Abhimanyu

• 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

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]

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]

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]

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