 illustrated by Satadhama devi dasi
Bhishma is the greatest of all the heroes on the battlefield of Kurukshetra as well as the great grandsire of both the Pandavas and the Kauravas. He was pitted in a very difficult situation. On one hand, he had to defend the empire of his late father, king Shantanu. Arrayed on the other side were the objects of his love and affection, Lord Krishna and His devotees, the Pandavas. Bhishma made it clear that he cannot and will not harm them.
Yet Bhishma was invincible in battle, wrecking destruction on the Pandava forces to such an extent that Krishna Himself had to charge at him with a broken chariot wheel. Desperately trying to find a way to save their army from being annihilated by Bhishma, the Pandavas, at Krishna's behest, approach the old master warrior to find out how they might overcome him. Bhishma reveals to them the secret by which they can slay him.
The next day, the 10th day of the battle, the Pandavas utilised the strategy revealed to them. Bhishma is felled by Arjuna and lies on his deathbed of arrows, awaiting his own chosen auspicious time to quit his body -- when the Sun returns to the north.
After the battle of Kurukshetra, the Pandavas go to Bhisma again to pay their last respects. Lord Krishna requests Bhishma to impart his wisdom and knowledge to the Pandavas. In the course of his instructions, Bhisma would recall the wonderful form of Krishna charging at him on the battlefield as the most wondrous vision he had ever witnessed.
After completing his instructions to the Pandavas, Bhishma firmly fixed his vision, mind and intelligence on the Lord now personally present before him and quit his body in the ideal way as recommended by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gita. Bhishma is glorified as a mahajana (great personality) by the Vedic scriptures.
This illustrated easy-reader is to help children learn more about this great personality.
38 pages, 6" x 8"
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