Shloka 16
भीष्म–रामसंयुगनिवृत्तिः
Bhishma and Rama: Restraint and Withdrawal in the Engagement
एवमुक्त्वा महादेव: कपर्दी वृषभध्वज: । पश्यतामेव विप्राणां तत्रैवान्तरधीयत,ऐसा कहकर जटाजूटधारी वृषभध्वज महादेवजी उन सब ब्राह्मणोंके देखते-देखते वहीं अन्तर्धान हो गये
evam uktvā mahādevaḥ kapardī vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ | paśyatām eva viprāṇāṃ tatraivāntaradhīyata ||
Having spoken thus, Mahādeva—matted-haired, bearing the bull as his emblem—vanished on the very spot, even as the brāhmaṇas looked on.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Divine instruction is not merely to be admired; once the Lord withdraws, the onus falls on human witnesses to uphold dharma based on what they have heard and seen. The disappearance highlights both the transcendence of the divine and the ethical responsibility left behind.
After speaking, Mahādeva (Śiva), described by his distinctive marks—matted hair and the bull-emblem—vanishes instantly on the spot, in full view of the assembled brāhmaṇas, emphasizing the miraculous and authoritative nature of the encounter.