Guna (Qualities) of the Pandava, Shri Krishna and Abhimanyu as told by Sañjaya

श्रावणमासः, शुक्लपक्षः, प्रथमातिथिः, २०८२ विक्रमसंवत्सरः, २५ जुलै २०२५, शुक्रवासरः

In the Abhimanyu Vadha Parva of Drona Parva, Sañjaya is telling Dhṛtarāṣṭra about how the very young Abhimanyu was killed. While he conveys this news, Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks questions on how did this happen? Sañjaya starts narrating the details of that incident and starts by saying yet again how the Pāṇḍava are invincible. He then goes on to talk about the guṇa or qualities they have and how young Abhimanyu had the qualities of his father, Arjuna, his paternal uncles, the Pāṇḍava and his maternal uncle, Śrīkṛṣṇa.

Yudhiṣṭhira

About Yudhiṣṭhira he says:

सत्त्वकर्मान्वयैर्बुद्ध्या कीर्त्या च यशसा श्रिया । नैव भूतो न भविता नैव तुल्यगुणः पुमान् ||७.३४.२ ||

सत्त्वगुण, कर्म, कुल, बुद्धि, कीर्ति, यश और श्रीके द्वारा युधिष्ठिरके समान पुरुष दूसरा कोई न तो हुआ है और न होनेवाला ही है || ७.३४.२ ||

"Yudhiṣṭhira is unmatched, having sattvaguṇa (the best of the three guṇa - sattva, rajasa and tamasa), karma (action), kula (lineage), buddhi (intellect), kīrti (fame, renown, glory), yaśa (honor, distinction, reputation) and śrī (affluence, prosperity, plenty). There is no one who has been like him in the past and there will be no one like him in the future as well."

Bhīma

Sañjaya then says about Bhīma:

युगान्ते चान्तको राजन् जामदग्न्यश्च वीर्यवान् । रथस्थो भीमसेनश्च कथ्यन्ते सदृशास्त्रयः || ७.३४.४ ||

राजन्! प्रलयकालके यमराज, पराक्रमी परशुराम और रथपर बैठे हुए भीमसेन-ये तीनों एक समान कहे जाते हैं || ७.३४.४ ||

"O King, Yamarāja at the time of Pralaya ^[१], the valorous Paraśurāma and Bhīma on his chariot can be said to be alike."

Arjuna

About Arjuna, Sañjaya says:

प्रतिज्ञाकर्मदक्षस्य रणे गाण्डीवधन्वनः । उपमां नाधिगच्छामि पार्थस्य सदृशीं क्षितौ || ७.३४.५ ||

रणभूमिमें प्रतिज्ञापूर्वक कर्म करनेमें कुशल, गाण्डीवधारी कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुनके लिये तो मुझे इस पृथ्वीपर कोई उनके योग्य उपमा ही नहीं मिलती है || ७.३४.५ ||

"There is no analogy in this world for that son of Kuntī, Arjuna, who being true to his committed duty, is unmatched in his excellence in doing his duty as his karma on the battlefield."

Nakula

Sañjaya goes on to describe Nakula:

गुरुवात्सल्यमत्यन्तं नैभृत्यं विनयो दमः । नकुलेऽप्रातिरूप्यं च शौर्यं च नियतानि षट् || ७.३४.६ ||

बड़े भाईके प्रति अत्यन्त भक्ति, अपने पराक्रमको प्रकाशित न करना, विनयशीलता इन्द्रिय-संयम, उपमा-रहित रूप तथा शौर्य-ये नकुलमें छः गुण निश्चितरूपसे निवास कर हैं || ७.३४.६ ||

"Devoted to his elder brother, Yudhiṣṭhira, not advertising or speaking about his valor, humility, control of the senses (complete self-control), unmatched good looks and courage - these are the six qualities of Nakula."

