| Dhritarashtra
and Pandu were Vichitravirya’s sons. Pandu’s
sons were the Pandavas and Dhritarashtra’s sons, the kauravas.
Thus the Pandavas and Kauravas loved and respected Bhishma
as their grandfather.
Bhishma played a great part in the Mahabharata war.
He loved and respected Lord Krishna very much. He was the
first to sing the God’s praise with the Vishnu Sahasranama.
Bhishma lived for a hundred and eighty-sixyears!
He died of his own free will on the eighth day of the
bright half of Magh. That day is called Bhishmashtami.
Even now, we observe that day as his punya tithi year after
year.
Bhishma’s name has become proverbial for
self-sacrifice, truthfulness and wisdom. |
