Bhishma - A Man of Words and Values and how Devvrat become Bhishma

Bhishma - A Man of Words and Values and how Devvrat become Bhishma

Bhishma one of the oldest character in Mahabharata Mahakavya (Who has witnessed 5 generations) and the eldest Kuru. He is the one who learnt politics from Guru Brahspati. Bhishma, Guru Drona and Surya- Putra Karna were the student of great mentor Parshuram, but as he had given his words to his father that whoever be the king of Hastinapur , he will see his father in him and always protect Hastinapur from enemies.  

Bhishma birth story

Devvrat was the 8th son of Hastinapur naresh (king) Shantanu and Goddess Ganga and grandson of King Bharat. In the very first meeting king Shantanu get attracted towards Ganga. It was love at first site, so without any delay King Shantanu went down to the Ganga and asked her to marry him. Ganga agreed with a condition that whatever see will do king will not ask any question about that and if he did then see left forever.

Before Devvrat there were 7 more children took birth whom Ganga drawn all of them into river after birth. When she was about to drawn the 8th child Shantanu stopped her and asked the reason why she is doing so?

Ganga replied that these were vashu and cursed by Vashishtha rishi  as they stolen his cow that all these 8 vashu will took birth as human out of which 7 will die with their birth but the 8th one who took the cow will stay longer on earth and left the king by saying that i bring him back after completion his education. Devvrat returned back after 15 years to his father.

Bhishma - A man of words

Devvrat was one of the finest student of Guru Parshuram who was know for his anger. There was a story when Parshuram fights with Devvrat when he denied to marry Amba and devvrat defeated his Guru.

How Devvrat named as Bhishma

This was also one of the famous story that how Devvrat named Bhishma. It was the time when Devvrat in his young age, his father shantanu used to go to the hunting, there he saw a beautiful woman. it was Satyawati a fisherman's daughter. She was so beautiful that Shantanu fall in love with her and asked her to marry. She replied that you have to talk to my father in this regard. Then shantanu asked his sharathi (charioteer) to take him to the fisherman's house.

There King told the satyawati's father that he want to marry his daughter. But the fisherman was greedy and he saw his chances and replied to the king that if he promised that satyawati's son would be the next king of the Hastinapur then only he would be allowed to marry her. Shantanu knows that it is not right, he can't do injustice to his son Devvrat and requested once again to the fisherman but it was of no use. Satyawati's father was stand still on his decision.

King Shantanu then returned to their Dynasty with a broken heart. He was in such a deep stress that he lost interest in the affairs of the kingdom. When Devvrat saw his father he asked to him that what is wrong with him as everything in the kingdom is going well but shantanu ashamed to reply. 

Then devvrat went to the sharathi and asked if he knew anything. Sarathi told that he went to fisherman house for some reason and from then onward our king is in stress.

Now in order to understand the complete situation Devvrat went to the fisherman's house and asked what happened? Satyawati's father replied that your father want to marry my daughter. devvrat said then what is the issue? His father said that you are the issue.

Devvrat didn't understand and asked how? Then the fisherman told that he put a condition that satyawati's son would be the upcoming king for Kuru dynasty but your father denied as you are the elder one. 

So for his satisfaction Devvrat said i promise you that mata satyawati's son would be the upcoming king of kuru dynasty. But the greedy father didn't stop here he said you can assure for yourself but what about your sons. They would fight in future for the kingdom.

Devvrat taking a vow 

To this devvrat took a pledge that he will not marry in this life nor have any children. This was the a bhishma pratigya (pledge) which neither in past nor in future was taken by anyone. When King Shantanu came to know about this vow, he was very upset on himself that because of me my son had sacrifice whole life. 

Devvrat said being a son its my duty that i do what makes my father happy and healthy. Shantanu then said my son because of this bhishan outh you will be known as Bhishma from here on wards and also i blessed you that you can not be die until and unless you wish to die.

3 Mistakes that pitamah Bhishma has made 

Although pitamah bhishma was a man of  his words and moral values. But we should not forgot that he was a human being as well. And we all know that human-being makes human error. Lets move to those errors one by one which he made unwillingly. 

