The unflinching devotion of Bhishma!

(Shanti Parva, Rajadharmanusasana Parva)

Vyasa Mahabharata.

In the grand epic Mahabharata, Shanti Parva is like the jewel, the gem or the heart of eighteen parvas!  

King Janamejaya humbly asked, ‘O Learned Brahmana! Tell me what was next done by king Yudhishthira after regaining his kingdom. What the Supreme Lord Krishna did after the victory in the battle?’

Vaishampayana said, ‘O king! Hear me carefully what happened to the Pandavas, led by Lord Krishna. After regaining the kingdom, King Yudhishthira appointed his subjects according to their duties. The just king gratified all his people with enough gifts and satisfied the Brahmanas including Dhoumya and Kripacharya. He paid due respect to his elders king Dhritarashtra and Vidura. People lived happily with pleasure and prosperity in his kingdom. Placing everything in right order, the son of Pandu proceeded with joined hands to meet high-souled Vasudeva.

Beholding the wonderful appearance of Lord Krishna, Yudhishthira became spellbound! Krishna sat on a golden sofa. Dressed in yellow robe and decked with celestial ornaments, he was looking wonderful! But, his body, mind and soul looked still, just like a motionless rock! He was deeply engrossed in his meditation. 

Being stupefied, Yudhishthira urged, ‘O Madhava! O the creator of this three universe! What made you involve yourself in this unflinching meditation? It is unbelievable that you being the refuge of this universe meditating upon something! Is everything fine? You look still as you have controlled your senses into your soul. Your immobile body looks like a wooden post or stone. O bull among the men! Nothing is unattainable to you. You are beyond everything. You are the first and foremost being! Be pleased to me to know the cause of your meditation. Nothing is unattainable for you, O Madhava! I am your devoted follower. If you consider me in that respect, O Janardana, unfold the cause of your meditation. I am worried of your such sudden posture!’

Hearing the words of Dharmaraj Yudhishthira, Lord Krishna told him softly, ‘O son of Pritha! Truly my mind and soul are deeply concentrated upon Bhishma- the bull among the Kuru race! He is the hero who is unbeatable, conversant of all the Vedas, scriptures, master of the warfare, compassionate, follower of virtues, and righteousness! He is the one who single handedly won over all the princes in Kasi princesses Swayamvara! Being a qualified prince, he was the rightful heir of King Shantanu, but he rejected the kingship of Hastinapur to keep his promise for the sake of his beloved father! The hero of that mighty energy Bhishma fought with his Guru-Parashurama for twenty-three days and his Guru couldn't win over him! The grand old man, that foremost of all persons is conversant with morality and duty! He knows past, present and future. He is the one who knows all the celestial weapons! 

O son of Pandu! Concentrating his mind and soul, he sought my refuge! After his departure, the earth will look like moonless night! Bhishma is like a library that is about to burn! If you don't collect the knowledge now, it will be lost forever! O Parth, when Bhishma- the wisest among all will disappear from this world, all the knowledge will be wiped out with him! There will be none who can impart the four branches of knowledge or the knowledge of warfare to you! His body, mind and soul, everything is engrossed in my hymns, and my thought! O bull of Bharata race, I urged you to attend him now and ask him about the four branches of knowledge (in respect of morality, pleasure and profit and salvation). O lord of the earth! Ask him about the sacrifices, rites mentioned for the four orders, about the kingly duties, and also about the four modes of life! His last Time has come, therefore, I urged you to go instantly without any delay! And ask him what you desire to learn!’

Hearing the worthy emotional words of Yadu prince Krishna, the righteous Yudhishthira with tearful eyes said, ‘O Madhava! I agree with my heart’s content to whatever you said about Pitamaha Bhishma! We must move now and attend our grand Sire!’

Thus, the five Pandavas with Krishna and his kinsmen proceeded to the battlefield where Bhishma was lying down on the bed of arrows! 

In the meanwhile, Bhishma was surrounded by hundreds of great Rishis- such as the celestial Rishi Narada, the Vedas-conversant Vyasa Dev, the highly intelligent Maitreya and many others. Concentrating his body, mind and soul, Bhishma was deeply engrossed in Krishna consciousness and sang the glory of Krishna- that Supreme Soul! Bhishma understood the ultimate truth was no one but Krishna! He was the creator, destroyer and saviour!Paying repeated salutations to Lord Krishna, Bhishma surrendered himself on Thy's (Krishna) lotus feet!

Krishna understood how deeply devoted Bhishma was to him. Approaching Bhishma through His divine spiritual power and recognising his unwavering devotion, Lord Krishna entered into his body and bestowed upon him celestial knowledge (spiritual knowledge) of everything that ever happened, is happening now, or will happen in future (the vision of all three worlds), and then Hari (Lord Krishna) departed!

After reaching in the battle field, the Pandavas and Krishna with his followers paid respect to all the learned Brahmins, and Rishis. The scion of the Yadu race, Madhava headed first towards Bhishma. Krishna stepped in as a loving friend and the Supreme Divine! He granted Bhishma a divine mind completely free of physical pain, along  with Omniscience ( ability to see all of time and space). By the blessing of Krishna, Bhishma could speak with absolute clarity and authority toYudhishthira.

Encouraged by Vrishni race hero- Krishna, Yudhishthira came forward to Pitamaha Bhishma and began his discourse that he desired to know. With the grace of Lord Krishna, Bhishma answered all the questions asked by Yudhishthira in four major chapters- Rajadharmanusasana Parva, Apadharmanusasana, Mokshadhara, and Anushasanika parva. 

In Anusasana Parva, after asking so many questions, Yudhishthira once more addressed Bhishma, ‘O Pitamaha! Who is the one Supreme God who rules above all others

Who is the ultimate shelter and final destination for all living beings?

By praising or chanting whose glories do humans gain auspiciousness?

Whose praise brings worldly and spiritual well-being?

Among all religious duties and righteous paths, which one stands Supreme?

By reciting whose holy mantra does a creature cross beyond worldly bondage?

Answering all these questions of Yudhishthira, Bhishma pointed to only one single Supreme reality: Lord Vishnu (Krishna as Avatara)!  At that very moment Bhishma, with folded hands and eyes full of tears of love for Krishna, began reciting His thousand names which is widely famous as Vishnu Sahasranama! 

Bhishma was a staunch devotee of Lord Krishna. He who worships Lord Vishnu becomes free from all miseries and attains the eternal bliss forever!

It shows: If someone prays to God with unflinching, pure devotion, then God Himself will meditate upon His devotee! For example, Bhishma's devotion was so pure that Krishna Himself meditated on His devotee- Bhishma! What a Reversal! God meditating on devotee!