Sahadeva

Sañjaya then describes Sahadeva:

श्रुतगाम्भीर्यमाधुर्यसत्यरूपपराक्रमैः । सदृशो देवयोर्वीरः सहदेवः किलाश्विनोः ||७.३४.७ ||

वेदाध्ययन, गम्भीरता, मधुरता, सत्य, रूप और पराक्रमकी दृष्टिसे वीर सहदेव सर्वथा अश्विनीकुमारोंके समान हैं, यह बात सर्वत्र प्रसिद्ध है || ७.३४.७ ||

"It is well known that in the study of the Veda, depth of thought, sweetness of nature, truthfulness, good looks and valor, the brave Sahadeva is just like the Aśvinīkumāra."

Abhimanyu

And finally about Abhimanyu Sañjaya says:

ये च कृष्णे गुणाः स्फीताः पाण्डवेषु च ये गुणाः । अभिमन्यौ किलैकस्था दृश्यन्ते गुणसंचयाः || ७.३४.८ ||

युधिष्ठिरस्य वीर्येण कृष्णस्य चरितेन च । कर्मभिर्भीमसेनस्य सदृशो भीमकर्मणः || ७.३४.९ ||

धनंजयस्य रूपेण विक्रमेण श्रुतेन च । विनयात् सहदेवस्य सदृशो नकुलस्य च || ७.३४.१० ||

भगवान् श्रीकृष्णमें जो उज्ज्वल गुण हैं तथा पाण्डवोंमें जो उज्ज्वल गुण विद्यमान हैं, वे समस्त गुणसमुदाय अभिमन्युमें निश्चय ही एकत्र हुए दिखायी देते थे || ७.३४.८ ||

युधिष्ठिरके पराक्रम, श्रीकृष्णके उत्तम चरित्र एवं भयंकर कर्म करनेवाले भीमसेनके वीरोचित कर्मोंके समान ही अभिमन्युके भी पराक्रम, चरित्र और कर्म थे || ७.३४.९ ||

वह रूप, पराक्रम और शास्त्रज्ञानमें अर्जुनके समान तथा विनयशीलतामें नकुल और सहदेवके तुल्य था || ७.३४.१० ||

The illustrious guṇa or qualities seen in Kṛṣṇa and the Pāṇḍava, they can all be collectively seen in Abhimanyu.

Yudhiṣṭhira's valor, Kṛṣṇa's nature and conduct and the heroic and daring karma (actions) of Bheema could all be seen in the courageous Abhimanyu. He was equal in good looks, valor and knowledge of the śāstra to Arjuna and in modesty and humility to Nakula and Sahadeva.

Abhimanyu was fighting with such fierceness that Maharṣi Vyāsa through Sañjaya describes him looking like a "Alātacakra" or "a wheel of fire" illustrating Abhimanyu's incredible speed and prowess in battle making him seem ubiquitous, drawing and shooting Divyāstra ^[२] in all directions, spinning in a circle as he shot them so that he appeared like a continuous or a single entity, similar to how a rapidly spun firebrand creates the illusion of a continuous circle of light. 

Such was the greatness of the young Abhimanyu still in his teenage years fighting stalwarts like Droṇācārya who were much elder to him in age and experience. He was simultaneously fighting multiple kings and their armies prominent among whom were Droṇa, Karṇa, Kṛpa, Śalya, Aśvatthāmā, Kṛtavarmā, Bṛhadbala, Duryodhana, Bhūriśravā and Śakuni.

It needed six warriors from the Kaurava side to bring down this lion cub and that too by attacking him from behind and taking down all his weapons one by one. Imagine. The so called "Ācārya" Drona suggests this underhanded way of killing a mere boy! But not before Abhimanyu had killed many of the mighty Kaurava warriors like the son of Aśmaka, brother of Madrarāja Śalya and even Lakṣmaṇa, the son of Duryodhana. 

Salute to the brilliant, brave Abhimanyu who was one of the youngest and undoubtedly one of the bravest warriors in the Mahābhārata yuddha.

१. End of time when the universe is being dissolved

२. Weapons empowered with potent mantra that enhance their destructive capabilities multifold.

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Source: Mahabharata Gita Press edition