abhimanyu Misconception

Why was Abhimanyu killed so mercilessly? Wasn't Karna or Dronacharya capable of defeating Abhimanyu single-handedly? Karna was as skilled as Arjuna, which puts him in the front foot against Abhimanyu.

First of all, the assumption of the questioner is itself wrong Abhimanyu didn’t die so mercilessly contrary to popular belief. No Doubt Abhimanyu's death was unfortunate but neither merciless nor unfair by any means. Abhimanyu did face a group attack but group attacks were common in the Mahabharata. Abhimanyu died fairly fighting with Dusshasan's son in a mace fight

Popular Misconceptions Regarding Abhimanyu Death:

Misconception 1: Karna breaks the bow of Abhimanyu from behind.

Fact: Karna destroyed the bow of Abhimanyu in a fair fight.

Drona clearly says Abhimanyu's armour is impenetrable, so he tells Karna to cut his bow and make him retreat. Karna then fought with Abhimanyu and break his bow in a fair fight.

Nowhere it is written Karna broke his bow from behind or anything.

Misconception 2: Abhimanyu was a 16-year-old kid when he died.

Fact: Abhimanyu was born before the Burning of the Khandavan event. He was a well-grown and matured man, not a kid as portrayed in TV serials. Abhimanyu himself Present in the Rajsuya sacrifice. He must be 35–40 years old during the Mahabharat war.

Misconception 3: Abhimanyu entered the Chakravyuha alone.

Fact: Abhimanyu didn't enter alone in the Chakravyuha he was backed by an entire army.

At this, Karna became enraged. Wishing to ensure the welfare of your son, he covered the unassailable Abhimanyu with sharp arrows. In the field of battle, he pierced his followers with sharp and supreme arrows and was contemptuous of Subhadra’s brave son.

In the below para note the lines “pierced his followers on the field of battle” means Abhimanyu had an army of soldiers with him inside the Chakravyuha.

Misconception 4: Group attacks were unfair.

Fact: Group attacks were not unfair. Every warrior in Kurukshetra had faced group attacks. Abhimanyu himself conducted several group attacks on the others. Bhishma faced group attacks several times. Drona faced group attacks many times, Karna faced group attacks several times.

Group attacks are done by Abhimanyu on others:

Group attack 1: Group attack on Bhishma by 10 Pandava maharathas headed by Abhimanyu.

Then, in that extremely terrible moment, the extremely strong Bhishma made many great and celestial weapons manifest themselves. The great-grandfather, immeasurable in his soul, enveloped Subhadra’s son with hundreds and thousands of arrows with drooping tufts. ‘“At this, ten great maharatha archers from the Pandava side swiftly advanced on their chariots, so as to protect Subhadra’s son. O lord of the earth! They were Virata and his son, Parshata Dhrishtadyumna, Bhima, the five from Kekaya and Satyaki. When they advanced towards him in battle, Bhishma, Shantanu’s son, pierced Panchala 66 with three and Satyaki with sharp arrows. He drew his bow completely back and used a sharp and tufted arrow, like a razor at the tip, to slice down Bhimasena’s standard. O supreme among men! Bhima’s standard was decorated with gold and bore the mark of a lion. Brought down by Bhisma, it fell down from the chariot. At this, in that battle, Bhima pierced Bhishma, Shantanu’s son, with three arrows, Kripa with one and Kritavarma with eight.

Group attack 2: Pandav warriors including Abhimanyu, Satyaki, Bhima, Dhristdyumn and others attacked Bhishma.

When the battle commenced, the mighty-armed and armoured Bhishma, terrible in his valour, grasped a bow. The aged grandfather of the Kurus advanced and showered arrows on those brave men—Subhadra’s son,92 Bhimasena, Shini’s maharatha son,93 Kekaya, Virata, Parshata Dhrishtadyumna and the lords of Chedi and Matsya. At the encounter with that brave one, the great vyuha94 wavered. The battle that was fought by all the soldiers was extremely great. Many horse-riders, charioteers and the foremost among elephants were slain. Masses of chariots on the Pandava side began to flee.

Group attack 3: Bhagadatta easily defeated Abhimanyu, Bhima, Satyaki Ghatotkach, Draupadi's five sons and many other warriors.

Group attack 4: Abhimanyu along with a group of 24 maharathas attacked alone Bhishma (Total 24 maharathas and many followers of them). Bhishma alone crushed all of them including Abhimanyu, Bhima, Satyaki, Dhristadyumna and Arjuna saved them.

