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Published in Sunday Midday 20 Dec 2009
Abhimanyu was the son of Arjuna and Krishna's sister, Subhadra. Although every Pandava had a child by Draupadi, and by other wives, his is the most popular tale of all, evoking great anguish.
When Subhadra was pregnant with Abhimanyu, she often sat beside Arjuna as he discussed the art of archery and war with Krishna. Simply by hearing his father speak, Abhimanyu mastered the art of archery and war while he was still in the womb. Thus he was already a great warrior by the time he was born.
As Arjuna was in the middle of explaining how to break the whirlpool battle formation or the Chakra-vyuha, Krishna interrupted Arjuna and made him leave Subhadra's side. As a result, Abhimanyu learnt only how to break into the formation, not how to break out. This event played a key role in the death of Abhimanyu sixteen years later. Why did Krishna interrupt Abhimanyu's learning? The reason for this has triggered many folktales across India.
According to one story, Abhimanyu was actually a Rakshasa. His demonic qualities would emerge if he was able to survive the Kurukshetra war. Krishna knew this and so, through this action, ensured his death in the war itself. According to another story, Abhimanyu was actually the son of the moon who was cursed to live on earth as a mortal. The moon missed his son so much that he begged Krishna to find a way to kill his son in the sixteenth year of his life. The only way to do so was to prevent him from learning the secrets of the Chakra-vyuha. The third, more sinister reading, is that Krishna knew how much Arjuna loved his son. Only the death of his son at the hands of his teacher would goad Arjuna to take the war more personally and fight more intensely.
Abhimanyu was barely two years old when the Pandavas gambled away their kingdom and went on their thirteen year exile; he was fifteen when they returned. It took a year to prepare for the war against the Kauravas, who refused to return the Pandava kingdom. Thus he was sixteen when the battle started.
Abhimanyu spent his childhood in Dwaraka with his uncles Krishna and Balaram. He fell in love with Balarama's daughter, Vatsala, also known in some versions as Sasirekha. But Balarama wanted his daughter to marry a man with property, not a gambler's son. So he invited Duryodhan's son, Laxman, to accept his daughter's hand in marriage. A heartbroken Abhimanyu appealed to Krishna who said he could not interfere, but advised the young boy to take the help of his wild cousin, Bhima's son by the Rakshasi Hidimbi, Ghatotkacha. Ghatotkacha carried both Abhimanyu and Vatsala out of Dwaraka and got them secretly married in the forest. Ghatotkacha then used magic to take the form of Vatsala. He presented himself in the wedding ceremony. When Balarama did the kanya-daan', Ghatotkacha squeezed Laxman's hand so hard that he fainted. When Duryodhana realized that Vatsala was actually Ghatotkacha, he was furious. Just as Subhadra had married Arjuna instead of him, Vatsala had married Arjuna's son instead of his. Duped a second time, the event further fuelled Duryodhana's hatred for the Pandavas.
When the Pandavas emerged from exile, Arjuna came with a gift for his son - a second wife, the princess Uttari of Matsya, daughter of Virata. The king wanted the princess to marry Arjuna but Arjuna felt she was more fit to be his daughter-in-law. Thus by the time the war at Kurukshetra was announced, Abhimanyu was a much married man with two wives. When he entered the battlefield, his second wife, Uttari, 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. "But someone has to come back to save me as I do not know how to break out," he said. Yudhishtira promised to come to come to Abhimanyu's rescue once the army had escaped. Unfortunately,he was unable to do so; his path was blocked by Duryodhana's brother-in-law, Jayadhrath.
Trapped in the Chakra-vyuha, young Abhimanyu, fought like a lion. He killed Duryodhana's son, Laxman. But then, against all rules of war, he was attacked simultaneously by a number of Kaurava warriors. Karna broke his bow and chariot. The other warriors surrounded him as hyenas attack an injured lion. 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.
"Beware of half-knowledge," is a line often used by gurus. And Abhimanyu serves as a classical example for this.
http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/features/09-12/features2590.htm
Abhimanyu's Marriage and Death
BY: SUN STAFF
The Chakravyuha and Military Formation
Scene from the Mahabharata War, Belur, Halebid
[ Click for larger version ]
Sep 25, 2012 " CANADA (SUN) " Last in a two-part summary of the life and pastimes of Abhimanyu, famed warrior of the Mahabharata.
Arjuna's Great Revenge
When news of the despicable acts committed on Abhimanyu reached his father, Arjuna, he vowed to kill Jayadratha the very next day by sunset, and failing to do so, would commit suicide by self-immolation immediately.
