In the Mahabharata, we hear the amazing story of Abimanyu, the son of Arjuna and Subadra, who hold his own when surrounded and simultaneously attacked by most of the senior Kaurava generals. Abimanyu was eventually defeated and killed, but only after several hours of fighting and after destroying a considerable part of the Kaurava army and killing several generals.

The reason for this sacrifice couldn’t be nobler. The Kauravas attacked with a especial formation called chakravyuha, where the army was organized in the form of an unstoppable chakra, that had the goal of penetrating in the Pandava army and killing or capturing king Yudhisthira. Arjuna was the only one who knew how to enter and leave the formation, but on this day he was lured to a distant part of the battlefield and was not there to counteract it.

Abimanyu had heard from his father how to enter the formation, but he didn’t know how to escape it. Bhima offered to cover his retreat, by following him and keeping the opening so he could exit the formation safely. After all agreed on the details, Abimanyu fought very valiantly on his chariot, breaking the formation open and attacking it from the inside. Bhima followed him accompanied with the other Pandavas (except Arjuna), but they were stopped by Jayadrata, who displayed unparalleled prowess and was able to defeat not only Bhima but all the four Pandavas in their attack. As a result, the chakravyuha closed behind Abimanyu and he started his heroic struggle.

On his purport to 1.15.16 Srila Prabhupada tells more details about the story of Jayadrata and how could he defeat the combined force of the four brothers, despite their combined efforts. In reality, Jayadrata was not a very powerful general. What to say about fighting the Pandavas, he was once beaten by Draupadi (!), falling down from his chariot when he tried to kidnap her. However, after being easily defeated and humiliated by Bhisma, he performed austerities and was blessed by Lord Shiva to have the opportunity of defeating the Pandavas on a day when both Krsna and Arjuna would not be present. Just like in the case of other demons, Krsna used this blessing to engage Jayadrata in the Lila, creating the opportunity for Abimanyu to show his prowess and go back to Godhead leaving his example of courage. Of course, just like other demons, Jayadrata ended up being killed when Arjuna discovered the reason for the death of his son.

This story is explained in more detail by Srila Prabhupada on the purport:

“Jayadratha: Another son of Mahārāja Vṛddhakṣetra. He was the King of Sindhudeśa (modern Sind Pakistan). His wife’s name was Duḥśalā. He was also present in the svayaṁvara ceremony of Draupadī, and he desired very strongly to have her hand, but he failed in the competition. But since then he always sought the opportunity to get in touch with Draupadī. When he was going to marry in the Śalyadeśa, on the way to Kāmyavana he happened to see Draupadī again and was too much attracted to her. The Pāṇḍavas and Draupadī were then in exile, after losing their empire in gambling, and Jayadratha thought it wise to send news to Draupadī in an illicit manner through Koṭiśaṣya, one of his associates. Draupadī at once refused vehemently the proposal of Jayadratha, but being so much attracted by the beauty of Draupadī, he tried again and again. Every time he was refused by Draupadī. He tried to take her away forcibly on his chariot, and at first Draupadī gave him a good dashing, and he fell like a cut-root tree. But he was not discouraged, and he was able to force Draupadī to sit on the chariot. This incident was seen by Dhaumya Muni, and he strongly protested the action of Jayadratha. He also followed the chariot, and through Dhātreyikā the matter was brought to the notice of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. The Pāṇḍavas then attacked the soldiers of Jayadratha and killed them all, and at last Bhīma caught hold of Jayadratha and beat him very severely, almost dead. Then all but five hairs were cut off his head and he was taken to all the kings and introduced as the slave of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. He was forced to admit himself to be the slave of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira before all the princely order, and in the same condition he was brought before Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was kind enough to order him released, and when he admitted to being a tributary prince under Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Queen Draupadī also desired his release. After this incident, he was allowed to return to his country. Being so insulted, he went to Gaṅgotri in the Himālayas and undertook a severe type of penance to please Lord Śiva. He asked his benediction to defeat all the Pāṇḍavas, at least one at a time. Then the Battle of Kurukṣetra began, and he took sides with Duryodhana. In the first day’s fight he was engaged with Mahārāja Drupada, then with Virāṭa and then with Abhimanyu. While Abhimanyu was being killed, mercilessly surrounded by seven great generals, the Pāṇḍavas came to his help, but Jayadratha, by the mercy of Lord Śiva, repulsed them with great ability. At this, Arjuna took a vow to kill him, and on hearing this, Jayadratha wanted to leave the warfield and asked permission from the Kauravas for this cowardly action. But he was not allowed to do so. On the contrary, he was obliged to fight with Arjuna, and while the fight was going on Lord Kṛṣṇa reminded Arjuna that the benediction of Śiva upon Jayadratha was that whoever would cause his head to fall on the ground would die at once. He therefore advised Arjuna to throw the head of Jayadratha directly onto the lap of his father, who was engaged in penances at the Samanta-pañcaka pilgrimage. This was actually done by Arjuna. Jayadratha’s father was surprised to see a severed head on his lap, and he at once threw it to the ground. The father immediately died, his forehead being cracked in seven pieces.”