Questions tagged [bhishma]

Bhishma (or Bheeshma or Devavrata or Bhishma Pitamah) was the eighth son of Kuru King Shantanu and grand uncle of both the Pandavas and the Kauravas.

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Not crossing one's legs in Bhishma's advice: Meaning and scriptural explanations?

Consider the following words by Bhishma to Yudhistrira One should always observe the vow of Brahmacharya, and should never cross one's legs. One should observe the vow of Brahmacharya on the day of ...
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Understanding the prohibition of visiting junctions at certain times in Hinduism

Quoting the words of Bhishma from the Mahabharata: At midday, or at midnight, or at night in general, or at the two twilights, one should not proceed to spots where four roads meet. [Section 104, ...
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Story behind Vashishtha's curse to Vasus and Bhishma's birth

I'm reading Kisari Mohan Ganguly's English translation of Mahabharata. In his translation, in the Sambhava Up-Parva in Adi Parva, Chapters 96 and 99 tell 2 different stories of how Vasus became River ...
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Why did Vichitravirya refuse to marry Amba?

As per the Mahabharata Sabha Parva Chapter 41, while insulting Bhishma, Shishupala says as follows: O Bhishma, if you know Dharma, if your mind is guided by wisdom, why was that virtuous maiden Amba, ...
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How was King Shantanu able to give Bhishma boon of icchamrityu(death at self will) when he was neither God nor Sage?

Iccha mrityu sounds like a very heavy vardaan but Shantanu was able to give it despite being a mere mortal King. He was neither a sage with high ascetic merit nor a Deva or part of trinity. Various ...
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Did Bhishma give pain to an insect in his 101th previous birth because of which he got bed of arrows?

I saw a video in which it is shown that Bhisma got bed of arrows because he gave the pain to an insect and threw it on cactus due to which Bhishma got bed of arrows. Is this story correct?
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Source of Quotation from Bhishma in Moksha Dharma Parva of Mahabharata "Kathamasmi Sahithyeva Sambhadhasyath"?

In this discourse by Shri Bannanje Govindacharya @5:47 he mentions that Bhishma says "Kathamasmi Sahithyeva Sambhadhasyath" in Moksha Dharma Parva of Mahabharata What is the exact source of ...
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Duration Bhishma spent on arrows bed

We know that on the 10th day of the Mahabharata war Bhishma went down in arrows. War continued for another 8 days (Day 18). After this Yudhistira went to Hastinapura, returned; Sthree Vilapa; Shanti ...
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Did Bhishma depart on Astami?

Bhishma astami is celebrated on Magha Shukla Astami as the day he departed. However Mahabharata says: O Yudhishthira, the lunar month of Magha has come. This is, again, the lighted fortnight and a ...
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Indra stopping Janamejaya's Ashwamedha

While talking about Dharma changing with age (Yugas), Yudhistira says Then again, it is seen that when some wicked persons of great might cause certain portions of certain courses of righteous acts ...
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Disobeying the parents

I think bhishma did a big mistake by not disobeying his father and taking a lifelong vow of celibacy. Had he confronted his father at the right moment this whole war could have been stopped. Was it so ...
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Who taught the Vedas and scriptures to Bhishma?

After war, Yudhisthira goes to Bhishma and Bhishma educates him further on duties of a king, Vedas, Shastras, scriptures and statecraft. Bhishma was taught the skills of warfare by Parshuram but who ...
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Bhishma enumerating avatars of Krishna to Yudhisthira

Bhishma enumerated all the popular avatars of Krishna just before the killing of Sisupala by Krishna. Bhishna told it to Yudhisthira. But, it is not present in some translations. Did Bhishma ...
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Can someone explain Mahabharat Anushasan parva chapter 44 verse 14? It seems very out of place and inappropriate

Mahabharat anushasan parva chapter 44 verse 14
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Drupada asking for son kill Bhishma

In this translation of Mahabharata, it says Drupada wanted distruction of Bhishma and hence asked for son from Shiva. king Drupada, O monarch, paid his adoration to the god Sankara for the sake of ...
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What is the meaning of this statement by Bhishma?

I found this in an answer from the question: Does Science contradict Hinduism? How to deal with scientific discoveries that don't line up with Vedas? *Bhishma said in Mahabharata Shanti Parva Section ...
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Do Mahabharata or any other scripture says that Bhishma is a Jivan Muktha?

