HE OF THE TERRIBLE OATH It’s a crazy story of a guy who denies himself the pleasures of conjugal love and claim to a throne and that is why Bheeshma means He of the terrible oath, referring to his vow of lifelong celibacy and of service to whoever sat on the throne of Hastinapur. This gave him immediate recognition among the gods and he was granted the boon of Ichcha Mrityu, of control over his own death — he could choose the time of his death, but he was not immortal. Immortality is a severe curse and cause of inexorable suffering. Years later to back his vow he enraged a lady Amba which caused him to battle his guru Parashurama. It was apparently a magnificent battle fought over 23 days with all the science of a 007 or Mission Impossible tech but to no conclusion, each too powerful to defeat the other. Eventually the Gods themselves convinced old Parashurama that Bheeshma was invincible. But hell hath seen no fury like the lady scorned Her predicament unchanged, Amba did severe penance to please Lord Shiva who assured her birth as a man named Shikhandi in her next birth who would be able to recall her past and could be instrumental in Bheeshmas death, thus satisfying her vow. Shikhandi got his/her mark in the Epic of the Mahabharata when a reluctant, ashamed and tearful Arjuna felled the grandsire with a rain of arrows thus bringing him crashing down like a giant banyan tree in the middle of a forest. These Gods are really crazy.... It is said that the earth would not accept him for he had lived too long – over four generations instead of just two. It is said the sky would not accept him because he had not fathered children and repaid his debt to ancestors...... So while Arjuna was pouring his arrows, Bheeshma cried My son, the earth will not accept my body, for I am too heavy for her lap. The skies will not accept me, since I have not produced children and have committed a sin. Now that you are on your path to Dharma, do mercy to my withered body in such a way that I belong neither to the earth nor to the sky. So he remained suspended mid-air by Arjuna’s arrows. Seeing Bheeshma laid on such a bed of arrows humbled even the gods who watched from the heavens in reverence, silently blessed the mighty warrior. These Kshatriyas are even crazier..... When the warrior princes of both armies gathered around him enquiring whether they could make him comfortable on his bed of arrows he asked for buttress to his unsupported hanging head. Pillows of silk and velvet were refused till good Arjuna caused him a pillow of three arrows and to quench the war veterans thirst shot an arrow into the earth, and a jet stream of water rose up and into Bhishmas mouth. It is said that Ganga herself rose to quench her sons thirst. And I guess Lord Krishna is a very practical god.........
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 08:01:55 +0000
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