Ganga Putra Bheeshma

IN THE KURUSHETHRA BATTLE

In the great battle at Kurukshetra, Bheeshma was the supreme commander of the Kaurava forces for ten days. He fought reluctantly on the side of the Kauravas. Bheeshma was one of the most powerful warrior of his time and in history. He acquired his prowess and invincibility from being the son of the sacred Ganga and by being a student of renownedGurus. Despite being about five generations old, Bheeshma was too powerful to be defeated by any warrior alive at that time. Every day, he slew at least 10,000 soldiers and about a 1,000 chariot warriors. At the beginning of the war, Bhishma vowed not to kill any of the Pandavas, as he loved them, being their grandsire. Duryodhan often confronted Bheeshma alleging that he was not actually fighting for the Kaurava camp as he wouldn't kill any Pandava but would let them attack the Kaurava brothers.

Duryodhan approached Bheeshma one night and accused him of not fighting the battle to his full strength because of his affection for the Pandavas.The angry Bheeshma took a vow that either he will kill Arjun or will make Lord Krishna break his promise of not picking up any weapons during the war. On the next day there was an intense battle between Bheeshma and Arjun. Although Arjun was very powerful, he was no match for Bheeshma. Bheeshma soon shot arrows which cut Arjun's armour and then also his Gandiva bow's thread. Arjun was helpless before the wrath of the grandsire. As Bheeshma was about to kill Arjun with his arrows, Sri Krishna who took vow of not raising a weapon in the war, lifted a chariot wheel and threatened Bheeshma. Arjun stopped Lord Krishna. Arjun convinced Krishna to return to the chariot and put down the wheel, promising to redouble his determination in the fight. Thus Bheeshma fullfilled his vow.

The war was thus locked in a stalemate. As the Pandavas mulled over this situation, Krishna advised them to visit Bheeshma himself and request him to suggest a way out of this stalemate. Bheeshma knew loved the Pandavas and knew that he stood as the greatest obstacle in their path to victory so when they visited Bheeshma, he gave them a hint as to how they could defeat him. He told them that if faced by one who had once been of the opposite gender, he would lay down his arms and fight no longer.

Later the Krishna told Arjun how he could bring down the old grandsire, through the help of Sikhandhi. The Pandavas were initially not agreeable to such a ploy, as by using such cheap tactics they would not be following the path of Dharma, but Krishna suggested a clever alternative. And thus, on the next day, the tenth day of battle Shikhandi accompanied Arjun on the latter's chariot and they faced Bheeshma who put his bow and arrows down. He was then felled in battle by Arjun, pierced by innumerable arrows. Using Sikhandhi as a shield, Arjun shot arrows at Bheeshma, piercing his entire body. Thus, as was preordained (Mahadeva's boon to Amba that she would be the cause of Bhishma's death) Shikhandi, that is, Amba reincarnated was the cause of Bheeshma's fall. As Bheeshma fell, his whole body was held above the ground by the shafts of Arjun's arrows which protruded from his back, and through his arms and legs. Seeing Bhishma lying on such a bed of arrows humbled even the gods who watched from the heavens in reverence. They silently blessed the mighty warrior. When the young princes of both armies gathered around him, inquiring if there was anything they could do, he told them that while his body lay on the bed of arrows above the ground, his head hung unsupported. Hearing this, many of the princes, both Kaurava and the Pandava alike brought him pillows of silk and velvet, but he refused them. He asked Arjun to give him a pillow fit for a warrior. Arjun then removed three arrows from his quiver and placed them underneath Bhishma's head, the pointed arrow tips facing upwards. To quench the war veteran's thirst, Arjun shot an arrow into the earth, and a jet stream of water rose up and into Bhishma's mouth. It is said that Ganga herself rose to quench her son's thirst.

Finally Bheeshma gave up the fight, focusing his life force and breath, sealing the wounds, and waiting for the auspicious moment to give up his body. Bhishma witnessed the entire destruction of his lineage while awaiting his death in the bed of arrows.