Yudhishthir and Bheeshm

Janamejaya asked - "How did my grandsire left his body? What kind of Yog he adopted?" Vaishampaayan said - "As soon as the Sun passed the southern solstice point, Bheeshm concentrated his attention to cast off his body. He caused his Jeev to enter Brahm. At that time he was surrounded by Vyaas, Naarad, Devasthaan, Asmak, Sumantu, Jaimini, Pail, Shaandilya, Devaraat, Maitreya, Asit, Vashishth, Kaushik, Harit, Lomash, Dattaatreya, Brihaspati, Shukra, Chyavan, Sanat Kumaar, Kapil, Vaalmeeki, Tumburu, Kuru, Mudgal, Parashuraam, Trinbindu, Pippalaad, Vaayu, Samvart, Pulah, Kathaa, Kashyap, Pulastya, Kratu, Daksh, Paraashar, Mareechi, Angiraa, Kasmya, Gautam, Gaalav, Dhaumya, Vibjand, Maandavya, Dhaumra, Krishnbhautik, Ulook, Maarkandeya, Bhaaskar, Puraan, Krishn and Soot. He meditated upon Krishn with his thought, act and word - he prayed Krishn. [here a long prayer is given - Shaanti, 48, it is a good prayer] Hearing this prayer Krishn entered his body and Bheeshm got silent.

Learning from His Yog power, Krishn and Saatyaki proceeded on one chariot, on another one rode Yudhishthir and Arjun, and on third one rode Bheem, Nakul and Sahadev. Kripaa, Yuyutsu and Sanjaya went in their own chariots. All headed by Kripaa quickly proceeded to Kurukshetra. On the way Krishn showed five lakes formed by Parashuraam when he emptied the earth from Kshatriya 21 times. Yudhishthir asked - "If what you say is correct, then how did the Kshatriya race was revived? Why did he do that?" Then Krishn described that. Vaasudev said - "Listen to the story of mighty Parashuraam, as how he killed millions of Kshatriya, then how they sprang again and then again slaughtered. (Read this story here - Story of Mighty Parashuraam) After listening to the story of Parashuraam, Yudhishthir said - "It seems that Parashuraam was like Indra in anger. Kshatriya feared so much from him that they were protected by sea, animals etc."

Paandav Go to Bheeshm

After a while they all came to where Bheeshm was lying - on the banks of the river Oghaavatee River. They got down from their chariots, saluted great Rishi who were there, and sat down around Bheeshm. Krishn said - "Are your perception, understanding all right? I hope your limbs do not pain, surely pain cannot affect you. You have the greatest boon - death by your will; even I don't have that kind of freedom. You have all the knowledge of past, present and future. You are the ocean of virtue and duty. Even lying on the death bed you have the mastery over death. We have never seen such a man who lying on the death bed, of so much ascetic powers has the complete mastery over death. By your virtue you have surpassed all Devtaa, Gandharv, Kinnar, Raakshas etc. There is nobody else today who can remove doubts in any kind of knowledge. Please console Yudhishthir for the sorrow caused by this war."

Hearing this Bheeshm said - "O Krishn, You are all in all. You are the Creator, you are the Destroyer, you are the origin, you are the dissolution, you are invincible. I salute to you. O Govind, I can see your eternal form - you are standing up stopping the seven paths of the wind. The whole sky is covered by you head, all directions are your arms, the Sun is your eye, and Indra is your power. I am devoted to you and I wish for a blissful end." Vaasudev said - " Because you have a great devotion for me, that is why I have shown my celestial form to you. You will surely get Moksh. Fifty-six days remain for you to live on Prithvi. See, those Vasu are waiting for the Sun to be Uttaraayan when you will come to them. When you will leave this world, all knowledge will also go with you, that is why all these people have come here to have a discourse on morality and duty. So you tell that to Yudhishthir because his learning has been clouded by the grief of this war, please dispel his grief."

