The description of the battle in detail is mostly repetition
of the same words and occupies several sections of Book 6. Hidden in those
words are interesting episodes and conversations. For example, when Arjuna
hesitates to engage Bhishma in battle, forgetting his own vow to kill him, Krishna
gets angry , jumps down from his seat as the Charioteer for Arjuna, and runs
towards Bhishma. Arjuna gets anxious and runs after Krishna and pleads with
him. Arjuna says: “ Please do not do this. I promise I will engage Bhishma in
battle. If you do this you will be breaking a promise you made (that he,
Krishna, will help the Pandavas but will not personally engage)”. Krishna cools down and gets back to His duty!
Then, after routed by Bhishma one day, all the Pandavas meet
and how they can ever win the battle as long as Bhishma is fighting. Yudhishtra
says that the best is to go to Bhishma himself and ask him how to defeat him!
Yudhishtra says: “I know our grandsire will want us to get the kingdom which
belong to us. He cares about us and he will tell what is beneficial to us”.
This is a lesson in itself.
Then they go to Bhishma’s tent in the Kaurava camp. This is
another lesson on the rules of engagement in war. What a noble path they
followed and how "uncivilized" and cruel we have become!
Bhishma , in turn, acts true to his noble character and
tells the Pandavas how he may be killed. He says that he will not fight against
the following people: “One who has thrown away his weapons, one who has fallen
down, one whose armor has slipped off, one whose standard is down, one who is
running away, one who is frightened, one who surrenders and one who is a female
or has a feminine name and one who is no longer capable of taking care of one's
self, one who has only one son. In your army you have a warrior by name
Sikhandi. He was a female at one time and was known as Sikhandini. Therefore, I
will not fight with him. I cannot be defeated by any one except Krishna and
Arjuna. Let Arjuna keep Sikhandi in front of him and fight. Using that opportunity, let Dhananjaya (Arjuna)
pierce me on every side with his shafts”. (Book 6; Section 108). I get tears in
my eyes reading these words!
And, as requested, Bhishma is felled, but not killed, mostly
by Sikhandin, but the final darts were those of Arjuna – reincarnation of
Vishnu as Nara with Narayana as Krishna. This is described in Section 120 of
this version (Ganguli Translation).
Bhishma falls down but does not touch the ground since he
has so many arrows stuck to him. He also says that he has received a boon to
decide when he wishes to die. Since it was still dakshinayana when he was felled, he plans to “keep” his life till
the sun starts its northward journey (uttarayana).
Both the Kauravas and the Pandavas stop the battle and come to where Bhishma is
laying with his head hanging down. He asks for a pillow. Only Arjuna
understands and gives him a pillow made of three arrows. When he asks for
water, he calls for Arjuna again. Arjuna pierces the earth with his special
Parjanya arrow just “south” of Bhishma’s face. Water springs from that spot
just right into Bhishma’s lips.
Bhishma uses these two events to tell all those assembled to
show that Arjuna is the Lord Himself and that he is the only one (other than
Krishna) who knows all the celestial weapons. He asks Duryodhana to stop the
war since no one can win against the Pandavas with both Nara and Narayana on
their side. He asks Duryodhana to give half of the kingdom to the Pandavas with
Indraprastha (modern day Delhi) as the capital. He pleads: “Let this war end
with my death”!
Later, Karna learns of Bhishma’s death and comes to see
Bhishma on his bed of arrows. He asks for forgiveness. Bhishma says that he is pleased
to see him alone when they can talk. Bhishma forgives Karna and tells him: “You
are actually the brother of the Pandavas and you should make peace with them.
Let this slaughter end with my death. I know your prowess as a remarkable
warrior. You are great in giving gifts (dana)
and you will never refuse anything when someone asks (that is how you gave away
your invincible body armor to Indra). I do not have dislike for you. But I
treated you badly just so you will not get into this battle, to control your
pride. Because of the circumstances of your birth, your pride and your
association with low-thinking people you have come to this state. Stop this
fight”.
Karna says: “I know I am Kunti’s son. But she left me helpless.
I was raised by Radha and Atiratha. And I was protected by and fed by
Duryodhana. I owe them allegiance and my duty is to fight for my protector.
Please let me fight and keep my honor and die as a Kshatriya should”. Bhishma
says: “If that is what you wish to do, I give you my permission. But, fight
without pride and discharge your duty with moksha
(attainment of Kshatriya heaven) as your goal”
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