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

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

* Describing Abhimanyu it is said,

* Describing Abhimanyu it is said,

<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" />

<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 invincible 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=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

<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" />

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

<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.

As Abhimanyu became conversant with the Vedas, he received his training in warfare from his father Arjuna.<ref name=":2" /> He acquired the science of weaponry, both celestial and human, consisting of four branches and ten divisions. Endued with great strength, Arjuna also imparted to him 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. And in due course of time, Dhananjaya  (Arjuna) was indeed happy to behold the son of Subhadra, Abhimanyu, whom he had made equal to himself in knowledge of the scriptures and rites of religion.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><blockquote>चतुष्पादं दशविधं धनुर्वेदमरिन्दमः। अर्जुनाद्वेद वेदज्ञः सकलं दिव्यमानुषम् ॥७२॥</blockquote><blockquote>विज्ञानेष्वपि चास्त्राणां सौष्ठवे च महाबलः। क्रियास्वपि च सर्वासु विशेषानभ्यशिक्षयत् ॥७३॥</blockquote><blockquote>आगमे च प्रयोगे च चक्रे तुल्यमिवात्मना। तुतोष पुत्रं सौभद्रं प्रेक्षमाणो धनञ्जयः ॥७४॥<ref name=":1" /></blockquote><blockquote>''catuṣpādaṁ daśavidhaṁ dhanurvedamarindamaḥ। arjunādveda vedajñaḥ sakalaṁ divyamānuṣam ॥72॥''</blockquote><blockquote>''vijñāneṣvapi cāstrāṇāṁ sauṣṭhave ca mahābalaḥ। kriyāsvapi ca sarvāsu viśeṣānabhyaśikṣayat ॥73॥''</blockquote><blockquote>''āgame ca prayoge ca cakre tulyamivātmanā। tutoṣa putraṁ saubhadraṁ prekṣamāṇo dhanañjayaḥ ॥74॥''</blockquote>Later, it is said that, Abhimanyu 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" />

 

== विवाहः ॥ Marriage ==

== विवाहः ॥ Marriage ==

After the incognito life of the Pandavas, Abhimanyu married Uttara, the daughter of the King of Virata.<ref name=":2" />

After the incognito life of the Pandavas, Abhimanyu married Uttara, the daughter of the King of Virata.<ref name=":2" />