Bheeshm said - "I am very happy to hear these words from you but what can I say into your presence in whose speech everything is there. You yourself are competent in the subjects like morality and pleasure and profit and salvation. I am about to leave my body, my limbs are weak, my understanding is not clear, I am so much afflicted, my strength is also leaving me. Please, be pleased with me, I am unable to speak anything. I am hesitate to speak anything in your presence. You speak for the good of Yudhishthir. My speaking will be like a disciple speaking in front of his preceptor."

Vaasudev said - "You have spoken worthy of yourself. But with my own grace I grant you this power that discomfort, delusion, burning, pain, hunger and thirst, nothing will overcome you. Your perception and memory will be clear. You will be able to see everything clearly." Then the great Rishi prayed Krishn with Ved hymns, Krishn and others bowed those Rishi with respect then they circumambulated Bheeshm and all went away to their abodes saying that they would be there next day.

Everybody went to his palace and slept happily. Krishn got up an hour before the daybreak and concentrated on Brahmaa. A Divine music was played for Him and His palace seemed to laugh with music. Divine music was heard in Yudhishthir's palace also. Krishn performed His daily chores of worship, donated a thousand cows to thousand Braahman, touched diverse kinds of auspicious things and saw His face in a clear mirror. Then He asked Saatyaki to go to Yudhishthir to see if he was ready to go to Bheeshm. Saatyaki went there and conveyed Krishn's message. Yudhishthir said - "I am ready but we will not take any soldier this time. We ourselves will go there, since he will speak things of great mysteries, I do not want any miscellaneous gathering there." So all Paandav proceeded towards Krishn's abode. They all came to Bheeshm and Yudhishthir cast his eyes on Bheeshm with fear. All Rishi were also there.

Janamejaya asked - "Then what conversation took place between my ancestors?" Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Naarad spoke to Paandav and remaining kings - "I think you all have gathered here to have a discourse on morality and religion, because Gangaa's son is ready to go now. Are you all ready for it? He is well versed with the duties of all four orders. Please ask anything soon you wish to know." The princes wanted to ask something but couldn't ask anything and looked at each other. Then Yudhishthir said - "No one else than Krishn can ask grandsire any question, so Hey Krishn, please you ask first."

Krishn said - "Did you pass your night happily? Is your understanding clear? You have got all your knowledge? Hope you are not feeling any pain and your mind is peaceful." Bheeshm said - "I am perfectly all right now. I can see all past, present and future as clearly as one sees a fruit kept on his hand. By your grace I know everything written in Ved and Vedaant, duties performed in particular countries, tribes and families. I have acquired an auspicious understanding, I have become competent to tell world what is beneficial for it, but why don't you yourself discourse to Yudhishthir upon that is good for him? What explanation do you have for this, O Maadhav?"

Vaasudev said - "You know that I am the root of fame and everything that leads to good. All things, good or bad, proceed from me. So who will wonder if I will say anything about all this, so I have decided to enhance your fame through me. That is why I inspired you with great intelligence. Thus your fame will last till this Earth exists. From now on people will act with reference to your words only. All these kings are sitting her, please discourse them. You are aged, act according to Shruti, and well versed in morality and religion."

Bheeshm said - "I will discourse on duties, let Yudhishthir ask me about morality and duty, let Yudhishthir who never commits any sin desired by pleasure and profit and fear should ask me." Krishn said - "He is overcome with great shame and fearful of your curse, so he is hesitating to approach you." Bheeshm said - "As a Braahman's duty is to study Ved, do penance; a Kshatriya's duty is to cast away his body in battle; an unjust person, whether he is his friend or relative, father or brother should be punished. A Kshatriya's duty is to kill even his preceptor, if he is sinful. Manu has said that a righteous battle leads to both Heaven and fame." Hearing this Yudhishthir proceeded with great humility towards Bheeshm and stood in his sight. He held his feet, Bheeshm softly asked him to take his seat and to ask any question he wished.