ARJUNA
SUBHADRA
ABHIMANYU: Learned to enter impenetrable Chakravyuha when Arjuna spoke about
entering Chakravyuha and later Subhadra dozed to sleep, so he stopped explaining.
ABHIMANYU: An unparalleled archer and is considered to equal his father in ability with the bow and arrow
ARJUNA
Krishna desiring Abhimanyu’s death because Abhimanyu is capable of killing the entire Kauravas all alone and that would make it impossible for the Pandava brothers who have taken vows of killing individual Kauravas.
On the 13th day of
battle, the
Kauravas challenge
the Pandavas to break a
circular formation
battle known
Chakravyuha.
as the The
Pandavas accept the challenge since they know that the knowledge of how to defeat such a formation is known to Krishna and Arjuna. However, on that day, Krishna and Arjuna
fighting a war
are dragged into
on
another front with
the Samsaptakas.
Since the Pandavas have accepted the challenge already, they have no choice but to attempt to use young lad Abhimanyu, who has knowledge on how to break into the formation but none whatsoever regarding how to break out of it
Abhimanyu uses his
successfully
skills to break into
formation.
the The
Pandava brothers and allies attempt to follow him inside the formation, but they are effectively cut off by Jayadratha, the Sindhu king, who makes use of a boon from Shiva to hold off all Pandavas except Arjuna for one day only.
When Abhimanyu commands his charioteer to lead his chariot towards Drona, the man is not happy to do so and raises objections. even if I find in front of me in the battlefield my father Arjuna or my uncle himself, the mighty Vishnu who has conquered the whole universe, that wouldn’t frighten me.
Abhimanyu fights valiantly single-handedly slaying several warriors who come his way including Duryodhana's son Laxman, Karna’s younger brother. He wounds Karna and makes him flee, makes Dushshasana faint in the battlefield so that he has to be carried off by others.
The Rule of War Breached by Duryodhana first:
Upon witnessing the death of his beloved son, Duryodhana is incensed
and orders the entire Kaurava force to attack Abhimanyu.
The Rule of War again Breached by Karna:
Continually
in attempts
Abhimanyu's
frustrated
to pierce
armor,
Karnaon Dronacharya's
advice
Abhimanyu's
shatters
bow
firing behind
arrows
him.
disabled,
breaks down
from Thus
his chariot
shortly
later, the charioteer and horses are killed, and all his weapons are laid to waste.
He attempts
then to fight off the bow
wielding warriors sitting on horses, elephants at the same time
with a sword and
own
holds his
until his
sword breaks.
NYU
At last, he fought with a chariot wheel as a shield. Dushasana's son engages in fierce hand
to combat
hand with
Abhimanyu
Ignoring all codes of war, the Kauravas all fight simultaneously
with Abhimanyu killed thereafter
him. gets shortly when
son,
Dushasana's
Jayadhratha
crushes his skull with a mace. It is said that it is Abhimanyu's death that marks
adherence to
the end of the
the
rules of war.