Abhimanyu

From Freepedia

In the epic Mahabharata, Abhimanyu is the son of Arjuna and Subhadra. He is married to Uttara, daughter of King Virata, at the end of the Pandavas' year of exile incognito. Parikshita, born after the death of Abhimanyu,was the sole survivor df the Kuru clan, and alone carried on the Pandava line. Abhimanyu is often thought of as the bravest warrior on the Pandava side, willingly giving up his life so that the Pandavas could win the war.

Birth and Education

As a child, Abhimanyu happens to eavesdrop on his father Arjuna's conversation with Krishna about how to penetrate the battle formation of the Chakravyuha or shield-wall. Later, in the absence of his elders, he uses this knowledge to actually penetrate a chakravyuha in battle, on the 13th day of the Mahabharata war. However, he is isolated inside that battle-formation, not having the knowledge to escape from it, and dies there as the great warriors on the Kaurava side join together to slay him. The other Pandava brothers were not able to help him because Jayadratha a warrior on the Kaurava side had a boon granted to him by Paramashiva, which allowed him to stop them all once in battle. This caused his father, Arjuna, the greatest warrior of his time, to vow to kill Jayadratha before sundown the next day or else commit suicide. Arjuna accomplishes his aim with the aid of Krishna, Abhimanyu's maternal uncle, who helps Arjuna by creating the illusion of sunset. Jayadratha come out tp gloat; Krishna dissipates the illusion and Arjuna quickly slays Jayadhratha him with his unerring arrow.