King Shantanu was ruler of the Kuru Empire. One day as he was riding through his kingdom he saw a beautiful woman standing on the banks of the river Ganga. He fell in love with her. King Shantanu asked her to marry him. The woman agreed on one condition – that the King would never ever question her actions. She went on to say, “Should you ever question my actions I will leave you instantly and never return.”
The King was so deeply in love with her that he readily agreed to her conditions and the couple were married.
The beautiful woman was none other than Goddess Ganga who had taken a human birth. The Queen gave birth to seven children. Each of seven children the queen immersed in the river, the minute they were born. Naturally King Shantanu was astounded by her seemingly cruel actions. However as he had promised never to question her he never did.
King Shantanu was unaware that these seven children were seven deities who had been cursed with a human birth. They had requested Goddess Ganga to immerse them in the river as that was the only way they could be rid of their curse.
When the Queen delivered her eighth child she picked him up and was heading for the river when King Shantanu could not hold himself back any longer and he pleaded, “I beg you spare the life of this child. Why my beloved and loving wife must you kill all our children? This is our eighth child that you are taking to the river to drown. Why do you do something so terrible? Am I never to have a child to love?”
The moment he asked these questions, just as Goddess Ganga had warned, the Queen disappeared taking along with her the new born infant.
Mother Ganga’s eighth child was initially named Devavrata. However, he is better known as Bhishma. The Goddess brought up her son. The sages Vashishtha and Chyavana taught him the Holy Scriptures. Parashurama trained him in martial arts, warfare and military strategy. When he was older Goddess Ganga sent Bhishma back to his father, King Shantanu. The King was delighted.
After some years King Shantanu fell in love with Satyavati, the daughter of a fisherman. The shrewd fisherman agreed to his daughter marrying the King but clarified, “Satyavati will marry you only if you crown her son as king and not your elder son, Bhishma. Bhishma must never even aspire to the crown. I also insist that Bhishma should not marry because if he does his son will be in line for the throne. Only children born to my daughter’s lineage should ascend the throne. Bhishma must also always remain completely loyal to the reigning king.”
These were extremely harsh conditions. Shantanu who would never consider being unfair to his eldest son, Bhishma, refused to agree to the fisherman’s terms.
Bhishma loved his father dearly. He observed that his father was torn between his love for Satyavati and his love for his son. He watched his father suffering from the anguish of this dilemma.
Bhishma could no longer see his father so despondent. He decided to take matters into his own hands. He went to meet Satyavati and said, “I am Bhishma son of King Shantanu. I have come to request you to accept my father’s proposal of marriage. I vow to you in the presence of the holy river Ganga that I will never marry or ever aspire to the throne of Hastinapur. In addition I promise that throughout my life I will remain loyal to whoever occupies the throne. My allegiance will always remain with the King of Hastinapur.
Once Satyavati was assured that her son would inherit the throne she was willing to marry King Shantanu.
Bhishma remained true to his vow till his very last breath. Having given his word of honour to his step mother Bhishma remained celibate throughout his life. As a mark of loyalty to the throne of Hastinapur he served his step mother and thereafter her son Vichitravirya and Vichitravirya’s sons Pandu and Dhritarashtra. He never once aspired to the crown.
Unfortunately it was his strict abidance to his vow that ultimately led to him fighting on the side of the unrighteous Duryodhana and Dhritarashtra against Lord Krishna in the Mahabharata War.
Bhishma could foresee the cumulative tragedy that was sure to befall the kingdom of Hastinapur. Yet he kept quiet, never objecting, because he felt that his reproach could be seen as disloyalty to the King of Hastinapur. He remained a silent and helpless witness.
Bhishma was a skilled warrior who knew every martial art and war strategy. In a display of unwavering loyalty Bhishma, during the war, fighting for Duryodhana, outdid even his own teacher, Parashurama, who had single-handedly defeated twenty-one generations of kshatriyas and was considered undefeatable.
