Shloka 15
ततो<सस््य विधिवच्चक्रुः पितृमेधं महात्मन:
tato 'sya vidhivac cakruḥ pitṛmedhaṃ mahātmanaḥ | apasavyam akurvanta dhṛtarāṣṭramukhāśritāḥ ||
Then they duly performed the funerary rite (pitṛmedha) for that great-souled Bhīṣma. Led by Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the foremost among the Kauravas, they carried out the prescribed observances, including the reverse-direction circumambulation proper to funeral ceremonies. Thus, with solemn propriety, they honored the fallen elder, affirming dharma through correct rites even after the devastations of war.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even after catastrophic conflict, dharma is upheld through proper conduct toward elders and the dead: performing prescribed rites with sincerity restores moral order, expresses gratitude, and affirms social and spiritual responsibility beyond personal enmity.
After Bhīṣma’s passing, the Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas—led by Dhṛtarāṣṭra—carry out his funerary rites in full accordance with ritual law, including the apasavya (counterclockwise) movement appropriate to funeral ceremonies, along with offerings into fire and Vedic chanting.