Story Of Abhimanyu - The Tragic Hero Of Mahabharat

Abhimanyu is a brave, legendary and a tragic hero in the Hindu epic of Mahabharata. He was born to the third Pandava prince Arjuna and the Yadava princess Subhadra, who was also Krishna's sister. As an unborn child in his mother's womb, Abhimanyu learnt the knowledge of entering the deadly and virtually impenetrable Chakravyuh from Arjuna. The epic explains that he overheard Arjuna talking about this with his mother from the womb. Arjuna spoke about entering the Chakravyuh and later Subhadra dozed to sleep. Upon seeing Subhadra asleep, Arjuna stopped explaining and did not proceed further with explaining the way to escape the Chakravyuh. As an effect, the baby Abhimanyu in the womb did not get a chance to get the complete knowledge about the Chakravyuh. After Yudhishthira lost the game of dice, all the Pandavas along with Draupadi were sent to exile for 13 years. Subhadra during this period stayed with her brothers in Dwaraka, where she raised Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu was trained in arms and warfare by Pradyumna, Balarama and Krishna. Abhimanyu was given the Raudra bow by Balarama which he received from Lord Shiva. In the final year of their exile, Pandavas went into hiding in the Matsya kingdom of King Virat to live through the exile without being discovered. Upon coming to know the identity of the Pandavas, King Virat asked Arjuna to marry his daughter Uttara. But Arjuna refused to marry her as he was her teacher during the Aghyatvas. However, he proposed the marriage of Uttara with Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu agreed to marry her and they got married in the city of Upaplavya. This marriage sealed an alliance between the Pandavas and the royal family of Virat in favour of the forthcoming Kurukshetra war. After the Pandavas finished their exile, Duryodhana didn't agree to return their wealth and fortune. Thus, the Pandavas had to fight a battle to get their rights back. Being the grandson of Lord Indra, Abhimanyu was a courageous and a dashing warrior. In the battle, Abhimanyu was able to hold at bay great heroes like Drona, Karna, Duryodhana and Dushasan in the Mahabharata war. Abhimanyu also killed important personalities such as Kumar Lakshman, the son of Duryodhana, Brihadbala, the king of Kosala, six councillors, seven foster brothers of Karna, sons of Shalya, etc. On the thirteenth day of the battle, Arjuna was diverted to the south by Sharma and Trigartas. Taking advantage of his absence, Duryodhana and his allies made a plan to trap Yudhishthira so that the war can be stopped quickly and without losing many armies. The army of the Kauravas under Dronacharya formed a Chakravyuha. Abhimanyu knew how to enter it but didn't know how to exit. He went into the trap followed by his paternal uncles. Abhimanyu killed many valiant warriors. Duryodhana grew increasingly anxious. No one seemed to be able to stop Abhimanyu. Whoever went before him was either immediately slain or forced to retreat. He had overpowered all the great Kaurava heroes including Dushasan, Karna, Kripa, Ashwathama, Shalya, Krithavarma and Balhika. Duryodhana himself had been stung by his shafts and even Drona seemed to be unable to beat him. Seeing the utter destruction of his father's army, Lakshmana, the valiant son of Duryodhana rose in anger. He said that he will finish Abhimanyu and saying so charged at Abhimanyu. He shot many arrows at Abhimanyu. Two of them struck Abhimanyu on his arms and which caused him pain and anger. The two infuriated warriors began battling. For some time it was difficult to imagine who was better. The mighty armed Abhimanyu then filled with rage like a snake struck with a rod, Abhimanyu ends up killing Lakshmana. When Duryodhana heard that his favorite son was no more, he was livid with anger. He shouted like a mad man, kill this wild son of Arjuna at once. Kill him by any means. Outraged by the killing of his son, Duryodhana ordered Dronacharya to change the plan to focus on Abhimanyu. But the remaining four Pandavas followed Abhimanyu. However, the four Pandavas were stopped by Jayadratha. Jayadratha defeated all four of them. Drupada too was stopped and trapped. Ashwatthama and Krithavarma defeated Drishtadyumna and the upper Pandavas, leaving Abhimanyu all alone. Shakuni said, we will not be able to slay this prince by fair means. Find some other way to kill him. All of us together must assail him before he destroys everyone. Drona lowered his head as he went on. He said, there is however a way by which we may be able to overcome him. O Karna, listen carefully. If you go behind him and can cut his bow, the reins of his horses and his chariot wheels, then at the same time Krithavarma can kill his horses and Ashwatthama can kill his charioteer, while Kripa, the king and I will attack him directly from the front. Perhaps, if the six of us attack him simultaneously, we will be able to overpower him. Drona knew his advice was not in keeping with the codes of the war, but there seemed no alternative. Ultimately, as the Kaurava commander, it was his duty to protect the army by whatever means. They surrounded the prince. As planned, Karna went ahead and cut apart his bow. Krithavarma then killed his steeds and Ashwatthama his charioteer. As Drona and Kripa assailed him from the front, Duryodhana also attacked him from behind. Remembering how Krishna had run at Bhishma holding a chariot wheel, he rushed at Drona. Even though overpowered and outnumbered, the son of Krishna's sister showed no fear. But now he was attacked simultaneously from all sides. Other soldiers and maharathis, seeing that Drona, Karna, Kripa etc. themselves broke the rules, they felt that they were given a free hand too. Attacked on all sides, Abhimanyu was being hit by sharp arrows, javelins and maces. Abhimanyu fought with the multiple warriors as long as he could. At last, fatigued from his long fight against so many opponents, he fell to the ground. Seeing Abhimanyu unconscious on the ground, Durjaya struck him on his head with full force. Crushed by the blow, Abhimanyu dropped lifeless. The Kaurava army fought him dirty and killed him. It is said that it was Abhimanyu's death that marks the end of the adherence to the rules of the war. News of the despicable acts committed on Abhimanyu reached his father Arjuna at the end of the day who vowed to kill Jayadrath the very next day by sunset and failing to do so, commit suicide by self-immolation immediately. The Kaurava army the next day places Jayadrath further away from Arjuna. Arjuna literally hacks through the Kaurava army and kills more than a hundred thousand soldiers and warriors in a single day. However, almost by sunset, Arjuna's chariot is still nowhere near Jayadrath's. Arjuna becomes hopeless because he realizes that failure is imminent and starts getting mentally prepared to self-immolate. Krishna, being the almighty God, uses his powers to temporarily create an eclipse. The Kauravas and the Pandavas alike believed that indeed the sun has set and the war stops according to the rules. Both sides come to watch Arjuna self-immolate. In his haste to see Arjuna's death, Jayadrath also comes to the front. Krishna sees the opportunity that he has effectively created and the sun comes out again. Before the Kauravas can take any corrective action, Krishna points out to Arjuna and asks him to pick up his Gandiva and behead Jayadrath. Arjuna's arrows decapitate Jayadrath and his vow to kill Jayadrath by the sunset that day and avenge Abhimanyu's death was fulfilled. It is said that Abhimanyu is the reincarnation of Varchas, the son of Chandra or the moon god. When Chandra was asked to let his son incarnate himself on earth by the other Devas, he made a pact that his son will only remain on earth for 16 years as he could not bear the separation from him. Abhimanyu was only 16 years when he died in the war. At the time of Abhimanyu's death, his wife Uttara was pregnant with their son. His son Parikshit, born after his death, remains to be the sole survivor of the Kuru clan at the conclusion of the Mahabharata war and carries on the Pandava lineage.