Prior to the commencement of the war Yudhishthira, accompanied by his brothers and Krishna approached his elders on the Kaurava side to seek their blessings.
When Yudhishthira arrived at Bhishma’s tent he bent down and touched his grand-father’s feet seeking his blessings. Bhishma blessed Yudhisthira and said, “With Krishna on your side victory will be yours.”
The difficulty of defeating Bhishma had weighed heavily on the Pandavas’ minds. Apart from being a warrior par excellence Bhishma had the boon of “iccha-mrityu”, the power to die according to his desire. Consequently Yudhishthira in response to Bhishma enquired, “How can we be victorious? How will we ever be able to kill you? “
Bhishma replied, “The time for my death has not yet arrived; approach me later and I will tell you.”
On the ninth day of the Mahabharata War Krishna intervened and saved Arjuna from Bhishma. That evening when the Pandava army leaders conferred to plan the next day’s strategy, Yudhishthira expressing his concern said, “Bhishma Pitamah is undefeatable. If he can’t be stopped even by Arjuna, how can we ever win this war?”
It was then that Krishna reminded him of his talk with Bhishma on the very first day of the war. Krishna said, Yudhishthira,it is now time for you go to Bhishma and ask him how he can be killed.”
Yudhishthira had the unenviable task of asking his grand-father how he could be killed. The Pandavas, along with Krishna, approached Bhishma and offered him their respects. Bhishma greeted them with a gentle and kind smile. He knew why they had come. With his head lowered and faltering in his speech Yudhishthira hesitantly asked the dreaded question.
Bhishma unperturbed replied calmly, “I have always fought honorably, following the kshatriya codes of warfare. I will continue to do so till my last breath. I will not raise weapons against those without arms, or without armour, those without the will to fight or wanting to flee or surrender. Nor will I raise weapons against the disabled, females, or even those who bear a female name.”
Puzzled by this strange response the Pandava brothers looked at each other quizzically.
Sensing their bewilderment Bhishma said, “The answer to your question Yudhishthira lies in my reply.”
Since the Pandavas still appeared nonplussed Bhishma continued, “Shikhandi, Drupada’s valiant and violent son, is your key to defeating me. I see him as the same person he was in his previous birth - a woman. Even if he is a warrior now, I will not attack him. Place him at the head of your army and let Arjuna attack me from behind him.”
Shikhandi was the reincarnation of the princess Amba. Amba held Bhishma responsible for destroying her impending marriage to Salwa who she had loved. Determined to take revenge, she performed severe austerities to propitiate Lord Shiva. In answer to her fervent prayers Amba was reborn as Shikhandi - a warrior destined to kill Bhishma.
On the tenth day the opposing armies readied for battle. The Pandavas were aware that Shikhandi did not have the skill to even battle Bhishma let alone kill him. They therefore decided that Arjun would also fire his arrows while staying hidden behind Shikhandi.
By this time Duryodhana had learnt of the conversation that the Pandavas had had with Bhishma. He ordered a band of skilled warriors to surround Bhishma and guard him at all times. Though they fought brilliantly Duryodhana’s soldiers were no match for Arjuna’s heavy onslaught and one by one they retreated.
Bhishma now faced Arjuna’s attack directly. In a magnificent display of his warring expertise he fought the Pandava army but carefully avoided Shikhandi. Following kshatriya codes, both Shikhandi and Arjuna challenged him to fight. Bhishma did not respond to their challenge. This was because as Arjuna was standing hidden behind Shikhandi he could not attack Arjuna without attacking Shikhandi.
Shikhandi felt humiliated and incensed that Bhishma did not even bother to respond to his challenge. Unaware of the real reason for Bhishma ignoring him Shikhandi felt very insulted. He believed that Bhishma’s refusal to fight him was because Bhishma considered him too insignificant to fight. An angry Shikhandi cast aside all scruples about attacking a nonresponding warrior. Shikhandi began to shoot one arrow after arrow at Bhishma. Shikhandi’s arrows just hurtled off Bhishma with no impact at all. However from behind Shikhandi Arjun’s arrows were like thunderbolts on Bhishma’s chest. Bhishma was unable to defend himself as he could not fight Arjuna without first hitting Shikhandi.
