aBimanyuH N. of a son of Arjuna by his wife Subhadrā, sister of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; also known by the metronymic Saubhadra. [He was called Abhimanyu because at his very birth he appeared to be heroic, longarmed and very fiery ( aBivfdDaH manyuryasya ). When the Kauravas at the advice of Droṇa formed the peculiar battlearray called ‘Chakravyūha,’ hoping that, as Arjuna was away, none of the Pāṇḍavas would be able to break through it, Abhimanyu assured his uncles that he was ready to try, if they only assisted him. He accordingly entered the Vyūha, killed many warriors on the Kaurava side, and was for a time more than a match even for such veteran and elderly heroes as Droṇa, Karṇa, Duryodhana &c. He could not, however, hold out long against fearful odds, and was at last overpowered and slain. He was very handsome. He had two wives, Vatsalā daughter of Balarāma and Uttarā daughter of the king of Virāṭa. Uttarā was pregnant when he was slain and gave birth to a son named Parīkṣita who succeeded to the throne of Hastināpura].