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== जन्म वर्णनं च॥ Birth and Description ==

== जन्म वर्णनं च॥ Birth and Description ==

The birth of Abhimanyu is mentioned in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata (Adhyaya 220 - Haranaharanaparva | हरणाहरणपर्व).<ref name=":1" />

The birth of Abhimanyu is mentioned in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata (Adhyaya 220 - Haranaharanaparva | हरणाहरणपर्व).  

* Describing the physical attributes of Abhimanyu it is said,

* Describing Abhimanyu it is said,

<blockquote>दीर्घबाहुं महोरस्कं वृषभाक्षमरिन्दमम्। सुभद्रा सुषुवे वीरमभिमन्युं नरर्षभम् ॥६६॥<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>''dīrghabāhuṁ mahoraskaṁ vr̥ṣabhākṣamarindamam। subhadrā suṣuve vīramabhimanyuṁ nararṣabham ॥66॥''</blockquote>Meaning: Subhadra gave birth to the valorous and great Abhimanyu who had long arms, broad chest, and eyes as large as those of a bull; he was indeed an oppressor of foes.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

<blockquote>दीर्घबाहुं महोरस्कं वृषभाक्षमरिन्दमम्। सुभद्रा सुषुवे वीरमभिमन्युं नरर्षभम् ॥६६॥</blockquote><blockquote>सर्वसंहननोपेतं सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम्। दुर्धर्षमृषभस्कन्धं व्यात्ताननमिवोरगम् ॥७५॥</blockquote><blockquote>सिंहदर्पं महेष्वासं मत्तमातङ्गविक्रमम्। मेघदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननम् ॥७६॥</blockquote><blockquote>कृष्णस्य सदृशं शौर्ये वीर्ये रूपे तथाऽऽकृतौ। ७७ |<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>''dīrghabāhuṁ mahoraskaṁ vr̥ṣabhākṣamarindamam। subhadrā suṣuve vīramabhimanyuṁ nararṣabham ॥66॥''</blockquote><blockquote>''sarvasaṁhananopetaṁ sarvalakṣaṇalakṣitam। durdharṣamr̥ṣabhaskandhaṁ vyāttānanamivoragam ॥75॥''</blockquote><blockquote>''siṁhadarpaṁ maheṣvāsaṁ mattamātaṅgavikramam। meghadundubhinirghoṣaṁ pūrṇacandranibhānanam ॥76॥''</blockquote><blockquote>''kr̥ṣṇasya sadr̥śaṁ śaurye vīrye rūpe tathā<nowiki>''</nowiki>kr̥tau। |77|''</blockquote>Meaning: Subhadra gave birth to the valorous and great Abhimanyu who had long arms, broad chest, and eyes as large as those of a bull; he was indeed an oppressor of foes. Abhimanyu possessed the power of slaying every foe. He was endowed with every auspicious mark, was invisible in battle with broad-shoulders like the bull and a broad face like the hood of the snake. Wielding a large bow, he was proud like a lion and his prowess was like that of an elephant in rut. He was possessed of a face handsome as the full moon and of a voice deep as the sound of the drum or the clouds. And he was equal to Krishna in bravery, energy, beauty and features.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

* The epic also beautifully explains why Abhimanyu was named so. It says,  

* The epic also beautifully explains why Abhimanyu was named so. It says,  

<blockquote>अभीश्च मन्युमांश्चैव ततस्तमरिमर्दनम्। अभिमन्युरिति प्राहुरार्जुनिं पुरुषर्षभम् ॥ ६७ ॥<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>''abhīśca manyumāṁścaiva tatastamarimardanam। abhimanyuriti prāhurārjuniṁ puruṣarṣabham ॥ 67 ॥''</blockquote>Meaning: The son of Arjuna, bull among men, was called Abhimanyu because he was fearless and wrathful (who fought with fervor).<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /><blockquote>यस्मिञ्जाते महातेजाः कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। अयुतं गा द्विजातिभ्यः प्रादान्निष्कांश्च भारत।।</blockquote>Upon the birth of this child, Yudhishthira, the powerful son of Kunti, gave away unto Brahmanas ten thousand cows and coins of gold.<blockquote>जन्मप्रभृति कृष्णश्च चक्रे तस्य क्रियाः शुभाः। स चापि ववृधे बालः शुक्लपक्षे यथा शशी।।</blockquote>Upon his birth, Krishna performed the usual rites of infancy. The child began to grow up like the Moon of the bright fortnight.<blockquote>सर्वसंहननोपेतं सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम्। दुर्धर्षमृषभस्कन्धं व्यात्ताननमिवोरगम्।।</blockquote>Abhimanyu possessed the power of slaying every foe and bore on his person every auspicious mark. He was invisible in battle and broad-shouldered as the bull.<blockquote>सिंहदर्पं महेष्वासं मत्तमातङ्गविक्रमम्। मेघदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननम्।।</blockquote>Possessing a broad face as (the hood of) the snake, he was proud like the lion. Wielding a large bow, his prowess was like that of an elephant in rut.<blockquote>कृष्णस्य सदृशं शौर्ये वीर्ये रूपे तथाऽऽकृतौ। ददर्श पुत्रं बीभत्सुर्मघवानिव तं यथा।।</blockquote>Possessed of a face handsome as the fullmoon, and of a voice deep as the sound of the drum or the clouds, he was equal unto Krishna in bravery and energy, in beauty and in features.

