Subhadra in Mahabharat is the sister of Bhagavan Sri Krishna
and wife of Arjuna. The Kuru race survived through her. When every family member
of Pandavas and Kauravas were killed in the Kurukshetra war, it was through her
grandson, Parikshit, that Kuru clan was saved from extinction.
Subhadra was the daughter of Vasudeva by his wife Devaki. He
was the second wife of Arjuna. They had one valiant son named Abhimanyu.
Parikshit was the son of Abhimanyu and Uttara.
Bhadra is another name of Subhadra.
Marriage of Subhadra
During his one-year pilgrimage period in the Mahabharata, Arjuna visited Dwaraka, the abode of Sri Krishna, as a learned recluse. Subhadra was given the task of looking after the young recluse. He narrated to her stories about the exploits of Arjuna. Subhadra fell in love with Arjuna of his narrations.
Finally, the young man had to reveal that he was Arjuna
himself. Subhadra expressed her desire to marry Arjuna. However, it was
difficult to convince Balarama, the elder brother of Sri Krishna.
A great festival of Yadavas was being held during the
period. Arjuna with the consent of Sri Krishna took Subhadra away.
Balarama and Yadavas were ready to fight Arjuna but Sri
Krishna pacified them. Later Bhagavan Sri Krishna got them married.
Subhadra After The Death Of Her Son Abhimanyu
Krishna advises Subhadra – Subhadra, you are the daughter of
the House of Vrishni. You are the wife of Arjuna, the greatest archer in the
world. Your brothers are kshatriyas. Your son was a great kshatriya. You must
not cry.
Subhadra says – How can I not cry, Krishna? I think of my
boy, who I carried as a golden baby in my arms, whom I nursed at my breast. I
think of him lying on Kurukshetra, his body torn and bloody, his dead crushed:
and how can I not cry? The five Pandavas are alive, peerless Arjuna and Krishna
are alive. Yet, my child lies dead, with kites and hyenas picking his bones. …
with his uncles beside, how was my son killed? He was just sixteen and you tell
me that I should not cry because he died a kshatriya's death. What do I care
about that? To me, my child is dead and that is all?” (Source - The Mahabharata: A Modern Rendering, Volume 2 By Ramesh
Menon)