Abhimanyu
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Abhimanyu (Sanskrit: अभिमन्यु) was the eldest son of Arjuna and Subhadra and was the eldest Upa-Pandava. He was the nephew of Krishna and was married to Uttarā, the princess of Matsya Kingdom.
Abhimanyu was the reincarnation of Varchas, the son of moon-god (Chandra). When the Devas were consulting each other about them incarnating on earth for the purpose of defeating the Daitya forces, Chandra told the Devas:
"I do not like to send Varchas, whom I love more than my life, to the earth. Still, I think it is not right to stand in the way of the plans of the gods. You must agree to one condition if I am to send my son. Let him be born as the son of Arjuna. I am unable to be separated from him for more than sixteen years. My son will enter into the Chakra Vyuha of the enemies to be killed by them and return to me in the sixteenth year."
The Devas accepted this condition. That is why Abhimanyu was killed m his sixteenth year. (Mahabharata, Adi Parva, Chapter 67).
Birth, education and training
Abhimanyu was born in Indraprastha after Arjuna abducted Subhadra from Dvaraka at the end of his 12-month exile. Subhadra’s son was of long arms, broad chest, and eyes as large as those of a bull and came to be called Abhimanyu. He was called Abhimanyu because he was fearless and wrathful. Upon the birth of Abhimanyu, Yudhishthira gave away unto Brahmanas ten thousand cows and coins of gold. The child, from his earliest years, became the favourite of Krishna and of his father and uncles, like the moon of all the people of the world. Upon his birth, Krishna performed the usual rites of infancy. The child began to grow up like the Moon of the bright fortnight. That grinder of foes soon became conversant with the Vedas and acquired from his father the science of weapon both celestial and human, consisting of four branches and ten divisions (Mahabharata, Adi Parva).
Endued with great strength, Abhimanyu also acquired the knowledge of counteracting the weapons hurled at him by others, and great lightness of hand and fleetness of motion forward and backward and transverse and wheeling. Abhimanyu became like unto his father in knowledge of the scriptures and rites of Dharma. Abhimanyu possessed the power of slaying every foe and bore on his person every auspicious mark. He was invisible in battle and broad-shouldered as the bull. Possessing a broad face as the snake, he was proud like the lion. Wielding a large bow, his prowess was like that of an elephant in rut. Possessed of a face handsome as the full-moon, and of a voice deep as the sound of the drum or the clouds, he was equal unto Krishna in bravery and energy, in beauty and in features (Mahabharata, Adi Parva).
During the 13-year exile of the Pandavas, Abhimanyu, with his mother Subhadra, lived in Dvaraka and continued his training with Krishna, Satyaki and Pradyumna (Mahabharata, Vana Parva).
Marriage
Abhimanyu is married to Uttara, daughter of king Virata, towards the end of the 13th year of exile of the Pandavas. When king Virata learns that Arjuna had vanquished the Kuru army to rescue his stolen cattle, he happily offers his daughter Uttara in marriage to Arjuna. However, Arjuna responds to this offer saying: “I accept your daughter as my daughter-in-law. And alliance of this kind between the Matsya and the Bharatas is, indeed, desirable.'
When asked why he does not wish to accept Uttara as his wife, Arjuna replies saying: “Residing in your inner apartments, I had occasion always to behold your daughter, and she too, alone or in company trusted me as her father. Well-versed in singing and dancing, I was liked and regarded by her, and, indeed, your daughter always regards me as her protector. I lived for one whole year with her though she had attained the age of puberty. Under these circumstances, yourself or other men may not without reason, entertain suspicions against her or me. Therefore, myself who am pure, and have my senses under control, beg you your daughter as my daughter-in-law. Thus do I attest her purity. There is no difference between a daughter-in-law and a daughter, as also between a son and son's own-self. By adopting this course, therefore, her purity will be proved. I am afraid of slanderous and false accusations. I accept, therefore, your daughter Uttara as my daughter-in-law. Surpassing all in knowledge of weapons, resembling a celestial youth in beauty, my son, the mighty-armed Abhimanyu is the favourite nephew of Krishna, the wielder of the discus. He is fit to be your son-in-law and the husband of your daughter.”
