The Great Kurukshetra war commenced on Gita Jayanthi day (Marghashira Shukla paksha Ekadashi) and it was on the tenth day (Marghashira Krishna paksha Saptami) Bhisma was wounded by the arrows inflicted of Arjuna. Starting from that day Bhisma was on the bed of arrows for 58 days and it was on the Magha Shukla paksha Ashtami day he attained Moksha. (Liberation)
Today is the day Bhisma opted to shed his Mortal Coils. Was Bhisma in pain for those 58 days??? If yes, why was he subjected to such horrible suffering??? Was there a Karmic reason behind that???
Bhisma himself questions Sri Krishna in this regard. Sri Krishna who is Sarvagna (Omniscient) told him about the folly he had committed in his past 73rd life birth. He had inflicted injuries to insect by piercing thorns into its body. Those thorns had now appeared as bed of arrows for him. But why had it taken so long 72 births to get rid of the sins was the next question by Bhisma. Sri Krishna tells him that to be born from the womb of Ganga he had to accumulate good resultant fruits for past 72 births.
Further while still on his bed of arrows, Bhisma clears the doubt on Dharma that Yudhishtira had. Draupadi is amazed and gives a sarcastic smile. She wondered how the grand ols man of Kuru clan can now talk about Dharma now while at the Kuru Sabha while Dushasana was disrobing her he was silent.
Looking at Draupadi and knowing her qualm, Bhisma tells her that the arrows from Arjuna had leaked away all the blood which was produced due to the food from the Kauravas kitchen. Here one has to understand that Bhisma did not mean to say that the food he consumed was the cause for him to stay loyal, but the word he had given to his step mother Satyavathi that he will safeguard the interest of the Kuru clan.
On the Bed of Arrows Bhisma recites the famous Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra. Yudhisthira questions Bhisma about the Supreme to whom one has to surrender, then as an answer flows the lovely Thousand Names of Sri Hari. Interestingly Bhisma never forgets to name the Lord as “Rathangapaani” (One who has wheel of the chariot in his hand).
Bhisma while uttering this name would have not forgot the incidence in the Great War. When Bhisma was invincible, Arjuna too could not face the arrows from him. With Bhisma going strong there was no chance for the Righteousness to uproot the wickedness. Sri Krishna who had vowed not to fight but be the charioteer to Arjuna, lost His cool. Unable to withstand the ferocious Bhisma, Sri Krishna got down from the chariot threw the lash he was holding and look around. He found the wheel of a broken chariot. Picking it up Sri Krishna rushed towards Bhisma. Arjuna got down from the chariot and ran toward the Lord to hold his legs. Arjuna reminds Sri Krishna about the vow. This picture of Sri Krishna rushing towards him was so fresh that Bhisma called him by the name “Rathangapaani.”
Shubhamasthu...
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