Abhimanyu was a matchless warrior, whose bravery and extraordinary valor at the young age of sixteen became legendary in the great Mahabharata.  As the son of the great Kuru warrior Arjun and Subhadra (sister of Shri Krishna and Balaram) he inherited both the valor of Indraprastha and the wisdom of Dwaraka.

While still in his mother’s womb, he overheard his father Arjun explaining the intricate battle formation known as the Chakravyuh—a complex maze of seven concentric circular formations.  However, before Arjun could describe the method of exiting the formation, Subhadra fell asleep, leaving the unborn Abhimanyu with only partial knowledge of this powerful strategy.  This incomplete knowledge would later play a pivotal role in his fate on the battlefield.

On the tenth day of the Mahabharat war the great Bheeshma was completely disabled and Dronacharya became the Commander-in-Chief of the Kaurv army.  On the thirteenth day, Kauravas army was organized in a Chakravyuh formation.  Duryodhana was placed at the center.  Drona placed formidable warriors at the entrance of each circle.  When Yudhisthir saw the formation, he was in a total despair.  Nobody among them knew how to break the Chakravyuh except Arjun and Abhimanyu.  Since Arjun was preoccupied in another battle far away, Yudhisthir reluctantly asked his sixteen-year-old nephew to help.  The plan was to follow him once he had penetrated the opening.  Abhimanyu hastily started his battle of life.  He reached the center, however Jayadratha at the first entrance allowed only him and no one else to enter.  Abhimanyu was all alone in front of Kaurava warriors.  A fierce battle resulted.  Abhimanyu, fighting all alone valiantly, smashed and destroyed hundreds of arrows shot at him.

However, Abhimanyu left without arms, was killed unfairly and mercilessly by a group of Kaurav warriors.  At one point, they destroyed his chariot and he had to fight with a broken wheel.

When Arjun heard of Abhimanyu’s death, he was proud of his young son who had fearlessly fought in the righteous war and sacrificed his life at the altar of duty.  He was a supreme hero. 

Later Arjun took the revenge of Abhimanyu’s unfair death by killing Jayadratha.

Abhimanyu was married to Uttara.  Later, his son Parikshit

succeeded him to be the ruler of Hastinapur. 

So well admired is Abhimanyu that in 1974, government of India established a naval base in the name of Abhimanyu.

— Sanjay Mehta