Abhimanyu

Abhimanyu is a character of the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. He was the son of the third Pandava prince Arjuna and Yadava princess Subhadra. He is believed to be an avatar of Varchas, son of Chandra. From childhood, Abhimanyu was raised by his maternal relatives as his father was sent on an exile for 13 years. During his adolescence, his father returned from the exile. Abhimanyu then married Uttarā, princess of Matsya. During the Kurukshetra War, Abhimanyu fought from his father's side. On the thirteenth day of the war, the young warrior was brutally killed by many warriors. His son, Parikshit, was the one who saved the lineage from extinction.[1]

This article is about tragic hero of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. For other uses, see Abhimanyu (disambiguation).

Abhimanyu
Mahabharata character
Uttarā pleads to Abhimanyu as he leaves for the war
In-universe information
WeaponBow and arrows, Sword and Gada
FamilyArjuna (father)
Subhadra (mother)
SpouseUttarā
ChildrenParikshit
Relatives

Etymology and epithets
  • Arjuna Putra (अर्जुन पुत्र) - true successor of Arjuna. Abhimanyu was one of the greatest archers in the world .
  • Subhadranandan (सुभद्र नंदन) - son of Subhadra.
  • Soubhadri (सौभद्रि) - son of Subhadra.
  • Varchas Avatar (वर्चस् अवतार)- avatar of Varchas.
  • Krishna Shishya (कृष्ण शिष्य) - the disciple of Krishna.
  • Raudra dhari (रौद्रधारी) - one who possessed the mighty bow named Raudra which was given by his uncle Balrama which he received from lord Shiva

Birth and marriage

Abhimanyu was born to Arjuna, the 3rd Pandava, and Subhadra, the sister of Sri Krishna. According to a Tamil folklore, when Abhimanyu was in his mother's womb, he heard about the Chakravyuh. He only gained half knowledge which was entering the Chakravyuh.[2] In the Mahabharata, Abhimanyu simply learns to enter Chakravyuh from Arjuna.[3]

After Yudhishthira had lost the game of dice, all the Pandavas along with Draupadi were sent on exile. Subhadra, during this period stayed with her brothers in Dwarka, where she, along with her family members, raised Abhimanyu. He was trained in arms and warfare by Pradyumna, Balarama and Krishna. Abhimanyu was given the Raudra bow by Balarama.
After Pandavas finished their exile, Duryodhana didn't agree to return their wealth and fortune. Thus, Pandavas had to fight a battle to get their rights back.[1]

Before the war of Kurukshetra, the Pandavas stayed with Virata. Virata requested Arjuna to marry his daughter, Uttarā. However Arjuna refused to marry her as he was her teacher during the Agyatvās. But Arjuna told that he would be delightful if she marries his son, Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu agreed to marry her and they got married.[4] Before his death, Abhimanyu had impregnated Uttarā and later a son named Parikshit was born. [5]

The Kurukshetra War
Abhimanyu fighting the Kaurava army

In the war, Abhimanyu fought from his father's side. He displayed great valour in the war, despite the fact that he was a youngster. He killed warriors including Rukmartha, Brihadbala, Laksmana (Duryodhana's son), Dushmanara (Dushyasana's second son), six counsellors and seven foster brothers of Karna, sons of Shalya, etc.[6] He also fought and defeated mighty warriors including Drona, Ashwatthama, Kripa, Karna, Shalya, Duryodhana, Dushasana, Vrishasena, etc. in direct and joint attacks when he had his bow in hands. He also fought against mighty warriors such as Bhishma and Bhagadatta.[1]

Death
Abhimanyu is trapped into the Chakravyuh

On the 13th day of the war, Arjuna was diverted to South by Susharma and Trigartas. Taking advantage of his absence, Duryodhana and his allies made a plan to trap Yudhisthira so that the war can be stopped easily and without losing much army The army of Kauravas, under Dronacharya, formed Chakravyuha. Abhimanyu knew how to enter it but didn't know how to exit. He went into the trap followed by his paternal uncles. Near the edges of the Charavyuha, Abhimanyu ends up killing Laxmana, the son of Duryodhana. Outraged by the killing of his son, Duryodhana orders Dronacharya to change the plan into killing Abhimanyu, but Abhimanyu was followed by the remaining four pandavas. However the four Pandavas were stopped by Jayadratha. Jayadratha defeated all four of them, Drupada too was stopped and trapped. Ashwathama and Kritavarma defeated Dhrishtadyumna and the Upapandavas, leaving Abhimanyu all alone. Before reaching the center, Abhimanyu killed many other warriors like Rukhmartha, Brihadbala, Shon, etc. After Abhimanyu reached the centre of the trap, he was attacked by Drona, Dushasana, Ashwatthama, Karna, Shakuni, Duryodhana Kripa, Kritavarma Vrishasena and Drumasena (Dushasana's son), and many other warriors at a same time, which was against the rules of the war.[7]

Abhimanyu fighting using a wheel

He fought all of them and defeated all of them in single combat and all out attack. Karna destroyed Abhimanyu's bow. Abhimanyu resumed fight with other weapons like sword, mace, etc. He killed all of Karna's foster brothers, younger son of Dushasana and defeated other prominent warriors. His weapons were cut off by Ashwatthama, Karna and Drona. Abhimanyu was fatally injured, but he fought the warriors using a wheel. He fought valiantly with it, until it too was destroyed. He finally engaged in mortal combat using the mace with Dushashana's eldest son. He was killed by Dushasana's son while he was still rising to his feet, in opposition to the rules of fair war.[8]

In folktales

In Sasirekha Parinayam (a folktale based on Mahabharata), Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, married another woman before his marriage to Uttarā. She was Shashirekha/Vatsala, the daughter of Balarama.

The tale narrates that Abhimanyu fell in love with Vatsala, but Vatsala's father wanted her to marry Laxmana Kumar, the son of Duryodhana. Wanting to help his cousin, Ghatotkacha took the form of Vatsala and injured Laxmana Kumar's arm. After the incident, Laxmana broke his marriage to Vatsala. Meanwhile, the real Vatsala was in a forest along with Abhimanyu where they married. However, this a folktale and there is no mention of this in the original epic.

Television and films

References
  1. Mani 2015.
  2. "Abhimanyu and the Battle of Kurukshetra". Radha Krishna Temple in Utah. 29 November 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  3. Vyasa, Krishna-Dwaipayana (25 March 2014). THE MAHABHARATA of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa: Complete 18 Parvas. Darryl Morris.
  4. Abhimanyu. Amar Chitra Katha Private Limited. April 1971. ISBN 9788184821062.
  5. Chakravarti 2007.
  6. https://www.utahkrishnas.org/abhimanyu-and-the-battle-of-kurukshetra/
  7. "Mahabharata and Abhimanyu Vadh: How did Arjuna's son Abhimanyu die and what happened after his death?". www.timesnownews.com. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  8. "The Mahabharata, Book 7: Drona Parva: Abhimanyu-badha Parva: Section XLVII". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 26 July 2020.

Sources

Media related to Abhimanyu at Wikimedia Commons

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