'Padmavyuham' is one of the most difficult war strategies used in the 'Mahabharata'.
In order to assassinate the 'Pandavas',
Dronacharya utilizes all the knowledge he garnered through his experience to plot Padmavyuham.
Although Padmavyuham is plotted to execute Pandavas, Abhimanyu gets caught in it, fights courageously and dies.
Many of us know just about Padmavyuham in Kurukshetra.
Apart from that how many other war strategies are there?
What actually Padmavyuham means ?
How does Abhimanyu know to enter it ?
What's the logic behind entering Padmavyuham ?
Who is responsible for Abhimanyu's death ?
Come on, let's go to the Kurukshetra war episode once...
'Vyuha Sasthra' experts describe Vyuham as a method of formulating an eminent strategy for an army.
Vyuham is more useful when one's army is smaller than the opponent's army at any point of time during the war.
The strategy must be built in such a way that in case the strength of the army is more, with the tightly woven procedure, it can be expanded to minimalize loss of life and to achieve victory. At the time of Kurukshetra, many strategies have been prepared such as Krouncha, Garuda, Makara, Kurma, Sakata, Soochi, Syena, Vajra, Achala, Sarvathobhadra, Mandalardha, Srungataka.
If some of these strategies are used to blow opponents, others are used to save themselves up.
Padmavyuham is the most difficult strategy in the 18-day long run terrific Kurukshetra war. It is also known as Chakravyuham. How does Abhimanyu know to enter Padmavyuham ? many of you know about it already. Once upon a time, Arjuna told Subhadra that out of all strategies, Padmavyuham is the most difficult one. He explained to her how to enter Padmavuham, how to fight skillfully on entering it.
Abhimanyu, who is in Subhadra's womb heard and understood this. Although, Arjuna didn't tell her on how to get out of Padmavyuham as he stopped his explanation by seeing her asleep. Abhimanyu fought fearlessly by entering Padmavyuham, but unable to get out of it, lost his life. Everybody almost knows about it. But, let us now find how proficiently Abhimanyu entered Padmavyuham,
why can't the Pandavas who came along with him were unable to help him. It is estimated that Padmavyuham is built with 7 zones with a slight opening on one side. Generally, anyone tries to enter Padmavyuham from the opened side.By killing the enemies and by revolving around the zones, one can reach the center. By doing this, reaching the target will take a long time.There is a danger that one can be exhausted before reaching the center.
In the meanwhile, the enemies might attack and kill as well. It is easy to reach the target by amputating the zones. In order to go inside, one needs to kill the opponent in front. By doing this, the position of the killed soldier will be filled up by another soldier next to him.That means soon after Abhimanyu enters in, another soldier fulfills the gap created to prevent others coming in a rescue of Abhimanyu entering in.
It is the plan of Dronacharya to make Abhimanyu alone and kill him. Abhimanyu who learned how to enter Padmavyuham in his mother's womb chose a new method to avoid Dronacharya's well-thought plot. He started killing the soldiers on both sides of the soldier in front. He is going inside by killing soldiers. By doing this, a large gap will be created so that there is a chance that Pandavas who are accompanying him (Dharma Raja, Bheema, Nakul, Sahadev) can enter Padmavyuham fast and escort him.
He does that in order to gain victory on Kauravas. Although Abhimanyu managed to enter using this method, the Pandavas escorting him failed to enter. The reason behind this is that Saindhava who got a boon to obstruct Pandavas for one day blocks them in the war zone. Actually, who is Saindhava ? How did he get the power to obstruct Pandavas in war-zone for one day ? A ruler of Sindhu land, brother-in-law of Duryodhana (Kaurava king), husband of Dussala (one and only sister of the 100 Kaurava brothers).
Saindhava is a womanizer. Tried to elope Draupadi forcefully when Pandavas were in exile in the forest. By comprehending this immediately, Pandavas taught a lesson to Saindhava by man-handling him and by shaving his head. Saindhava developed a deep hatred towards Pandavas. On the bank of river Ganges, just by standing on his right leg big toe finger, he meditated for Lord Shiva's mercy. Lord Shiva appeared in front of him and favored him a boon.
Saindhava asks for a boon to kill Pandavas. Lord Shiva rejects it but provides him the power to obstruct Pandavas except for Arjuna for one day. Abhimanyu didn't get the necessary help as Saindhava obstructed the Pandavas with the help of a boon from Lord Shiva. Even though he didn't get help, he fought courageously by killing Laxman Kumara and finally got death after fighting bravely. Actually why only Abhimanyu had to go inside Padmavyuham ? Did he die soon after entering Padmavyuham (or) did he die after battling for some time.
Some of you may not know about this. Let's go into more detail on that matter. On the 13th day of Kurukshetra war when Arjuna isn't there, it wasn't possible for other Pandavas to enter the Padmavyuham plotted by Dronacharya. Dharmaraja knew that only Sri Krishna, Arjuna , and Abhimanyu can enter Padmavyuham. Dharmaraja requests Abhimanyu to amputate Padmavyuham. Abhimanyu replies that he knows only how to enter it but not how to get out of it.
