Achilles’ heel
An Achilles’ heel is a deadly weakness in an otherwise strong person, which can actually or potentially lead to his/her downfall.
According to Greek Mythology, Achilles was one of the greatest of the Greek heroes who fought on the side of Menelaus to free Helen.
When Achilles was born, it was prophesied that he would die young. His mother Thetis ( known as the Goddess of water) dipped him in the waters of River Styx (that formed the boundary between the earth and the underworld) as the waters were believed to give invulnerability to the person who bathed in it. As she was holding the baby by the heel, the heels were not washed over by the waters and hence remained vulnerable. Later, during the Trojan War, an arrow hit Achilles’ heel, leading to his death.
A similar incident is mentioned in the Mahabharatha.
During the war, all the Kaurava brothers except Duryodhana had been killed. His mother Gandhari decided to make his body solid like a rock with the power of her eyes. She had been tying her eyes since her wedding with Dhritharashtra and hence her eyes had gained great power. She instructed her son to bathe in the river and come to her without any piece of clothing on him. Duryodhana was walking towards her naked, when Krishna accosted him on the way and asked him where he was going. When he learnt that Duryodhana was going to meet his mother, Krishna made fun of him and suggested that he should at least cover his loins and thighs. Duryodhana felt ashamed and wrapped a cloth over his loins and thighs. When Gandhari removed the cloth that covered her eyes and looked at her son, she let out a groan. Duryodhana’s body had become rock solid except those parts that were covered. Later, Bhima hit Duryodhana on his thighs and killed him.
An Achilles’ heel is a deadly weakness in an otherwise strong person, which can actually or potentially lead to his/her downfall.
According to Greek Mythology, Achilles was one of the greatest of the Greek heroes who fought on the side of Menelaus to free Helen.
When Achilles was born, it was prophesied that he would die young. His mother Thetis ( known as the Goddess of water) dipped him in the waters of River Styx (that formed the boundary between the earth and the underworld) as the waters were believed to give invulnerability to the person who bathed in it. As she was holding the baby by the heel, the heels were not washed over by the waters and hence remained vulnerable. Later, during the Trojan War, an arrow hit Achilles’ heel, leading to his death.
A similar incident is mentioned in the Mahabharatha.
During the war, all the Kaurava brothers except Duryodhana had been killed. His mother Gandhari decided to make his body solid like a rock with the power of her eyes. She had been tying her eyes since her wedding with Dhritharashtra and hence her eyes had gained great power. She instructed her son to bathe in the river and come to her without any piece of clothing on him. Duryodhana was walking towards her naked, when Krishna accosted him on the way and asked him where he was going. When he learnt that Duryodhana was going to meet his mother, Krishna made fun of him and suggested that he should at least cover his loins and thighs. Duryodhana felt ashamed and wrapped a cloth over his loins and thighs. When Gandhari removed the cloth that covered her eyes and looked at her son, she let out a groan. Duryodhana’s body had become rock solid except those parts that were covered. Later, Bhima hit Duryodhana on his thighs and killed him.
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