Bhishma is a well-known person from Mahabharata. He is a grand father of both Kauravas and Pandavas. Almost everyone respect him. Consider the following slokha from Mahabharata and its translation ...
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Why did (Late) Sri K. M. Ganguli consider Anushasana Parva to be an interpolation? [closed]

In the translation of Anusasana Parva in Mahabharata by (Late) Sri K. M. Ganguli, we see a paragraph note in the page which states: The Anusasana Parva, like the Santi Parva before it, is a long ...
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how did yamaraj sabha had 100 Dhritrashta , 100 Bhimas and 200 Bhishma?

From Mahabharata, Sabha Parva - "a hundred kings of the name of Dhritarashtra, eighty kings of the name of Janamejaya; a hundred monarchs called Brahmadatta, and a hundred kings of the name of ...
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Did Parashurama ever object to the way his students, Bhishma, Drona and Karna were killed by the Pandavas?

I am curious to know what/if Lord Parashurama had thought about the way all his shishyas (students/disciples), Bhishma, Drona and Karna, died in the Mahabharata war. Did he object to the way they were ...
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Did Arjuna really win against the Kauravas all alone in Virata Kingdom Battle

Lately I have grown interest in the Mahabharata and Hinduism. I haven’t read the books but I watched B R Chopra’s Mahabharata and the Star Plus Mahabharata. In the old one, it was shown that Arjuna ...
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Who was the greatest warrior in the Mahabharata? [closed]

The Mahabharata (books and TV series) always introduces any warrior as an "unmatched warrior". For example, Jarasandha is introduced as an unmatched warrior, Kichaka is introduced as an unmatched ...
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When Arjuna defeated all the Kuru warriors in the Virat war, then why did he kill them through deceit in the Kurukshetra war?

In Virat war all Kuru warriors including Bhisma Drona and Karna were vanquished by Arjuna. Go Haran Parva 62 Now, the same Arjuna in Kurukshetra war even with Lord Krishna with him, could not face ...
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Was Bhishma really not aware about the difference between Dharma and tradition?

In Star Plus Mahabharat, season 3 episode 2, when Karna was a teenager, he wins a little competition which involved bow and arrow. Karna won, but Bhishma only praised his chariot driver skills, and ...
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Did Bhishma attain Swarga or Vaikuntha?

In the Mahabharata, when Yudhisthira enters Swarga-loka, he finds Bhishma there: "Behold Dhritarashtra, the king of the Gandharvas, possessed of great wisdom. Know that this one was the eldest ...
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What stanzas in Vyasa Mahabharata convey that Sri Krishna held Bhishma as adharmic or protecting adharma?

In Gita, Sri Krishna tells Arjuna that Bheeshma, Drona & Karna were already slain by him, so Arjuna shouldn't worry and just kill his enemies. That is a very indirect message. Were there other ...
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Are there details of the fight between Chitrangada and the gandharva with the same name?

I want to know if there are details of the fight between Chitrangada (brother of Bhishma) and the gandharva with the same name.
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Is bathing at night a good custom (sadhachara)?

Consider the following statement by Bhishma in SECTION CIV of Anusasana Parva of the Mahabharata One should bathe at night, if one desires one's own advancement. As per my knowledge, bathing in ...
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Did Bhishma knew about past, present and future?

Did Bhishma knew about the events happening in the universe all the time? If yes, how did he get that power?
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Can one study during morning twilight for acquiring any branch of knowledge

Consider the following statements by Bhishma in Anusasana Parva of Mahabharata: 1) One should wake up from sleep at the hour known as the Brahma Muhurta and then think of both religion and profit....
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Who was the writer of the Vishnu Sahasranamam?

I know that Vishnu Sahasranamam was told by Pitamaha Bhishma to Yudhishthira ORALLY. However who was the writer and who had made the hard copy of the same to do chanting of this mantra and when?
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How did Bhishma pitamaha got the ichchamrityu boon? [duplicate]

Someone can not kill Bhishma pitamaha until he wish. Because he has a boon of ichchamrityu. How did he get this boon?
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What did Bhishma do when he was on the bed of arrows?