Soon, Bhishma’s body was covered with arrows. Bhishma knew that it would be impossible to keep battling for much longer. It was then that he heard a celestial voice that said “Your time on the earth is nearing its end. There is no need for you to fight anymore.”
Hearing these words Bhishma’s heart filled with peace. He lowered his weapon and bowed down in prayer as a fusillade of arrows bombarded his body. Despite the acute pain that wracked his body Bhishma arose determined to die fighting. He resumed his attack on the Pandava forces while continuing to ignore Shikhandi. It was on the 10th day of the Mahabharata War that impossibility became a reality – Bhishma fell to the ground mortally injured and dying.
In moments both the Pandavas and the Kauravas rushed to Bhishma’s side. All off them wept to see him lie on the dusty battle floor. Duryodhana ordered the Brahmins to use their special medical herbs and commence their mantras to revive his grandfather. However Bhishma said, “I have no need for any of these now.”
A tearful Yudhisthira asked, “May I be of any service to you revered grandfather?”
Bhishma replied, “I am thirsty and my neck is uncomfortable.”
Both Duryodhana and Arjuna were about to remedy the situation when Bhishma turned to look at Arjuna. Arjuna immediately understood what Bhishma had meant. He raised his bow and shot some blunt arrows while chanting mantra’s. The arrows went into the ground and came up offering Bhishma’s neck the support it required. Arjuna then shot yet another arrow deep into the earth and a stream of water rose out and went directly into Bhishma’s mouth. Bhishma drank the water with reverence and to everyone’s amazement Goddess Ganga appeared before her son, Bhishma. Arjuna’s arrow had brought to Bhisma the holy waters of the Ganga and had not only quenched Bhishma’s thirst but had united him back with his mother.
Though bound by his vow and compelled to support Dhritharashtra and Duryodhana Bhishma always knew that with Lord Krishna on their side the Pandavas were assured of victory.
It was Bhishma’s misplaced loyalty to the crown rather than to Dharma (righteousness) that led him to support many of the unrighteous decisions made by Dhritarashtra and Duryodhana. At his death bed Bhishma had admitted to Draupadi that his loyalty to the crown had indeed prevented him from speaking up against her being disrobed by Duryodhana. In his obsession to support the crown at all times he had completely lost sight of what was right action.
Yet there is no taking away from the greatness of the man. Bhishma had extraordinary strength and wisdom. He was brave and determined, loyal and loving. His truthfulness was such that whatever he said came true. Bhishma was the epitome of resolve, commitment, selflessness, and sacrifice. He was renowned as the most respected person in the kingdom of Hastinapur. It was Bhishma who for generations in Hastinapura protected and stabilized the throne. He identified the right gurus Dronacharya and Kripacharya for the Kuru princes. Bhishma’s advice was valuable in bringing stability in the kingdom. Even his active participation in the war was to protect the kingdom. The prosperity and welfare of the Kurus was always his priority.
The respect and love that both the Kauravas and Pandavas had for him is apparent in that every evening on the cessation of war they would gather around him, pay their respects and listen to his words of wisdom.
Bhishma was blessed with the boon of iccha-mrityu (the ability to decide the time of his death). He lay on the bed of arrows for 58 nights, awaiting the winter solstice or first day of Uttarayana - closing his eyes Bhishma departed at the most auspicious time and in the most auspicious presence of Lord Krishna.
LIFE LESSONS
1. Like Bhishma we must learn to uphold our promises.
2. Like Bhishma we should be loyal.
3. However, unlike Bhishma we must not allow our loyalty to cloud our judgement of right and wrong.
4. Like Bhishma we must carry on with our duty even under the most difficult circumstances.
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