ABHIMANYU

ABHIMANYU

Abhimanyu was the re-incarnation of a son of the Moon-God Chandra. When Chandra was asked to let his son incarnate himself on earth, he made a pact that his son will only remain on earth for 16 years, as he could not bear to be separated from him any longer than that. So, Chandra's son was born as the 5th and youngest son of Arjuna. His biological mother was Subhadra and surrogate mother was Pragati, as well as his 3rd eldest step-mother and biological mother of his 2nd eldest step-brother, Ruchiparvan.

All five Pandavas have children in Draupadi, and also in other wives; but Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna in Krishna’s sister, Subhadra is the greatest hero of Mahabharata. Draupadi once said that if the Pandavas are not willing to wage war, then her sons led by Abhimanyu will attack and get justice for her.

Subhadra was pregnant with Abhimanyu, and she often sat beside Arjuna when he discussed the art of archery and war with her brother Krishna. Abhimanyu mastered the art of archery and war in the womb and became a great warrior by the time he was born. When Arjuna was in the middle of explaining how to break the whirlpool battle formation (the Chakra-Vyuha), Krishna interrupted Arjuna, thus, Abhimanyu learnt only how to break and get into the formation, and not how to break out.

Abhimanyu was two years old when Pandavas went for thirteen year exile; after failing in gamble game and taking the Kingdom by Kauravas. Abhimanyu was fifteen when they returned.

Abhimanyu during childhood was in Dwaraka with his uncles Krishna and Balaram. He found his pair in Balarama’s daughter, Vatsala (Sasirekha). Balarama wanted Vatsala to marry Duryodhan’s son, Laxman. Abhimanyu requested Krishna’s help; he advised Abhimanyu to take the help of Ghatotkacha (Rakshasa - Bhima’s son in Hidimbi). Ghatotkacha too Abhimanyu and Vatsala out of Dwaraka and got them secretly married in the forest. Ghatotkacha then used magic power to take the form of Vatsala and presented himself in the wedding with Laxman. On holding the hand Ghatotkacha squeezed Laxman’s hand so hard that he fainted. When Duryodhana realized this he was reminded of Subhadra married Arjuna instead of him. These events added Duryodhana’s hatred for the Pandavas.

Pandavas when came back after exile, Arjuna got a second wife for his son (princess Uttara daughter of Virata of Matsya Kingdom; was offered to marry Arjuna but Arjuna took her as his daughter-in-law).

Pandavas preparation of the war against the Kauravas, who refused to return the Pandava kingdom was an year task. Abhimanyu was sixteen with two wives when Kurukshetra war was announced. Abhimanyu’s second wife, Uttara, was already pregnant with Parikshit, the only descendent of the Pandavas who would survive the war.

On the 13th day of the war, Drona attacked the Pandava army with the dreaded Chakra-vyuha formation. The only warrior who could shatter this formation was Arjuna but Krishna had taken Arjuna to the far side of the battlefield to destroy the dreaded chariot-warriors, the Samsaptakas. The whirlpool soon surrounded the Pandavas. Yudhishtira was desperate. “Can no one break this formation?” he asked. Abhimanyu then revealed that he knew how to break into the formation, an act that would allow the Pandava army to escape. ABHIMANYU enters chakravyuha saying that “If I came back then today will be the end of kurukshetra war and victory for pandavas and if I won't then it will be proud to my father that his son died in war after doing some impossible things”. Bhima and Yudhistira was behind Abhimanyu but Jayadratha stoped them and thus Abhimanyu alone entered Vyuha and defeats all around as a real hero.

Karna broke his bow and chariot and then Drona, Kripa and Karna and Drona’s son, and the king of the Kosalas, and Kritavarman, these six chariot -warriors surrounded Abhimanyu. Having surrounded that child all those great chariot -warriors–too many for him although he was contending to the utmost of his power, deprived him of his chariot. The Pandavas trapped outside could only hear his cries as he was hacked to death. The last blow was struck by Dusshasana’s son. But before dying, Abhimanyu managed to kill him too.

Abhimanyu was reincarnation Son of Moon (Lord Chandra) agreed that his son can be on earth and can stay for 16 years.

  

200301 – 2020 March 1

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