PATRIARCH BHISHMA HISTORY OF THEIR LIFE

 

According to Monier-Williams, the word Bhishma  means "terrible", "horrible", "fearful", or "fierce". The word is also used to characterize Rudra, the furious god, and the Rakshasa. In the epic, Devavrata acquired this after making a severe or awful vow (Bhishma pratigya) and fulfilling it. Bhishma was given the name Devavrata  at birth, which means devoted to Gods.Bhishma, the only surviving son of Ganga, was given various epithets that signify "son of Ganga" - Gangaputra , Gang , Gangasuta , and Gangeya . Gangadatta  translates to "given by Ganga."

 

Bhishma, also known as Pitamaha, Gangaputra, and Devavrata, is a key figure in the Mahabharata epic. He was the supreme commander of the Kaurava armies during the Kurukshetra War and watched the entire conflict. Born as Devavrata, he gave up his birthright for his father's happiness and vowed to live a life of celibacy. Bhishma fought in the Kurukshetra War, but was paralyzed by Pandava Prince Arjuna and Shikhandi. Prior to his demise, he passed over the Vishnu Sahasranama to Yudhishthira. Bhishma is respected in Hinduism, and his death anniversary is commemorated annually.

 Legacy of Bhishma Pitamah: A grand tale        Honor and Duty

 

  Bhishma Pitamah is a revered figure in Indian mythology known for his unwavering devotion, selflessness, and courage. He was a central character in the epic Mahabharata and played a significant role in shaping its events. His story is a tale of honor, duty, and sacrifice, making him a symbol of noble virtues and wisdom. In this article, we delve into the life and legacy of Bhishma Pitamah, exploring his remarkable journey and the timeless lessons we can learn from his example.

  Bhishma Pitamah, or Devvrata is one of the great warriors who adorned this earth. The story of his birth was and his death were strange, but even stranger were his deeds on this planet. We all know that he has taken couple of difficult vows, but there are few other stories which are equally mesmerizing.

 The garland of ever fresh lotuses

 

 This is the story of Amba and Bhishma Pitamah. He did not marry Amba as desired by her. She did severe penance to exact her revenge on Bhishma. Following this, Lord Subramanya appeared and given her a garland of lotuses which were fresh forever. In fact, whosoever wears the garland, would be the enemy of Bhishma. Getting her desired blessing, she sought the help of the present warriors, but such was the clout of Bhishma, nobody dared to accept the garland.

 Frustrated, she hanged the garland at the gates of King Drupad and left.  Later on, she dived in a pyre of fire and given her life. In her next life, she was born as a girl to Drupad and playfully wore the garland and later became the reason of Bhishma’s demise.

 

After abandoning the garland of Lotus, Amba approached Parshurama and asked him to give Bhishma a lesson. Parshurama, Bhishma's instructor, planned to battle him to get justice for Amba. The combat lasted a long time, and nobody could be defeated. Reason: Parshurama was akhand chiranjeevi, which means "one who could not die," and Bhishma received a blessing from his father, Shantanu, that allowed him to pick the time of his death.
The sixteen year old who held a river
Ganga and Shantanu had a child named Bhishma. Ganga is said to have drowned her seven sons, the eighth of whom was Bhishma. This was due to the curse of sage Vasistha. Ganga carried her eighth child along with her. After 16 years, a youth was discovered with a wall of arrows blocking the Ganga's water flow. When Shantanu learned about it, he went to see for himself. He came across a young man doing this and prepared to confront him, when Gangaa arrived, identified him as his son, and gave him over to Shantanu instead. Shantanu brought him home. Parashuraam Jee and Brihaspati Jee were his tutors.Bhishma fixed his death date and waited for 58.

 Bhishma teaches Pandavas from the death bed

 

On the bed of arrows, after the war of Mahabharata was over, Pandavas reached over to Bhishma. Yudhisthira asks some questions which essentially ask how the welfare of mankind can be achieved. Bhishma answers by stating that mankind will be free from all sorrows by chanting the [quote]”Vishnusahasranama“[/quote], which are the thousand names of the all-pervading Supreme being Vishnu, who is the master of all the worlds, the supreme light, the essence of the universe and who is Brahman. All matter animate and inanimate reside in him, and he in turn resides within all matter. This is available in anushashana parva of Mahabharata.