The wedding takes place in Upaplavya, one of the cities of Matsya kingdom, well-attended. The king of Kasi, and also Saibya, being very friendly to Yudhishthira, arrived there, each accompanied by an Akshauhini of troops. The mighty Drupada, also with the heroic sons of Draupadi, Shikhandin, and Dhrishtadyumna came there with another Akshauhini of troops. All the kings that came were not only lords of Akshauhini, but performers of sacrifices with gifts in profusion to Brahmanas, conversant with the Vedas endued with heroism, and ready to die in battle.
After the kings had come there from different parts of the country, there came Krishna, Balarama, Kritavarma, Satyaki, Anadhristi, Akrura, Samba, and Nisatha. They came there bringing with them Abhimanyu and his mother. Indrasena and others, having lived at Dvaraka for one whole year, came there, bringing with them the well adorned chariots of the Pandavas. There came also ten thousand elephants and ten thousand cars, and hundred millions of horses and hundred billions of foot-soldiers, and innumerable Vrishni, Andhaka and Bhoja warriors of great energy.
Then the nuptial festival set in between the families of the Matsya king and the Pandavas. Conchs, cymbals, horns, drums and other musical instruments appointed by the Pandavas, began to play in the palace of Virata. Deer of various kinds and clean animals by hundreds were slain. Wines of various kinds and intoxicating juices of trees were profusely collected. Mimes and bards and encomiastic, versed in singing and legendary lore, waited upon the kings, and chanted their praises and genealogies. The matrons of the Matsyas of symmetrical bodies and limbs, and wearing ear-rings of pearls and gems, headed by Sudeshna, came to the place where the marriage knot was to be tied. Amongst those beautiful females of fair complexion and excellent ornaments, Draupadi was the foremost in beauty, fame and splendour. They all came there, leading forth the princess Uttara decked in every ornament and resembling the daughter of the great Indra himself. Then Arjuna accepted Virata's daughter of faultless limbs on behalf of his son by Subhadra. Yudhishthira, who stood there like Indra, also accepted her as his daughter-in-law. Having accepted her, Arjuna with Krishna before him, caused the nuptial ceremonies to be performed of the illustrious son of Subhadra. Virata then gave him seven thousand steeds endued with the speed of the wind and two hundred elephants of the best kind and much wealth also. Having duly poured libations of clarified butter on the blazing fire, and paid homage unto the twice-born ones, Virata offered to the Pandavas his kingdom, army, treasury, and his own self.
Abhimanyu at war
On the first day of the Mahabharata war itself, Abhimanyu entered into a duel with Brihadbala, king of Kosala. In the terrible conflict with Bhishma, Abhimanyu broke Bhishma's flagstaff. After that, he assisted his father Arjuna to fight against Bhishma. The Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata describes Abhimanyu's fight with Lakshmana in the second day's battle. Then he took his place in the Ardha Candra Vyuha (semi-circular phalanx) formed by Arjuna. He fought fiercely with the Gandharas. He attacked Shalya and killed Jayatsena, King of Magadha, along with his elephant. We find Abhimanyu assisting Bhimasena. After that Abhimanyu defeated Laksmana in battle. Then he defeated Vikarna, Chitrasena and others. Later he took his position in the Vyuha created by Dhrishtadyumna. He started fighting with Bhagadatta. He defeated Ambastha and Alambusha. Next he fought a duel with Sudeshna. After that he encountered Duryodhana, Brihadbala and others. Verses 47-52 of Chapter 10 of Drona Parva in Mahabharata give a description of Abhimanyu's heroism by Dhritarashtra.
