Bhismadeva as Mahajana

Today is end of Chaturmasya (four months period of rainy season when holy men meditate at a place and conduct more austerities). The last month of this period is called Kartika month. Lord Caintanya Mahaprabhu has said that as Ekadasi is the holiest of days, Kartika is the holiest of months. The last five days of Kartika month are known as Bhisma-panacaka. Grandfather Bhisma fasted for these five days, preparing to give up his life. Devotees observe fasting from certain foodstuffs on the Bhishma-panchaka for the pleasure of the Lord. Fast begins by remembering Bhismadeva on the Ekadasi day and ends on Purnima (the full moon).

Bhismadeva was the great grandfather of the Pandavas and Kauravas. Son of Shantanu and Gagadevi, Bhisma was elder brother of Dhrtarastra's father. Actually, the kingdom of Kurus of the Bharata clan belonged to him. Since he remained a brahmacari having vowed not to marry, his nephews, Dhrtarastra and Pandu became the inheritor.

He is one of the asta-vasus (eight gana-devatas and one of the 33 principle demigods as per Vedas). He had to take human birth because of a curse by Vashistha Muni when he and the other vasus had kidnapped Nandini cow from the Muni’s ashrama.

He was an unparalleled archer and once vanquished his spiritual master, the mighty Lord Parasuram (one of the ten leela avatars or past-time incarnations of the Lord). As a true kshtriya, he was exemplary in his determination to keep his words. He had promised to protect the Kuru dynasty at any cost. Also, he was under strict instructions from Lord Krishna to fight in the side of the Kauravas, lest Duryodhana would back away from the war.

Bhismadeva is counted as one of the twelve great mahajana or great personalities of Vedic age. The other mahajana’s are Lord Brahma, Bhagavan Narada, Lord Siva, the four Kumaras, Lord Kapila (the son of Devahuti), Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja (father of Sita devi), Bali Maharaja, Sukadeva Gosvami and Yamaraja since they know the real religious principle. His tryst to break the promise of Lord Krishna of not picking weapons during the war and his last words of dharma or religious principles to King Yudhisthira before leaving his body are testimony to his greatness. He left his body with his eyes set on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna.