Sage Bhishma
The epic Mahabharata's greatest hero is Bhishma. He was an exceptional archer and warrior, a revered elder statesman, and the Kaurava and Pandava princes' dear grand uncle. Additionally, he continued to serve as Hastinapura's throne guardian. The person "who takes a terrible vow and stands by it, at any cost" is referred to as Bhishma. For the sake of his father's happiness, he gave everything he had and took a firm stand throughout his life, despite going through a lot of difficulties. In addition, Bhishma had come to the conclusion that Krishna was, in fact, the earthly manifestation of Lord Vishnu. As he lay on the bed of arrows on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Bhishma performed the well-known hymn Vishnu Sahasranama in Krishna's presence.
The Mahabharata's mythology provides a comprehensive account of Bhishma's remarkable life and accomplishments. He was named Devavrata when he was born to king Shantanu and the holy Ganges, who is represented by a woman. The young prince was well-trained by many preceptors, sages, and warriors, including Vasishta, Parasurama, and others, who raised him. and developed into a versatile master in a variety of fields, including the Dharma Shastras, principles of righteousness, warfare, and governance. Here, his life went through an emotional change. Satyavrata took two Bhishma Prathigyas in order to make it easier for his father to marry a fisherwoman named Satyavati, whom his father had a strong desire for. In the terrible vows, he said that he would never marry, that he would remain single throughout his life, and that he would never also take the throne. Instead, he said that he would serve whoever became ruler. The heavens hailed this young man as "Bhishma" because of his incredible resolve and incredible sacrifice, and his father gave him a blessing that allowed him to choose when he died.
Hastinapur was ruled by Satyavati's children and her descendants. Despite Bhishma's best efforts at mediation, the cousins, the virtuous Pandavas and the sinful Kauravas, experienced a great hostility that resulted in a bloody war. Bhishma's vow forced him, heartbroken beyond words, to take the Kauravas' side in the fratricidal war and lead their army against the Pandavas, who were very dear to him. He fought like a true warrior, despite his intense anguish, causing significant damage to the enemy camp. To bring Bhishma down, the Pandavas, led by Lord Krishna, had to resort to trickery. They forced Bhishma to confront a warrior named Shikandi on the tenth day of the battle.
Shikandi was born a woman in the previous birth and had vowed to kill Bhishma because she believed that Bhishma had wronged her very badly. Bhishma refused to fight Shikandi when he realized who he really was. At the right time, Arjuna, an expert Pandava archer, shot him in the head with sharp arrows.
Bhishma remained alive until the end of the war, lying on a bed of arrows on the Kurukshetra battlefield itself, despite being severely injured and completely incapacitated. The ridiculous conflict reached a conclusion following 18 days of extreme fight and saw the absolute obliteration of the Kauravas and the triumph of the Pandavas. This noble soul finally ended his significant journey on this planet on his own accord and reached its heavenly abode when he realized that the evil had been eradicated and that his beloved land was safe in the hands of the righteous Pandavas.
The blessings of worshipping Bhishma Bhishma represented the highest level of resolve, dedication, self-sacrifice, and devotion. He is still reverently remembered as one of our nation's most noble citizens because he was one of the country's most noble people. People chant the mantra "Bhishma Ashtami" (the eighth lunar day after Bhishma's death, when he passed away) and perform ancestral rituals to Bhishma as he passes away without children in order to receive his gentle blessings.
Events Related to Bhishma Bhishma gave up his life on Ashtami, the 8th lunar day of Shukla Paksha, the waxing phase of the Moon in the month of Magh (January-February), after waiting for the sacred Uttarayana, the time when the Sun moved northward. Bhishma Ashtami, when the Sun God is said to be turning his chariot in the direction of the north, falls on the same day as the Ratha Saptami festival. This day is celebrated with great religious fervor by devotees, who perform austere rituals and offer worship to Bhishma.