The Kaurava army the next day placed Jayadratha furthest away from Arjuna, and every warrior including the Samshaptakas (mercenaries who vow to return from the battlefields only upon victory, or die) attempted to prevent Arjuna from reaching anywhere close to Jayadratha. Arjuna literally hacked his way through the Kaurava army, killing more than a hundred thousand soldiers and warriors in a single day.
As sundown approached, Arjuna's chariot as still nowhere near Jayadratha's. He became despondent, realizing that his failure was imminent, and started getting mentally prepared to self-immolate. Krishna, being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, used His powers to temporarily to create an eclipse. The Kauravas and Pandavas alike believed that indeed the sun had set, and the war stopped according to the rules. Both sides approached to watch Arjuna self-immolate. In his haste to see Arjuna's death, Jayadratha also came to the front. Krishna gained the opportunity He had effectively created, as the sun came out again. Before the Kauravas could take corrective action, Krishna directed Arjuna to pick up his Gandiva and behead Jayadratha. Arjuna's unerring arrows decapitated Jayadratha, thus his vow to kill Jayadratha by sunset that day and avenge Abhimanyu's death was fulfilled.
The reason Krsna having created the eclipse is suggested at many places as having been a plot to save Arjuna from death, because Jayadratha had gotten a boon from his father that whoever would cause Jayadratha's head to fall onto earth would also die immediately. Lord Krishna wanted everything to happen in this way, so that Jayadratha would be on an easy aim. When Arjuna beheaded Jayadratha, he did so skillfully, so that the head fell straight into the lap of his father, who was sitting under a tree. His father being greatly shocked stood up, causing Jayadratha's head to fall to earth, thus the father was killed immediately.
Demonic Qualities of Abhimanyu
The demonic element in Abhimanyu is understood and highlighted in the Draupadi cult, popular in northern Tamil Nadu and its neighboring areas in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. There, Abhimanyu is understood to be an incarnate demon and Krishna, who knows this, schemes the death of his own sister's son by seeing that he is left alone to protect Yudhishthira while Drona attacks him with the chakravyuha. According to one South Indian tradition, it is a curse from Durvasa that makes Abhimanyu a Rakshasa in his current birth. In a former life he was a gatekeeper at Rama's palace, and Durvasa cursed him to be born as a Rakshasa in his future life because he refused entry to the sage into Rama's court. However, the reason for Krishna desiring Abhimanyu's death was not exactly because he was a Rakshasa, but because Abhimanyu is capable of killing the entire Kaurava clan all alone, and that would make it impossible for the Pandava brothers, who had taken vows of killing the individual Kauravas.
Abhimanyu and Ashwatama
Abhimanyu is often discussed in the context of his partial knowledge about Chakravyuha, which he knew how to penetrate, but not how to exit from. Similarly, Ashwatthama had partial knowledge in the context of Brahmastra. He knew how to invoke it, but did not know how to withdraw it. This contributed to his being cursed by Krishna during the end of Mahabharatha war. It was only Arjuna who had complete knowledge of both Chakravyuha (to break into and exit from it) and Brahmastra (to invoke it and withdraw it).
Abhimanyu was actually an incarnation of Kalayavan and was capable of killing Krishna at a later point. In this pastime, however, he had taken birth in a very good family, so Krishna was aware of this and being the guru of Abhimanyu (via Pradyumna) in Dwaraka, saw to it that Abhimanyu was ignorant about how to exit from Chakravyuha Hence, even though Abhimanyu wished to know how to exit from Chakravyuha, Krishna did not tell this secret, but instead wished that Abhimanyu seek that knowledge from Arjuna. Abhimanyu never got a chance, however, because he was in exile.
Abhimanyu was such a hero that none from the Kaurava side (except Bhisma) could kill him in one-on-one combat (dwandva yudha). Hence, the 13th day on the battlefield, when the Chakravyuha is launched by Dronacharya, he defeated all the Maharatis in one-on-one battle. Abhimanyu caused great losses to the Kaurva forces on that day. In retaliation, the Kaurava Maharatis merged together to kill him after making him weaponless. This was the only way in which Abhimanyu could attain moksha. Hence, he plays a very great role on the 13th day of the Mahabharata war.
In the case of Ashwatama, Dronacharya did not trust Ashwatama in the same way that he trusted Arjuna. Hence, he taught Ashwatama to only invoke Brahmastra, but not how to withdraw it. If an archer is aware of both the invocation and withdrawal of Brahmastra, then he can invoke it as many times as he wants. So to avoid Ashwatama from invoking Brahmastra multiple times, Dronacharya only gave partial knowledge about it.
