Bhishma

Biography

Bhishma (Devavrata), son of Shamtanu and Ganga, takes the terrible vow of celibacy so that Satyavati's line may inherit; he is grandsire of the war.

Primary sources

• Mahabharata · Adi Parva · ch. 96, 100
• Mahabharata · Bhishma Parva

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Family

Dynasty

• Kuru

Timeline

1. Order 40 · earliest cited

   Dice Game

   Shakuni's dice strip Yudhishthira of kingdom, brothers, and Draupadi.

2. Order 70

   Krishna Peace Mission

   Krishna goes to Hastinapura as envoy; peace fails and war is fixed.

3. Order 90

   Bhishma's Fall

   Bhishma falls to Arjuna's arrows, aided by Shikhandin's presence.

4. Order 150

   Aftermath

   Grief, counsel, and the closing of the age after Kurukshetra.

Open full timeline · All events

Events

• Aftermath

  Participated inTraditional

  Mahabharata · Stri ParvaMahabharata · Shanti ParvaMahabharata · Mahaprasthanika Parva

  Events
• Bhishma's Fall

  Participated inTraditional

  Mahabharata · Bhishma Parva

  Events
• Dice Game

  Participated inTraditional

  Mahabharata · Sabha Parva

  Events
• Krishna Peace Mission

  Participated inTraditional

  Mahabharata · Udyoga Parva

  Events

Genealogy

Related verses

• Bhagavad Gītā 1.8