Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha!

Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha!

Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vasudevaya!
Om! Ham! Hanumathe! Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

Bheeshmaashtami
(Bheeshma Niryana)

Saturday
23rd January 2010

Bheeshmaastami is associated with Bheeshma Pitamaha, the most

revered and grandiose character of the great Epic, Mahabharata. It was on
this day Bheeshma had his last breath and this day is commemorated as the
day of his Niryana. Bheeshmaastami occurs on the 8th day (Ashtami) of the
bright fortnight (Sukla Paksha) in Magha Masam as per Hindu Lunar
Calendar that usually falls during the months of January – February the day
after Ratha Sapthami.

Generally it is impossible for human beings to know the exact time of birth
and death. But in Bheeshma’s case he could set his time for his soul to
depart. How could this happen? Who is this Bheeshma in his previous birth?
What was his lineage? Why should we pay our obeisance and salutations to
him on this day? To find an answer for all these queries we should know his
background at least in brief.

Bheeshma originally named as Devavratha was one of the Ashta Vasus

(Demi Gods) called by name Prabhas or Dyau as per some texts, who took
birth on this Earth due to a curse by the Sage Vasista. He was born as the
eighth son of the Kuru King Shantanu (s/o of Pratipa) of Lunar Dynasty and
Ganga Devi (Holy River Goddess Ganga). He was later, popularly came to
be known as Bheeshma when he made a ferocious pledge (Bheeshma
Pratigna) to be a bachelor for life to facilitate his father Shantanu to marry
Sathyavathi. He was also known by the other names such as Ganga Putra,
Gaangeya, and Bheeshmaachaarya.
Why Bheeshma chose this day for his Niryana?
When Bheeshma made a solemn pledge and stood by that, his father
Shantanu was very much pleased and in gratitude of his son’s sacrifice he
gave him a boon that he (Bheeshma) would die when he wished known as
Swachchanda Maranam. Though Bheeshma fell in the war on the 10 th day
after the Great Kurukshetra war had started, he eagerly and patiently waited
for 48 days on the bed of arrows before departing from this world. He waited
for the onset of Uttarayana the most auspicious period for a soul to depart.
Even after the onset of Uttarayana he waited for the day of Ratha Sapthami
the day on which Sun’s movement takes a definite effect northwards and the
next day Bheeshma invoked his father’s boon of Swachchanda Maranam and
died. Thus Bheeshma is said to have died in the constellation of Rohini Star,
on the 58th day after the commencement of the Kurukshetra war that
happened to be Ashtami thithi.

Why should we pay obeisance & salutations to Bheeshma?

A noble Soul, a great learned person, Bheeshma was respected for his
honesty, sincerity and strong determination. He was a great warrior, an
adventurous hero and on his day it was difficult for anyone to defeat him.
For the sake of his father he sacrificed his marriageable life by taking an
oath of celibacy and remained childless. Due to his commitment to the Kuru
dynasty he had to be on the side of Duryodhana and became a silent
spectator during the ugly scenes that happened in the episode of Pandavas.

Basically a Demi God (one of the Ashta Vasus), Bheeshmaachaarya was an

ardent devotee of Lord Sri Krishna an avathara of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu.
The famous Sri Vishnu Sahasra Nama Sthothram in praise of Lord Vishnu
was made known, not only to Pandavas but to the entire world by Bheeshma
in the presence of Lord Sri Krishna during his avasaana dasa. But for
Bheeshma, we would have missed the most sacred Sthothra of Lord Sri
Maha Vishnu. Perhaps for this great deed alone, Bheeshma deserves to be
remembered on this scared day of his Niryana and it is befitting to offer our
obeisance and salutations to this noble Soul. Though his end was very
painful having fallen on the bed of arrows for 48 days, Bheeshma had a very
noble and sacred death in the presence of none other than Lord Sri Krishna
Himself. What else! One needs, at the time of death other than this to
attain salvation!
Bheeshma Ekadasi and Bheeshma Niryana
Ekadasi thithi succeeding Bheeshma Niryana is named after the great noble
soul Bheeshmaachaarya, and is called as Bheeshma Ekadasi. Some section
of the society treats this day as the day of Bheeshma Niryana. But actually
Bheeshma niryana did not take place on this day of Ekadasi. It was on the
day of Ashtami thithi the day succeeding Ratha Sapthami that Bheeshma
Niryana took place. Hence, Bheeshma Ekadasi and Bheeshma Niryana seem
to have no relevance.

What is to be done on this day?

Apart from giving Tharpana and Arghya to Bheeshma one can also recite Sri
Vishnu Sahasra Nama Sthothram in honour of its composer. Some people
resort to fasting on this day in respect of the great hero of Mahabharata.

Bheeshma Tharpana

Vyyaaggrapaadagothraaya Saankruthya Pravaraayacha

Ganga Putraaya Bheeshmaaya Aajanma Brahmachaarine

Aputraaya Jalam Daddyaam Namo Bheeshmaaya Varmane

Bheeshmah Saanthanavoh Veerah Sathyavaadi Jitendriyah
Aabhiradbhiravaapnothu Putra Pouthrochithaam Kriyaam

Thila tharpana should be given with black thil seeds by reciting the above
manthra with Yagnopaveetham in apasavya position by those who have lost
their father. Where, father is alive it should be performed in Savya position
with rice. This is stated as Nitya Karma to be performed by all.

Bheeshma Arghya

After performing Aachamanam Arghya should be given with the following

manthra
Vasunaamavatharaya Santhanoraathmajaayacha
Arghyam dadami Bheeshmaaya Aabalabrahmachaarine

Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu
bhargavasarma

Ps
Tharpana/Arghya Manthras courtesy Dharma Shastra Darpana of Mantralaya
Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt & Sri Uttaradhi Mutt calendar