…When Bhishma Did Mistake

Bhishma is a very strong character in Mahabharata. He was son of Ganga and Shantanu. His childhood name was Devavrata. During his childhood, Devavrata was taught political science and other subjects by Brihaspati and Sukracharya, gurus of the Devas and Asuras respectively; Vedas and religious scriptures by the sage Vasishtha; Sage Markandeya was his spiritual guru. On Ganga's persuasion, Devavrata was taught martial arts, military sciences and the use of weapons by Parashurama. His banner in battle was a golden palm tree. He was known as 'Bhishma Pitamaha' (Pitamaha meaning the grandfather or grandsire) among the Pandavas and the Kauravas.He was a well-known person for his knowledge in politics and many other subjects. He was very good archer and he won battle against his Guru Parshurama (unbeatable, he had defeated all the Kshatriya 21 times alone) and this battle continued for 23 Days. No doubt, he had everything, an ideal king should have. He wanted to see Hastinapur safe and secure. But he did the unforgettable mistakes by which, he could not stop Hastinapur and Kuru dynasty from decline and destruction.

First mistake: -- He took the unbreakable vow not to be a king and follow celibacy for his father`s love to a daughter of a fisherman, Satyavati. This was not a mistake of his father, as his father wanted Devavrata should be the future king of Hastinapur, as he had unparalleled prowess for the kingship. Without knowing the capability of the unborn prince from Shantanu and Satyavati, he closed his door to be a king, and left the future of the Hatinapur on chance.

Second Mistake: -- He abducted princesses Amba, Ambika and Ambalika of Kashi (Varanasi) from the assemblage of suitors at their swayamvara for his brother Vichitravirya. Salwa, the ruler of Saubala, and Amba (the eldest princess) were in love. Upon reaching Hastinapura, Amba confided in Bhishma that she wished to wed Salwa. Bhishma then sent her back to Salwa who turned her down as it was humiliating for a man to accept a woman who had been so long in the company of another man. She then naturally approached Bhishma for marriage who refused her, citing his oath. According the Shastra, Bhishma should marry Amba, as he had abducted her, not his brother Vichitravirya .Amba, humiliated and enraged beyond measure, vowed to avenge herself against Bhishma even if it meant being reborn over and over again. In the next incarnation, Amba took birth as Shikhandi and became the cause of his death.

Third Mistake: -- He had boon of Sweccha Mrityu (control over his own death) from his father. Bhishma and the Pandavas would be four generations apart as Bhishma was himself a prince of marriageable age, when his father Shantanu married Satyavati, so Chitrangad and Vichitravirya were more like sons than brothers to Bhishma. When both Chitrangad and Vichitravirya died heirless, Maharshi Ved Vyas was called upon to revive the lineage. Then Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura were born. The Pandavas and Kauravas were the next generation, so although addressed as grandfather, Bhishma was equivalent to their Great-Grandfather. However, Ved Vyas was not happy fathering the aforementioned three heirs. Due to his Sweccha Mrityu, he lived more than a human life on the earth. He remained a big obstruction between the generations. Due to his presence in Mahabharata battle, the war had become stalemate.

This should be the duty of the old generation to give the way to the new generations, where Bhishma failed, and moreover, despite having the entire prowess to be an ideal king, he refused to be a king, and got ready to follow the orders of the incapable king of Hastinapur. Due to a very long life on the earth, the earth also denied accepting his body, so he remained laid on the bed of arrow till auspicious day came to release his body. If Bhishma would have gone through the natural way, then the story of Mahabharata would have been different.