Meeting of Duryodhana and Vatsala's Father
Abhimanyu's Wedding with Vatsala (Shashirekha)
Aside from the battlefield stories, in which the history of Abhimanyu's activities is so bittersweet, the best-loved of his pastimes are those surrounding his marriage to Vatsala. Vatsala was a daughter of Balarama, who had great affection for Duryodana. Before the birth of Abhimanyu, he wanted his sister Subhadra to marry Duryodana, instead of Arjuna. Hence, Krishna, who was aware of this, saw to it that Arjuna abducted Subhadra and they got married. In the case of Abhimanyu, that same scenario repeated a generation later.
Lakshmana was the son of Duryodana, and Balarama wanted his daughter Vatsala to marry Lakshmana instead of Abhimanyu. Hence, Krishna advised Abhimanyu to seek help from Ghatothkacha to solve this problem. Ghatothkacha abducted Vatsala so that Abhimanyu could wed Vatsala.
In a folio of Sri Mahabharata from Paithan, Maharashtra, c. 1850, there is a series of excellent paintings which illustrate the pursuits of Abhimanyu in his efforts to marry Vatsala. The engagement, intrigue, abduction and wedding pastimes are nearly as epic as the battlefield activities.
Subhadra Tells Abhimanyu that his Engagement to Vatsala has been Annulled
Disguised Ghatotkacha Arriving at Vatsala's
On the Road to Dwarka, Abhimanyu and Subhadra Meet Ghatotkacha
Ghatotkacha Abducting Vatsala
Disguised Ghatotkacha in Vatsala's House
Ghatotkacha Attacks Abhimanyu
Abhimanyu Shatters the Boulder Held by Ghatotkacha
Fight with Ghatotkacha
Hidimba Reveals their Identity
Subhadra and Abhimanyu Converse as Ghatotkacha Lies Unconscious
Ghatotkacha Revives and Embraces Cousin Abhimanyu While the Two Mothers also Embrace
Vatsala and Abhimanyu being Blessed by Elders
Drummer and Horn Player at the Marriage of Abhimanyu and Vatsala
Blessing of the Groom and Bride with Ghatotkacha
Dharmaraaja comes to the middle of the Yuddha-kshetram and reminds both sides of the people regarding a few ground rules before the start of the Yuddham:
In our Bhaarateeya aachaaram, even wars used to be fought following a strict set of rules. The Yuddha Neeti was firmly followed by both sides in Kurukshetra Yuddham till the following episode happened:
Abhimanyu, the putra of Arjuna and Subhadraadevi, was a very great Yoddha. His Saahasam, Veeratvam, Dhairyam are even now remembered.
After Abhimanyu entered the Padmavyuuham, he made great Mahaarathas, Senaadhipatis, run away from the field. Seeing this Dronaacharya came towards Abhimanyu, after making the Sarva-sainyaadhipati of Paandavas, Drushtadyumna, unconscious. However Abhimanyu defeated Dronaachaarya and made him unconscious!
That day single-handed Abhimanyu killed 1 Akshauhini sena (21870 Ratham, 21870 Gaja, 65410 Ashva, 109350 Padaatidalam)!! Many famous Kings, Raaraajas got Veeramaranam through the hands of Abhimanyu. Seeing that out of the original Kaurava sena of 11 Akshauhini, 1 Akshauhini was vanquished by Abhimanyu in 1 day, Dronaachaarya decided that if Abhimanyu is not killed, no one will be left in Kaurava sena. He says
"O Mahaayoddhas! This Abhnimanyu can never be defeated even by Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshvara. So let all of us attack him at once. Leave thought about Dharmam-adharmam, Nyaayam-anyaayam. The only way to save our lives is by killing him, through whatever means".
Immediately Karna attacked from the back. From back he broke Veeraabhimanyu's bow. Krupaachaarya killed the horses of Abhimanyu's ratham. Ashvatthaama killed the Ratha-saarathi and next moment Dronaachaarya powdered the Ratham and Abhimanyu's other aayudhams.
Thus the Kauravas cunningly killed the paraakramashaali, Abhimanyu. Meanwhile Ghatotkacha killed Alambusa, who was stopping Ghatotkacha reaching the place where Abhimanyu was there. Ghatotkacha came and defeated Drona aadi veeras and felt great duhkham seeing that his brother, Abhimanyu was dead. He reported this entire Vruttaantam to Paandavas.
Thus Kauravas first broke the firm rules of Yuddha Neeti. According to Yuddha Neeti, once it is broken by a particular side, it need not be followed by the other side.
Morals in the story:
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