Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 86
नि:सृत्याकाशमाविश्य क्षणेनान्तरधीयत । जनेश्वर! भीष्मजीका प्राण उनके ब्रह्मरन्ध्रसे निकलकर बड़ी भारी उल्काकी भाँति आकाशगमें उड़ा और क्षणभरमें अन्तर्धान हो गया
niḥsṛtyākāśam āviśya kṣaṇenāntaradhīyata | janeśvara! bhīṣmajīkā prāṇaḥ tasya brahmarandhrāt niṣkramya mahā-ulkāyā iva ākāśa-gataḥ uḍḍīya kṣaṇamātreṇa antarhitaḥ |
ਵੈਸ਼ੰਪਾਯਨ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਹੇ ਜਨੇਸ਼ਵਰ! ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਜੀ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਾਣ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਰੰਧ੍ਰ ਤੋਂ ਨਿਕਲ ਕੇ, ਇਕ ਵੱਡੀ ਉਲਕਾ ਵਾਂਗ ਆਕਾਸ਼ ਵਿੱਚ ਉੱਡਿਆ ਅਤੇ ਪਲ ਭਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਦ੍ਰਿਸ਼ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ideal of a disciplined, dharmic end: Bhīṣma’s prāṇa departs through the brahma-randhra, a yogic motif suggesting mastery over the moment and manner of death, and pointing to spiritual attainment rather than ordinary mortality.
Vaiśampāyana describes Bhīṣma’s final departure: his life-breath leaves through the crown aperture, rises into the sky like a great meteor, and disappears—marking the completion of his life and the solemn, extraordinary nature of his passing.