Krishna, Bhishma and the Promise of Dharma – A Mahabharata Insight!
In the vast epic of the Mahabharata, many events carry deep spiritual meaning. One such question often arises in the minds of devotees: Why did Lord Krishna not kill Bhishma Pitamah, even though he had the power to do so?
Scriptural Reference :-
Lord Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate creator, controller, and destroyer of the universe. As stated in the Brahma Samhita:
“Īśvaraḥ Paramaḥ Kṛṣṇaḥ
Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
Anādir ādir govindaḥ
Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam”
Meaning: Krishna is the Supreme Lord, the embodiment of eternal existence, knowledge, and bliss. He is the cause of all causes.
Before the Mahabharata war began, both Arjuna and Duryodhana went to Dwarka to seek Krishna’s support. When they arrived, Krishna was resting. Arjuna stood near Krishna’s feet in humility, while Duryodhana sat near his head.
When Krishna opened his eyes, he first saw Arjuna. Therefore, according to dharma, Krishna offered Arjuna the first choice. Krishna said:
“On one side will be my giant Narayani army, and on the other side I will be present personally — but I'll not fight and will not carry any weapon.”
Without hesitation, Arjuna chose Krishna himself, even though he would not fight. Duryodhana, thinking in terms of numbers and power, happily accepted the Narayani army.
This moment reveals an eternal truth:
Devotees choose God, while materialistic people choose worldly strength.
As the war progressed, Bhishma Pitamah proved to be nearly invincible on the battlefield. His power, experience, and divine weapons caused great destruction among the Pandava forces. At one point, Arjuna felt emotionally and morally conflicted about fighting his own grandfather.
Krishna at the war of Mahabharata:
Seeing Arjuna’s hesitation and the destruction caused by Bhishma on the battlefield, Krishna became deeply angered. The purpose of the Mahabharata war was the establishment of dharma and the defeat of adharma, and Krishna could not tolerate the victory of unrighteousness.
In that intense moment, Krishna suddenly jumped down from the chariot. He lifted a broken chariot wheel and rushed toward Bhishma as if he were about to strike him down.
Seeing this divine form, Bhishma Pitamah immediately dropped his weapons and folded his hands in reverence. Bhishma had taken a vow that he would force Krishna to break His promise of not lifting a weapon during the war.
At that moment, Bhishma felt great joy, because his desire was fulfilled. He wished to see Krishna in that fierce and majestic form, and the Lord had revealed it before him.
However, Arjuna quickly ran forward and stopped Krishna, promising that he would now fight Bhishma with full determination.
The Deeper Reasons Krishna Did Not Kill Bhishma:
There were deeper spiritual reasons why Krishna did not kill Bhishma on the battlefield.
First, Bhishma had received the divine boon of Icchā-Mrityu, the power to choose the time of his own death. He had already decided that he would leave his body only during Uttarayana, the sacred period when the sun begins its northern journey.
Second, Bhishma still had an important role in the divine plan of the Mahabharata. After the war, he lay on the famous bed of arrows (Shar-Shayya) and gave profound teachings on dharma, kingship, and righteousness to Yudhishthira. These teachings later became a major part of the Mahabharata known as the Shanti Parva.
Bhishma – A Warrior and a Devotee
Although Bhishma fought on the side of the Kauravas because of his vow to protect the throne of Hastinapura, his heart was always devoted to Krishna.
Even while lying on the bed of arrows, Bhishma fixed his mind upon the Lord and glorified Him with deep devotion.
One of his famous krishna stuti describing Krishna’s beautiful form also called as Bhishma stuti
Tribhuvana-kamanam tamala-varnam
Ravi-kara-gaura-vara-ambaram dadhane
Vapuh alaka-kula-avrita-ananabjam
Vijaya-sakhe ratir astu me anavadyā.
Meaning:
May my eternal love remain fixed upon Lord Krishna, the friend of Arjuna, whose dark complexion resembles the tamala tree, whose garments shine like the sun, and whose beautiful face is surrounded by curling locks of hair.
The Divine Relationship Between Krishna and Bhishma
Thus, Krishna did not kill Bhishma because:
Bhishma had the boon to choose the time of his death.
He wished to leave his body during Uttarayana.
He had an important role to teach dharma after the war.
Krishna also wished to honor the vow and devotion of His great devotee.
The relationship between Krishna and Bhishma was not merely that of warrior and opponent. It was the sacred bond between the Supreme Lord and His devoted servant.
Bhishma Pitamah therefore remains one of the greatest warriors and devotees in the Mahabharata. Even while lying on a bed of arrows, his mind remained completely fixed on Krishna.
For this reason, devotees across generations bow with deep reverence to this extraordinary soul.
Hare Krishna 🙏
Comments
Post a Comment