Abhimanyu Chakravyuh: A Tale of Bravery in the Mahabharata

We know that Mahabharata was an epic war in History. Dronacharya or Drona (The Brahmin teacher and warrior) plotted Abhimanyu Chakravyuh in this war. He plotted this Chakravyuh against Arjun’s son, Abhimanyu. Do you know the reason that pushed him to create this Chakravayu? Let’s discuss about this in depth.

About Drona and Abhimanyu

We all know that Dronacharya was a Brahmin warrior and a teacher of the Pandavas and Kauravas. Drona was a known warrior in the battle of the Mahabharata. He was great at teaching his students the art of warfare and its ways. Drona was aside with Kauravas. He never disrespected the Pandavas.

Abhimanyu, a brave warrior and a celebrated Mahabharata hero, was Lord Krishna’s nephew and the son of Arjuna and Subhadra. The Chakravyuh plotted against him on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, but a brave Abhimanyu did not lose hope.

The Prince utilised the techniques taught to him by his father, Arjuna, to defend himself. He failed to protect himself from his enemies. Abhimanyu was unluckily killed on the battlefield only at 16 years old.

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What is a Chakravyuha/ Padmavyuha?

The Chakravyuha is a web that traps one from escaping. It’s similar to a coil with two kinds of tiers: the outer and the inner tier. The outer tier had foot soldiers, and the inner tier consisted of experienced and skilled warriors. This Chakravyuh is set to work. The person who wants to save himself will come close to the walls, where escaping is impossible.

Mahabharata: Drona’s Abhimanyu Chakravyuh

Dronacharya, the guide of the princes of the Kuru Dynasty, planned the Abhimanyu Chakravyuh or Padmavyuha in the Mahabharata. The Kaurauvas and Drona plotted this against Abhimanyu. They wanted to capture Yudhisthir to defeat the four Pandavas- Arjuna, Krishna, Abhimanyu, and Pradyumn.

Among them, Pradyumn said he would not fight the Kauravas on the battlefield. Abhimanyu knew to enter the Chakravyuh. Unfortunately, he wasn’t aware of how to escape it. Yudhisthira told him they would follow him. The other two left were only Krishna and Arjuna, who were busy saving themselves from the Trigartas, who attacked the Virat Kingdom.

Jaydratha, the brother of the Kauravas, took a boon from Lord Shiva to defeat the Pandavas as they shaved his hair, leaving only some hair on his head. This angered Jaydratha. He sought revenge against the Pandavas. He had taken a boon from Lord Shiva for this.

Lord Shiva granted him the boon, and he kept the other brothers, Bheem, Nakul, Sahadev, and Yudhisthir, aside. This successfully trapped Abhimanyu in the complicated Chakravyuh, where he ended his life fighting against the Maharathis of the Kaurava army.

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Abhimanyu Chakravyuh: The 7 Great Warriors Who Killed Him

Here are the warriors who planned to kill him with the help of Abhimanyu Chakravyuh. These people were against the Pandavas from the Kauravas army. Here are they:

1. Drona: He was the great guide and warrior of the Mahabharata. He vowed to the Kauravas against the Pandavas, creating a Chakravyuh for Abhimanyu, which he had to enter alone.

2. Drumasena: Drumasena was Dushana’s son in Mahabharata. They fought a mace fight, became unconscious and fell. Abhimanyu was slow to stand up. Dushana’s son crushed Abhimanyu under his mace.

3. Kripa: Kripacharya, or Kripa, was a council member of the Kuru dynasty. In the Mahabharata, he attacked Abhimanyu by killing his two chariot drivers.

4. Kritaverma: He was one of the Yadava warriors and one of the Maharathis who killed Abhimanyu’s horses in the Mahabharata. He was also a supporter of the Kauravas, who planned to kill him with the Abhimanyu Chakravyuh.

5. Ashvatthama: Ashvatthama was the son of Dronacharaya and a friend of the Kauravas. His father educated him along with the Kauravas and Pandavas. Abhimanyu threw the chariot wheel at Drona; Ashvathhama saved his father by cutting the wheel into two parts.

6. Jaydrath: Jaydrath was the Kauravas’ brother-in-law. He failed to marry Draupadi, and the Pandavs angrily shaved his hair. He wanted revenge and prayed to Shiva for a boon to defeat the Pandavas. After getting the boon, he trapped him in the Abhimanyu Chakravyuh, where he was killed.

7. Shakuni: Shakuni was the maternal uncle of the Kauravas, and he plotted with Duryodhana to kill Abhimanyu in the war. He did this to become the ruler of the Kuru clan.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What was Mahabharat Chakravyuh name?

Chakravyuha, or Padmavyuha, is the actual name of Chakravyuh of Mahabharat, which Dronacharya plotted.

2. Why did Abhimanyu enter the Chakravyuh?

Abhimanyu entered the Chakravyuh because he knew how to break it. He learned warfare from his father, Arjuna.

3. Why did Abhimanyu not know how to leave the Chakravyuh?

Abhimanyu learnt to break the Chakravyuh while in his mother, Shubhadra’s womb. Shubhadra fell asleep after listening to half of it. Arjuna stopped telling them how to get out of it. Abhimanyu did not know how to get out of it.

4. Why did Drona decide to make the Chakravyuh?

Dronacharya decided to make the Chakravyuh as he vowed to Kauravas to fight against the Kauravas. He knew to keep Krishna and Arjuna busy so that they could fight the Trigartas.