• It was the time when Kashi king wanted to marry his 3 daughters  he invited all the kings from aaryavart but didn't send invitation to hastinapur. This insult could not be taken lightly as per Pitamah Bhishma and he asked permission to mata satyawati to represent him for hastinapur and went to kashi where the swayamvara in taken place. Over there he defeated all the kings and captured his daughters and came back to Hastinapur where 2 of the kashi kumari (Ambalika and Ambika) get married to the vichitravirya while the 3rd one Amba denied as he is in love to Salva, the king of Saubala. After knowing this Bhishma regretted and sent her free with respect to the Salva, where Salva didn't except her by saying that " i was defeated by bhishma and he won you i have no right on you". To this see came back to hastinapur and asked for justice and said now bhishma would have to marry me. But bhishma dennied as he is bounded by his vow. After so many requests when bhishma didn't agree to marry her then she said that i pledge that i will be the reason of your death whether for this i have to take birth after birth. And we all know that later after so many birth he born as shikhandi (a eunuch) and became the reason of pitamah Bhishma's death.
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• This particular incident i am going to share with you became the reason that Mahabharata happened (One of the biggest battle among relatives). It happened after Yudhisthira put his wife Draupadi on stake on dice game and loose it. Then Duryodhan order his younger brother Dushasan to bring her in kuru rajya sabha and ordered to nude her. At this moment most of us think that Pitamah bhishma must interfere and stopped this shameful act but because of his pledge that he would always there in support of hastinapur he didn't intervene. Do a pledge more important then a woman's self respect? So i feel that was his 2nd and the biggest mistake.
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•  3rd mistake to took part in the Mahabharata yuddha from Duryodhan side. He new that lord Krishna was the complete truth and if he was with Pandavas then surely that was the right path but still Bhishma participated from the other side. Sometimes human-being is so much compelled that even after knowing that he is on the wrong side he can't come to the right path. But as said what is written have to be happened.

  Bhishma as a Great warrior 

  In spite of these mistakes, he was such a powerful, strong and politically sound person. He has the ability to destroy the whole Pandavas army alone. But as he also knew that he was on wrong side so he simply denied to kill Pandavas but instead killed 10000 army every day. 
There is a story how Pitamah forced Lord Krishna to betrayed his own words that he would not fight but only acted as sharathi of Parth (Arjuna). But on the 9th day of Mahabharata Pitamah Bhishma was in such aggressive mode that he destroyed Pandava's army like they don't exist. 
Even Arjuna was not able to stop Pitamah. When lord Krishna found that grip is getting loose so he desided to stop Pitamah and put up his Sudarsan ashtra. When Pitamah Bhishma Saw lord Krishna coming his side carrying sudarsan in hand, he simply put his bow and arrow before him and said your welcome Vashudev. Today my efforts have been proved that i forced Lord to break his vow.

So Arjuna came running from behind and apologized to Krishna and pleaded not to break his vow and then Krishna's anger was calmed. 

Pitamah Bhishma Death

As Bhishma has a boon that he will die only if he wish it for, then how one can kill him. That is the reason Duryodhan was so much relaxed that he could not loose this battle. After completion of nine days fight, Pandava's army reduced devastatingly. Yudhisthira and all the leaders were under great threat that they couldn't win this battle until Pitamah was there side. Yudhisthir asked to Lord Krishna what to do in this regard? 
Krishna simply smiled and told him to return the blessing of winning this battle which was given by Pitamah to pandavas. Yudhisthir followed the same and went to Pitamah's camp along with Arjuna. Pitamah asked the reason for coming then Yudhisthira replied that they came to return his blessing that they will win this battle. Pitamah Bhishma was shocked and asked why you want to return my blessings?

Then Yudhisthira replied that you are standing between our winning. You can't be killed and without your death we unable to win this battle and that's why Krishna told us to return your blessing. After knowing that it was Krishna's suggestion Bhishna understood everything and said that told Krishna that blessings can't be return but yes if a woman will confront me then i will put down my bow and stop fight as warriors don't fight with woman. To this Yudhisthir asked how can be a part of battle? Asked to Krishna for this who sent you here for. Both of them return back and convey the massage to the Krishna, then Krishna suggested that tomorrow brother Shikhandi would be on Arjuna's chariot as he was a girl in one of his birth named Amba.

Then Arjuna asked will Pitamah identify a girl in Shikhandi? Krishna replied if Pitamah would have been an ordinary human-being then there are chances but he is an extraordinary human he would definitely see Amba in Shikhandi. The very next day when battle started and pitamah Bhishma confronted Arjuna as he tried to shot an arrow towards Arjuna, Shikhandi came before Arjuna. When Pitamah Bhishma Saw shikhandi he put down his bow and it was the time for Arjuna to attack. He pierced Bhishma's entire body with arrows. Hence Shikhandi (Amba) became the reason for Bhishma's death as he pledged. Although Bhishma was alive till the end of the battle and when he saw that Pandavas has won the battle then he left his body.

This is how a big pillar of Hastinapur put to his end. A character that taught us a lot with his life journey and that is the reason even after so many centuries our history remembers and respects him.