Ashvatthama’s Sacrifice of Himself to His Higher Self

We have previously added support to the idea that not only does Odinn parallel Vedic Rudra, but the evil-eyed foe of the Irish gods, Balor, parallels one of the rudras, the members of the destructive and ghoulish troop that Rudra leads and keeps partially in line as they go forth on the Wild Hunt.

As we have seen, Odinn offering himself to himself is a specifically Rudra-connected myth. 

Here now is Ashvatthama, incarnation of one of the rudras, and parallel of Balor, sacrificing himself to Rudra, who is, in a sense, his own higher divine self, in order to gain power for the fight.

“Drona's son [Ashvatthama], armed with bow, and with fingers cased in fences made of iguana skins, himself offered up his own self as a victim unto Mahadeva [Rudra]. Bows were the fuel, and sharp shafts were the ladles, and his own soul possessed of great might was the libation, O Bharata, in that act of sacrifice. The valiant and wrathful son of Drona then, with propitiating mantras, offered up his own soul as the victim. Having with fierce rites adored Rudra of fierce deeds, Ashvatthama with joined hands, said these words unto that high-souled god.

Ashvatthama said, "Sprung from Angirasa's line, I am about to pour my soul, O god, as a libation on this fire! Accept, O lord, this victim! In this hour of distress, O Soul of the universe, I offer up my own self as the sacrificial victim, from devotion to thee and with heart concentrated in meditation! All creatures are in thee and thou art in all creatures! Assemblage of all high attributes occur in thee! O lord, O thou art the refuge of all creatures. I wait as a libation for thee, since I am unable to vanquish my foes. Accept me, O god." Having said these words, Drona's son, ascending that sacrificial altar on which a fire blazed brightly, offered himself up as the victim and entered that blazing fire.

Beholding him stand immovable and with uplifted hands and as an offering up to himself, the divine Mahadeva appeared in person […] the divine Mahadeva entered Ashvatthama's body after giving him an excellent and polished sword. Filled by that divine being, Drona's son blazed up with energy. In consequence of that energy derived from godhead, he became all-powerful in battle.” - Mahabharata, Sauptika Parva, 8

One of the great paradoxes of Indo-European religion is this god who encompasses both destruction and benevolence, and this paradox is reflected in the shifting of parts of the core mythos of the deity from his benevolent to his destructive aspect depending on the branch.
In the Irish case, Fionn, rather than Balor (parallel of Ashvatthama), parallels Odinn’s hanging from the tree, even though a sacrifice of self to self is not made explicit in Fionn’s myth. Ashvatthama, an incarnation of one of the rudras and so an extension of one side of Rudra’s power, is the destructive opponent of the divine heroes of society rather than their leader. And yet his self-sacrifice is a clear mirror of Odinn’s.

The shifting of this myth can occur because the destructive and benevolent aspects, though divided in narrative, are unified theologically, are from one divine root. Ashvatthama, being one extension of the divinity of Rudra, must enact or even reenact this central Rudraic myth, and sacrifice himself to the Rudra who is above the divided manifestation.

t.me/solarcult

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