The Kaurava commander-in-chief Drona planned to divert Arjuna and Krishna away to chase an army of the Samshaptakhas whom Arjuna defeated that very day. The Kaurava army was grouped into the giant discus formation, which caused great loss for the Pandavas. If the formation continued till end of that day, the Pandavas would have no army by sunset. The only two people on the Pandava army who completely knew about how to enter and break this formation were Arjuna and Krishna, who were away. Hence, without option, all other Pandava generals turned to Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son. Abhimanyu's story came to prominence when he entered the powerful Chakra Vyuha battle formation of the Kaurava army. Abhimanyu claimed that he could decimate the entire Kaurava and Pandava army in a fair combat.
Abhimanyu was trained in all types of warfare by Krishna and Arjuna themselves, and later by Pradyumna (Krishna's son). Abhimanyu learnt the art of breaking into the Chakra Vyuha when he was in Subhadra's womb, It was then Arjuna was narrating the art of breaking into Chakra Vyuha to Subhadra. But he did not know how to destroy the formation once he was inside, as Subhadra fell asleep while listening to the story and Abhimanyu in her womb could learn only half of the technique. This is the reason why he was only able to enter/ break in and not come out of the Chakra Vyuha.
As soon as Abhimanyu entered the formation, Jayadratha, the ruler of Sindh blocked the other Pandavas, so that Abhimanyu was left alone. Jayadratha, who had been humiliated by the Pandavas previously, had made severe penance and got a boon from Shiva that Jayadratha can completely hold back and counter-power, any army (except Arjuna and Krishna) for one single day of war. Inside the Chakra Vyuha, the trapped Abhimanyu went on a killing rampage, intending on carrying out the original strategy by himself and killing tens of thousands of Kaurava soldiers. He defeated great warriors like Drona and Kripa, Ashwatthama, Duryodhana, Shalya, Duhshasana, Bhurishrava and killed many prominent heroes including Duryodhana's son Lakshmana, Shalya's son Rukmaratha, Kritavarma's son Matrikavata, Shalya's brother, King Brihadbala and many others. Karna was the last standing great warrior who could over-power Abhimanyu. But since Abhimanyu was just a teenager, Karna did not use his full might against him, and was fighting in an equal challenge.
Finally, a strategy was formed and a joint attack on Abhimanyu followed. Karna cut off Abhimanyu's bow and stopped his attack, Kripa killed his two chariot-drivers, and Kritavarma killed his horses; Abhimanyu took up a sword and a shield but these weapons were cut off by Drona and Ashvatthama. Abhimanyu then took up a chariot-wheel and threw it at Drona, but Kripa and Ashvatthama saved Drona by cutting the wheel. Abhimanyu continued to fight, picking up discarded weapons as he required. In one prominent ending, Abhimanyu wages war with a chariot-wheel killing hundreds of warriors; he is killed when numerous warriors simultaneously attack him from all sides after which Abhimanyu and Duhshasana’s son engage into a mace fight and get unconscious at the same time. Duhshasana’s wakes early and hits Abhimanyu on his head, thus killing him. After his death, Jayadratha comes up and kicks his body apart to confirm his death, thus infuriating Abhimanyu's father Arjuna to take a vow of either his death or Jaydratha's.
After hearing the details of Abhimanyu's death, Arjuna vowed to kill Jayadratha the very next day by sunset, and failing to do so, promised to immediately commit suicide by self-immolation. On the fourteenth day of battle, Arjuna ravaged the Kaurava army, decapitating Jayadratha by the end of the day.
Abhimanyu's son, Parikshit, became the sole heir to the Pandava empire and succeeded Yudhishthira to the throne. Abhimanyu is often thought of as a very brave warrior on the Pandava side, willingly giving up his life in war at a very young age. Abhimanyu was praised for his audacious bravery and absolute loyalty to his father and his uncles.
The other names of Abhimanyu in the Mahabharata are: Arjuni, Saubhadri, Karshni, Arjunatmaja, Sukratmajatmaja, Arjunapara and Phalguni.