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| Bhishma | |
|---|---|
 Statue of Bhishma | |
| Information | |
| Aliases |
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| Gender | Male |
| Position | Supreme commander of the Kuru army |
| Affiliation | Kauravas |
| Weapon | |
| Family |
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| Relatives | Kuru dynasty-Chandravamsha |
| Home | Hastinapura |
Bhishma (Sanskrit: भीष्म, romanized: bhīṣma), also known as Pitamaha, Gangaputra, and Devavrata, is a central figure in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. He was a prince, statesman, and military commander of the ancient Kuru Kingdom. Renowned for his wisdom, valor, and unwavering principles, Bhishma served as the supreme commander of the Kaurava forces during the Kurukshetra War.
Born to King Shantanu and the river goddess Ganga, he was originally named Devavrata. He was designated the heir-apparent to the throne. However, he renounced his claim and took a vow of lifelong celibacy to facilitate his father's marriage to Satyavati. This unparalleled sacrifice earned him the title Bhishma, meaning "the one who undertakes a severe vow," and he was blessed with Ichcha Mrityu—the boon of choosing his time of death.
Bhishma's life after his vow was marked by unwavering loyalty to the Kuru dynasty. He served as the chief advisor and regent to successive rulers of Hastinapura, including his stepbrothers Chitrangada and Vichitravirya, as well as their successors—Pandu and Dhritarashtra. Under his guidance, the kingdom navigated complex political and familial challenges. He played a pivotal role in arranging the marriages of Pandu and Dhritarashtra as well as in the upbringing of their children—the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Bhishma also mediated numerous conflicts within the royal family. Despite his personal allegiance to dharma, Bhishma's loyalty to the throne bound him to side with the Kauravas during the Kurukshetra War.
In battle, Bhishma was unmatched in skill and strategy, holding off the Pandava forces for ten days. On the tenth day, however, the Pandava prince Arjuna, aided by Shikhandi (reincarnation of Amba, Bhishma's past adversary), incapacitated him with a volley of arrows, leaving him lying on a bed of arrows. Bhishma spent fifty-one days in this state, offering counsel to the Pandavas and Kauravas alike. Before his death, timed to the auspicious Uttarayana (winter solstice), he imparted the Vishnu Sahasranama to Yudhishthira and shared his vast knowledge on governance, dharma, and the duties of a king.
Revered in Hindu tradition, Bhishma's legacy endures as a paragon of sacrifice and duty. His death anniversary, observed as Bhishma Ashtami, falls on the eighth lunar day of the bright half of the Magha month (January–February).