This Bhishma, Shantanu’s son, is stationed between the two armies. Kill him with your power and become victorious. He is shattering our soldiers there. Go and use your strength to repulse him there. O lord! No one other than you is capable of withstanding Bhishma’s arrows.’ O king! The one with the monkey on his banner was incited at that moment. He used his arrows to make Bhishma, his standard, his chariot and his horses disappear. But the bull, the foremost among the Kurus countered Pandava’s arrows with his own torrent of arrows and dispersed the many showers of arrows that had been targeted towards him. O great king! The valiant Dhrishtaketu, the king of Panchala, Pandava Bhimasena, Parshata Dhrishtadyumna, the twins, Chekitana, the five from Kekaya, Satyaki, Subhadra’s son, Ghatotkacha, Droupadi’s sons, Shikhandi, the brave Kuntibhoja, Susharma, Virata and many other immensely strong ones among the Pandaveyas were oppressed by Bhishma’s arrows and were immersed in an ocean of grief. Phalguna rescued them.

Group attack 5: Abhimanyu along with Satyaki, Dhrishtadyumna, twins and others attacked Bhishma and Bhishma alone countered them.

Satyaki, Chekitana, Parshata Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, Drupada and the Pandavas who were Madri’s sons also attacked Bhishma, protected by the one whose bow was firm. In that battle, Abhimanyu and Droupadi’s five sons also attacked Bhishma in the encounter, holding up great weapons. All of them were firm in wielding the bow and never ran away from the field of battle. They pierced Bhishma with well-aimed arrows all over his body. However, the one whose soul was never distressed disregarded all those arrows released by the best of kings. He penetrated the Pandava army. As if smiling, the grandfather repulsed all those arrows.

Group attack 6: Arjuna, Dhristdyummn, Abimanyu, Bhima, Ghatotkacha, Yudhishthira, the twins along with 14 warriors attacked Drona in the group.

‘Sanjaya said, “On seeing Drona slaughter the horses, charioteers, rathas and elephants, the Pandavas were distressed and surrounded him. King Yudhishthira spoke to Dhrishtadyumna and Dhananjaya. ‘Make endeavours to counter the one who was born from a pot and surround him.’39 Arjuna and Parshata, with their followers, surrounded him, together with all the maharathas—the Kekayas, Bhimasena, Subhadra’s son, Ghatotkacha, Yudhishthira, the twins, Matsya, Drupada’s son, Droupadi’s cheerful sons, Dhrishtaketu, Satyaki, the enraged Chekitana and maharatha Yuyutsu. O king! There were many other kings who followed the Pandavas. In accordance with their lineage and their valour, they performed many deeds. On seeing that the army of the Pandavas was thus protected in battle, Bharadvaja’s son glanced at them, with anger in his eyes. He was stationed on his chariot, invincible in battle, and was overcome by terrible rage. He pierced the Pandava army, like the wind scattering clouds. He attacked the chariots, horses, men and elephants in every direction. Though he was old, Drona roamed around, like a mad young man. His horses were crimson in colour and were as fleet as the wind. They were covered in blood. O king! Those horses thus assumed a beautiful appearance. On seeing that angry one, rigid in his vows, descend like death, the Pandava warriors fled in every direction. Some fled in fright.

Group attack 7: Bhagadatta easily defeated Abhimanyu, Bhima, Satyaki, Droupadi’s son and many other warriors.

When that brave one fell, Subhadra’s son, Droupadi’s sons, Chekitana, Dhrishtaketu and Yuyutsu attacked the elephant. They wished to kill it. Roaring, they showered down arrows on it. The skilled rider urged the elephant with heels, toes and goad. It swiftly advanced, with its trunk extended and its eyes and ears immobile. It killed Yuyutsu’s horses and charioteer with its feet. At this time, your son angrily rushed against the chariot of Subhadra’s son. Astride his elephant, the king86 showered arrows on his enemies. He was as dazzling as a sun that has arisen, scattering rays on the world. Arjuna’s son pierced him with twelve arrows and Yuyutsu with ten. Each of Droupadi’s sons pierced him with three arrows and so did Dhrishtaketu. Those well-released arrows stuck to the body and the elephant looked resplendent, like a large cloud streaked with the rays of the sun. It was afflicted by arrows released by the enemy. ‘“But the elephant was controlled by the skill and enterprise of the rider. It began to fling away enemies, to the left and to the right. Like a herd of animals controlled in the forest by a cowherd with a staff, the soldiers were repeatedly afflicted by Bhagadatta. A grievous sound of lamentation arose among the fleeing Pandaveyas, like the cawing of crows when they are quickly attacked by a hawk. O king! When goaded by the hook, the king of elephants looked like a winged mountain in ancient times. It afflicted the enemy with great fear, like a group of traders at the sight of a turbulent ocean. As they ran away in fright, the elephants, charioteers, horses and kings made a terrible noise. O king! In that battle, it filled the earth, the directions and the sub-directions. The king was astride that supreme of elephants and severely oppressed the army of the enemy. This was like Virochana against the army of the gods in ancient times, when it was well-protected in battle by the gods. The friend of the fire 87 began to blow violently and created dust. This covered the sky and the soldiers in a short instant. The people thought that a single elephant had become hundreds of elephants and began to run away in every direction.”’

Group attack 8: Abhimanyu along with Satyaki, Dhrishtadyumna, Ghatotkacha and others 17 maharathas attacked alone Drona. still, Drona crushed all of them and Abhimanyu and others fled away for their life.

‘Sanjaya said, “That invincible army was protected by Bharadvaja’s son. With Bhimaseana at the forefront, the Parthas advanced against it. Satyaki, Chekitana, Parshata Dhrishtadyumna, 22 the valiant Kuntibhoja, maharatha Drupada, Arjuna’s son(Abhimanyu), Kshatradharma, the brave Brihatkshatra, Dhrishtaketu the king of Chedi, the sons of Madri, 24 Ghatotkacha, the brave Yudhamanyu, the unvanquished Shikhandi, the unassailable Uttamouja, maharatha Virata, Droupadi’s enraged sons, Shishupala’s brave son,25 the immensely valorous Kekayas, thousands of Srinjayas and many others, skilled in use of weapons and irresistible in battle, suddenly advanced, together with their followers, wishing to fight against Bharadvaja’s son. However, Bharadvaja’s valiant son was not agitated. As they approached, he repulsed all of them with a mighty shower of arrows. Like a large mass of water confronting an impenetrable hill, or like the shoreline driving back the ocean, they were driven back by Drona. O Indra among kings! They were oppressed by the arrows released from Drona’s bow. The Pandavas were incapable of standing before Bharadvaja’s son. The strength of Drona’s arms was seen to be extraordinary, in that the Panchalas, together with the Srinjayas, could not advance before him.

So, if getting himself attacked by 6 warriors is unfair then what about attacking others along with 20 warriors and their followers. Is it fair?

There are many other group attacks organized by Pandavas in the entire war then why only a Group attack on Abhimanyu is so much overrated.

Now group attack faced by Abhimanyu:

Here, we can clearly see Karna fairly cut Abhimanyu bow and other warriors destroyed his chariot. Karna and Drona destroyed Abhimanyu weapons That’s it. They didn’t kill Abhimanyu and spare his life when he didn’t have weapons in his hands. Abhimanyu took a chariot wheel and attacked Drona but Drona destroyed it.

Later on,

Here, After the chariot wheel was destroyed, Abhimanyu took a mace in his hands and started to randomly attack. He killed Ashwathama Horses, Kalakeys and his followers. Sill, No Kauravas warrior attacked him in the group or tried to injure him.

And then finally it was one to one mace fight Between Abhimanyu and Dusasan son where Abhimanyu killed Fairly.

Analysis-

As you can see Abhimanyu was the one who rushed towards Durmasana (Dusasan son).

Then they had a mace fight where both of them fell unconscious and regained their senses.

But since Abhimanyu was not as skilled As Durmasana in a mace fight, so he took too much time to stand up whereas Durmasana stoop up early.

He then crushed Abhimanyu under his mace. It was fair combat where Abhimanyu was defeated and killed By Durmasana.

Conclusion-

As you can see Abhimanyu used to attack single warriors in groups and consistently used to get defeated even though he attacked in the big group even with 20 Warriors. Abhimanyu did face a group attack but group attacks were common in the Mahabharata. Also, if kuru warriors wanted to kill Abhimanyu then they could have killed Abhimanyu in group attacks like Pandavas killed Bhishma and Alamvusha in group attacks but kuru warriors preferred to follow all rules and allowed Abhimanyu to fight with the son of Dusasan in single combat. Then Abhimanyu lost fairly in single combat and fell down losing his life.

The death of Abhimanyu is the most-lied event from the epic of Mahabharata. Abhimanyu was no doubt a great warrior but calling him even greater than Warriors like Karna or Drona or Ashwathama because of fake serial stories is nothing but amusing.

Source: Bori Edition Translated By Bibek Debroy.