. And that mighty car-warrior quickly slew also the latter's steeds and charioteer. Endued with great strength the son of Pandu then pierced his foe with seventy arrows.

Then the valiant king Srutayudha abandoning that steedless car, rushed in that encounter against Partha, uplifting his mace. The heroic king Srutayudha was the son of Varuna, having for his mother that mighty river of cool water called Parnasa. His mother, O king, had for the sake of her son, begged Varuna saying, 'Let this my son become unslayable on earth.' Varuna, gratified (with her), had said, 'I give him a boon highly beneficial to him, viz., a celestial weapon, by virtue of which this thy son will become unslayable on earth by foes. No man can have immortality. O foremost of rivers, every one who hath taken birth must inevitably die. This child, however, will always be invincible by foes in battle, through the power of this weapon. Therefore, let thy heart's fever be dispelled.' Having said these words, Varuna gave him, with mantras, a mace. Obtaining that mace, Srutayudha became invincible on earth. Unto him, however, illustrious Lord of the waters again said, 'This mace should not be hurled at one who is not engaged in fight. If hurled at such a person, it will come back and fall upon thyself. O illustrious child, (if so hurled) it will then course in an opposite direction and slay the person hurling it.' It would seem that when his hour came, Srutayudha disobeyed that injunction. With that hero-slaying mace he attacked Janardana, The valiant Krishna received that mace on one of his well-formed and stout shoulders. It failed to shake Sauri, like the wind failing to shake the Vindhya mountain. That mace, returning unto Srutayudha himself, struck that brave and wrathful king staying on his car, like an ill-accomplished act of sorcery injuring the performer himself, and slaying that hero fell down on the earth.

Beholding the mace turn back and Srutayudha slain, loud cries of Alas and Oh arose there among the troops, at the sight of Srutayudha that chastiser of foes, slain by a weapon of his own. And because, O monarch, Srutayudha had hurled that mace at Janardana who was not engaged in fighting it slew him who had hurled it. And Srutayudha perished on the field, even in the manner that Varuna had indicated. Deprived of life, he fell down on the earth before the eyes of all the bowmen. While falling down, that dear son of Parnasa shone resplendent like a tall banian with spreading boughs broken by the wind. Then all the troops and even all the principal warriors fled away, beholding Srutayudha, that chastiser of foes, slain.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07088.htm

Calamity

"Sanjaya said,

'I will tell thee all, for everything hath been witnessed by me with my own eyes. Listen calmly. Great is thy fault. Even as an embankment is useless after the waters (of the field) have flowed away, even so, O king, are these lamentations of thine useless! O bull of Bharata's race, do not grieve. Wonderful as are the decrees of the Destroyer, they are incapable of being transgressed. Do not grieve, O bull of Bharata's race, for this is not new.

1. If thou hadst formerly restrained Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, and thy sons also from the match at dice, this calamity then would never have overtaken thee. 
2. If, again, when time for battle came, hadst thou restrained both the parties inflamed by wrath, this calamity then would never have overtaken thee. 
3. If, again, hadst thou formerly urged the Kurus to slay the disobedient Duryodhana, then this calamity would never have overtaken thee. (If thou hadst done any of these acts), the Pandavas, the Panchalas, the Vrishnis, and the other kings would then have never known thy wrong-headedness. 
4. If, again, doing, thy duty as a father, thou hadst, by placing Duryodhana in the path of righteousness, caused him to tread along it, then this calamity would never have overtaken thee.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07083.htm