[Advaita-l] Shiva stuti by Ashwatthāma in the Mahabharata

[Kalyan]

Dear Sri Venkatesh

//Is it true Ashwatthama was Siva's Avatara?//

Yes, Ashwatthama is a partial incarnation of Shiva. Adi parvan of Mahabharata has these verses about Ashwatthama's incarnation from Shiva -

mahAdevAntakAbhyAM cha kAmAtkrodhAchcha bhArata |
ekatvamupapannAnAM jaj~ne shUraH parantapaH || 66||

ashvatthAmA mahAvIryaH shatrupakShakShaya~NkaraH |
vIraH kamalapatrAkShaH kShitAvAsInnarAdhipa || 67||

"From portions of Mahādeva, Death, Lust, and Fury, which merged into one, that warlike and powerful slayer of enemies Aśvatthäman was born on earth,..."

Regards
Kalyan