<blockquote>अभीश्च मन्युमांश्चैव ततस्तमरिमर्दनम्। अभिमन्युरिति प्राहुरार्जुनिं पुरुषर्षभम् ॥ ६७ ॥<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>''abhīśca manyumāṁścaiva tatastamarimardanam। abhimanyuriti prāhurārjuniṁ puruṣarṣabham ॥ 67 ॥''</blockquote>Meaning: The son of Arjuna, bull among men, was called Abhimanyu because he was fearless and wrathful (who fought with fervor).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

 

* In fact, the birth of Abhimanyu was generously celebrated in the kingdom. Yudhishthira, the powerful son of Kunti, gave away ten thousand cows and coins of gold to Brahmanas.<ref name=":0" />

<blockquote>यस्मिञ्जाते महातेजाः कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। अयुतं गा द्विजातिभ्यः प्रादान्निष्कांश्च भारत ॥ ६९ ॥<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>''yasmiñjāte mahātejāḥ kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। ayutaṁ gā dvijātibhyaḥ prādānniṣkāṁśca bhārata ॥ 69 ॥''</blockquote>

* The usual rites performed at the birth of a child and during its infancy was performed by Lord Sri Krishna himself for Abhimanyu.<ref name=":0" />

<blockquote>जन्मप्रभृति कृष्णश्च चक्रे तस्य क्रियाः शुभाः । ७१ ।<ref name=":1" /> ''janmaprabhr̥ti kr̥ṣṇaśca cakre tasya kriyāḥ śubhāḥ । 71 ।''</blockquote>

== युद्धशिक्षणम् ॥ Training in Warfare ==

== युद्धशिक्षणम् ॥ Training in Warfare ==

Abhimanyu received his training in warfare from his father Arjuna. Later, he went with his mother Subhadra to Dvaraka and lived for sometime with his uncle Sri Krishna. There, he is said to have received training from Pradyumna (son of Krishna).<ref name=":2" /><blockquote>चतुष्पादं दशविधं धनुर्वेदमरिन्दमः। अर्जुनाद्वेद वेदज्ञः सकलं दिव्यमानुषम्।।</blockquote>That grinder of foes soon became conversant with the Vedas and acquired from his father the science of weapon both celestial and human, consisting of four branches and ten divisions.<blockquote>विज्ञानेष्वपि चास्त्राणां सौष्ठवे च महाबलः। क्रियास्वपि च सर्वासु विशेषानभ्यशिक्षयत्।।</blockquote>Endued with great strength, the child also acquired the knowledge of counteracting the weapons hurled at him by others, and great lightness of hand and fleetness of motion forward and backward and transverse and wheeling.<blockquote>आगमे च प्रयोगे च चक्रे तुल्यमिवात्मना। तुतोष पुत्रं सौभद्रं प्रेक्षमाणो धनञ्जयः।।</blockquote>Abhimanyu became like unto his father in knowledge of the scriptures and rites of religion. And Dhananjaya, beholding his son, became filled with joy.

Abhimanyu received his training in warfare from his father Arjuna. Later, he went with his mother Subhadra to Dvaraka and lived for sometime with his uncle Sri Krishna. There, he is said to have received training from Pradyumna (son of Krishna).<ref name=":2" /><blockquote>चतुष्पादं दशविधं धनुर्वेदमरिन्दमः। अर्जुनाद्वेद वेदज्ञः सकलं दिव्यमानुषम्।।</blockquote>That grinder of foes soon became conversant with the Vedas and acquired from his father the science of weapon both celestial and human, consisting of four branches and ten divisions.<blockquote>विज्ञानेष्वपि चास्त्राणां सौष्ठवे च महाबलः। क्रियास्वपि च सर्वासु विशेषानभ्यशिक्षयत्।।</blockquote>Endued with great strength, the child also acquired the knowledge of counteracting the weapons hurled at him by others, and great lightness of hand and fleetness of motion forward and backward and transverse and wheeling.<blockquote>आगमे च प्रयोगे च चक्रे तुल्यमिवात्मना। तुतोष पुत्रं सौभद्रं प्रेक्षमाणो धनञ्जयः।।</blockquote>Abhimanyu became like unto his father in knowledge of the scriptures and rites of religion. And Dhananjaya, beholding his son, became filled with joy.