Dharmaraja then mentions that soon after you enter, we will follow you and destroy the Kaurava army. By taking Dharmaraja's word Abhimanyu enters Padmavyuham along with his charioteer Sumit. Like the fire that destroys a forest, Abhimanyu started destroying one by one in Kaurava army. The force with which Abhimanyu is using his weapons, chariot, elephant and horse troops are getting ruined. The flags are getting destructed. Charioteers are dying.
Bows are getting damaged. The cruelest arrows are getting deep into the enemies' bodies. Warzone is filled completely with blood. Corpses of soldiers have heaped abundantly. Padmavyuham got deformed by the attack of Abhimanyu. Prominent warriors like Aswaddama, Kruthavarma, Bruhatbala, Karna etc., gathered the courage to face Abhimanyu.
Abhimanyu created a delusion to Kauravas as if Arjuna is there and confronting arrows at them. Abhimanyu confronted different types of arrows on Kauravas. Abhimanyu prevented the Kaurava troops from running away by turning the chariot around them and killing them with arrows. He filled the war zone with heaps of corpses. Abhimanyu is shining like a second Sun. Like a group of insects, the Kaurava soldiers got burnt in the fire of Abhimanyu's bravery.
By seeing all this the Kaurava warriors, kings of different countries started thinking and attacked Abhimanyu at once but like a tiger that attacks a group of deer, Abhimanyu counter attacked them and fighting with them. By seeing this, the Kaurava warriors supported each other to conspire Abhimanyu by shooting arrows all at once. Suyodhana felt happy that Abhimanyu is dead as he is unable to see his chariot. Abhimanyu experimented Gandharva illusion on Kauravas which he learned from his father Arjuna. Arjuna received Gandharva illusion as a boon from Saint Thumbura.
Due to Ghandarva illusion, the opponent army shivered as they are they saw many arrows targeting them. Then Abhimanyu started killing them by turning around them. After some time, they are all getting seen as dead bodies. By seeing the war skills of Abhimanyu, Kaurava army got bewildered. So many kings killed by the force of Abhimanyu's bravery. Although many arrows were shot at Abhimanyu by Suyodhana, Aswaddama, Krupa, Karna, Krita Varma, Brihatbala, Sakuni, he faced them bravely.
He killed Suyodhana's son Laxman Kumara. Beheaded Brihatbala. Executed army generals of Karna. Drove away Satrunjaya, Surya Bhanu, Suvarchana, Chandraketha, Meghavega. By seeing all this, the Kaurava warriors went to Dronacharya for help. Then Drona told Karna that
'Karna I taught Arjuna 'Kavacha Dharana' which he eventually taught his son Abhimanyu. Due to 'Kavacha Dharana' knowledge nobody can shoot arrows on Abhimanyu's body. We have to kill him only by cheating him. Until Abhimanyu has the bow in his hands, we cannot kill him. Warriors have to attack him collectively. One should break the bow in this hands, other has to kill his charioteer and another has to destroy his chariot.
but everything should happen at the same time. If you are capable, try to kill Abhimanyu with this conspiracy. Karna thought about it after listening to it and collectively attacked Abhimanyu. Some broke his bow, Drona killed the horses of his chariot, Krupacharya killed his charioteer. Karna destroyed Abhimanyu's chariot. Then Abhimanyu started using the wheel of his chariot by turning it around and killing opponent troops.
Opponent troops got scared by seeing his face filled with blood. Abhimanyu counter-attacked the arrows shot at him using the wheel as a weapon efficiently. Abhimanyu started going fast towards Dronachaya by killing all the soldiers who came in his way. At that time warriors like Sakuni, Krita Varma, Kripacharya, Selya collectively destroyed the wheel in Abhimanyu's hands. In the meanwhile, Dussasana's son shot many arrows on Abhimanyu. Efficiently attacking them with his mace, Abhimanyu destroyed chariot and chariot horses of Dussasana's son.
Dussasana's son faced Abhimanyu with mace. They both fought so drastically. Blood started flowing from both of their bodies. All other warriors stopped the fight and started watching them. Abhimanyu and Dussasana's son fell down after hitting each other with their maces. Souls from their deeply wounded bodies reached heaven. The Kaurava warriors surrounded Abhimanyu and started knifing again and again even after his death.
The Sun has set. By raising the Pandavas prestige Abhimanyu fought ferociously with Kauravas and adorned heaven. Many quote this as a bad example saying that Abhimanyu entered Padmavyuham without knowing how to come out and tells others not to do anything without knowing about it in full, but that's not correct. Merely a 17-year boy, like a tiger entered the war zone and fought ferociously with some of the great warriors. Created a heap with Kaurava soldier corpses.
He dominated the warzone like a burning fire. Many of us panic even for small issues. Those should learn a lot by taking Abhimanyu as an example. Experience is not necessary, nobody's support is needed. Just having a target is itself important.
