Bhishma

Bhishma (Sanskrit: भीष्म, romanized: Bhīṣma), also known as Pitāmaha, Gangāputra, and Devavrata, is a central figure in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. He was a statesman and military commander of the ancient Kuru kingdom. Renowned for his wisdom, valor, skill in battle and unwavering principles, Bhishma served as the supreme commander of the Kaurava forces during the first ten days of the Kurukshetra War until his fall.

Born to King Shantanu and the river goddess Ganga, he was originally named Devavrata and designated the heir-apparent to the throne. However, he renounced his claim and took a vow of lifelong celibacy to facilitate his father's marriage to Satyavati. This sacrifice earned him the title Bhishma, meaning "the one who undertakes a severe vow," and he was blessed with Ichcha Mrityu—the boon of choosing his time of death.

Bhishma's life after his vow was marked by his steadfast loyalty to the Kuru dynasty and his navigation of complex political and familial challenges. He served as the chief adviser and regent to successive rulers of Hastinapura, including his half-brothers Chitrangada and Vichitravirya, as well as their successors—Pandu and Dhritarashtra. During this period, he came into conflict with his preceptor in warfare, Parashurama, over the abduction of Amba, a princess whom he had carried off for Vichitravirya’s marriage. He also played a decisive role in arranging the marriages of Pandu and Dhritarashtra, and in overseeing the upbringing of their children—the five Pandava brothers led by Yudhishthira, and the hundred Kauravas led by Duryodhana. Bhishma further acted as a mediator in several internal disputes within the royal family, including the division of the Kuru kingdom between Duryodhana and Yudhishthira. Despite his personal adherence to dharma, his loyalty to the throne ultimately compelled him to side with the Kauravas during the Kurukshetra War.

In battle, Bhishma was unmatched in skill and strategy, holding off the Pandava forces for ten days. On the tenth day, however, the Pandava prince Arjuna, aided by Shikhandi (reincarnation of Amba), incapacitated him with a volley of arrows, leaving him lying on a bed of arrows. Bhishma spent fifty-one days in this state, offering counsel to the Pandavas and Kauravas alike. Before his death, timed to the auspicious Uttarayana (winter solstice), he imparted the Vishnu Sahasranama to Yudhishthira and shared his vast knowledge on governance, dharma, and the duties of a king.

Revered in Hindu tradition, Bhishma is extolled for his sacrifice and duty. His death anniversary, observed as Bhishma Ashtami, falls on the eighth lunar day of the bright half of the Magha month (January–February).