Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.10.2

c4.10.2

1) Genealogy. He was descended from Viṣṇu in this order: Brahmā-Candra-Budha-Purūravas - Āyus - Nahuṣa-Yayāti-Pūru-Janamejaya- Prācinvā - Pravira - Namasyu-Vitabhaya-Śuṇḍu-Bahuvidha-Saṁyāti-Rahovādi - Raudrāśvā-Matināra-Santurodha-Duṣyanta - Bharata - Bṛhatkṣatra-Hasti- Ajamīḍha-Ṛkṣa-Saṁvaraṇa - Kuru-Jahnu-Suratha - Vidūratha-Sārvabhauma - Jayatsena - Ravīya - Bhāvuka-Cakroddhata-Devātithi - Ṛkṣa-Bhīma - Pratīya-Śantanu-Vyāsa-Pāṇḍu-Arjuna-Abhimanyu. 2) Pūrvajanma (Previous Birth). There is a story about Abhimanyu’s Pūrvajanma in the Mahābhārata. Varcas, son of Candra, who incarnated as Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna. A conference took place between the Devas and Candra about the incarnation of the Devas in the world for the destruction of the wicked people. Candra told the Devas: “I do not like to send Varcas, whom I love more than my life, to the earth. Still, I think it is not right to stand in the way of the plans of the gods. You must agree to one condition if I am to send my son. Let him be born as the son of Arjuna. I am unable to be separated from him for more than sixteen years. My son will enter into the Cakra Vyūha of the enemies to be killed by them and return to me in the sixteenth year.” The devas (gods) accepted this condition. That is why Abhimanyu was killed in his sixteenth year. (M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapter 67). 3) Military Training and War. Abhimanyu received his training in arms from his father Arjuna.