I have heard that in Mahabharata Bhishma was made to lie on a bed made of arrows by Arjuna after dropping his weapons. I want to know in detail what all did Bhishma do in his arrow bed. Whether ...
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What is the story of Indra going to Nara-Narayana Rishis for aid, as mentioned in Mahabharata?

I know that Bhishma narrates this story to Duryodhana. Please give me the reference from the Mahabharata if you can. It would help.
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Why Bhishma wrote Vishnu Sahasranama stotram?

I have read Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram. I have found its author which is Bhishma But I haven't found why he wrote Vishnu sahasranama stotram.
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Was there any fight between Bheeshma and Lord Hanuman being mentioned anywhere in Mahabharata?

I recently talked to one of my friends who was telling me the story from Mahabharata(that he has read from an old book) where there was a fight between Lord Hanuman and Bheeshma in the Kurukshetra ...
Aby's user avatar
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What led Bhishma Pitamah to arrow bed in Mahabharat battle? [duplicate]

I want to know that What kind of past deeds led Bhishma Pitamah to suffer on Bed of Arrows in Mahabharat battle. Is there any karma theory relate Bhishma Pitamah to be in the bed of arrows? or any ...
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Why did Bhishma go to bring Amba, Ambika and Ambalika from Kashi without the invitation of Hastinapura in swayamvar?

Why did not Invitation to Hastinapur for Swayamvar, and why did Bhishma go there without Invitation?
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1 answer
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Did Krishna warn Bhishma not to interrupt any actions of Kauravas and Pandavas during the game of dice?

In Peter Brooks play/movie adaptation of Mahabharat the following conversation ensues between Krishna and Bhishma before the game of dice was to commence;[Given here below. Shortened/edited by me, but ...
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Is the notion of Bhishma preferring Arjuna's bed of arrows to pillows brought in by Duryodhana authentic?

I remember that at the folklore level. Apparently after he had been pierced by arrows and he was incapacitated, his head was hanging down and it needed support.
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How long did Bhishma live, after He fell asleep in the arrow in Mahabharata?

Bhishma has a boon that When they came to their mind they could have left their life. I know that he did not leave his life immediately after He has many arrows in his body. When did he leave his body?...
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How did Bhishma Pitamaha know the Vishnu Sahasranama?

How did Bhishma Pitamaha know the Vishnu Sahasranama? Who gave it to him?
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As Duryodhana's Senapati did Bhishma carry out treachery and/or dereliction of duty by commission and/or omission?

1. Bhishma kept Karna with his Vasavi Shakti out of the war for 10 days by his insulting ways. (If Karna had killed Arjuna, the war would have been over. Even if he wouldn't kill the Pandavas he could ...
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Why didn't Bhishma choose to end his own life?

Bhishma was given the boon to die whenever he wished to. After seeing all the atrocities against the Pandavas, why did he not take his own life and spared them the trouble of fighting against him?
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Did Bhishma vow to make Krishna pick up arms?

I have heard stories that Krishna tried to attack Bhishma because Bhishma vowed to make Krishna pick up arms. Is the story about the oath true? (There are questions about Krishna picking up arms. I ...
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Bhishma ekadashi festival

Generally Bhishma Ekadasi is celebrated on Magha Suddha Ekadasi. It is learnt that Bhishma died on Ashtami. Why the festival is being celebrated on Ekadasi?
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Was Bhishma Dyaus-incarnate or 1/8th of all Vasus?

It is the common knowledge that, it was Prabhas (Dyaus), one of the Vasus, incarnated as Bhishma due to curse. Following passage from the Mahabharata supports it. From this chapter of Sambhava Parva: ...
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For what and why Bhishma took pratigna (oath) in Mahabharata

What was the pratigna (oath) and Why Bhishma took pratigna in Mahabharata? And to whom?
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Why Bhishma had to suffer the most in MahaBharat war? [duplicate]

Bhishma was a great Dharmatma without any doubt/question. He always follows his dharma. But in war of Mahabharat he was the one who suffer more than anyone else. Even korwas (who was key reason of war)...
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Which warrior can be considered the reason for the death of Bhishma?

Bhishma died on the bed of arrows after several days of completion of the MahAbhArata war. Among Arjuna & Shikhandi, who can be considered the "slayer of Bhishma" or the reason of Bhishma getting ...
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