Shloka 33
भीष्म हि कुरुशार्दूलमुद्यतेषुं महारणे
vaiśampāyana uvāca | bhīṣmaḥ hi kuruśārdūlam udyateṣuṃ mahāraṇe, śubhānane! tumhāre putra kuruśreṣṭha bhīṣma jab hātha meṃ dhanuṣ-bāṇa liye rahate, us samaya sākṣāt indra bhī unheṃ yuddha meṃ māra nahīṃ sakate the | ye to apnī icchā se hī śarīra tyāgakar svargaloka meṃ gaye haiṃ |
Vaiśampāyana disse: “Ó formosa de rosto! Quando Bhīṣma—o mais eminente dos Kurus—se ergueu na grande batalha com arco e flechas em riste, nem o próprio Indra poderia tê-lo abatido em combate. Ele partiu apenas por sua própria vontade, abandonando o corpo e alcançando o mundo celeste.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights Bhīṣma’s extraordinary martial power and, more importantly, his self-mastery: his end was not forced by an enemy or even a god, but chosen by his own will. It frames death as an act aligned with personal resolve and dharma rather than mere defeat.
Vaiśampāyana explains to the addressed listener (“O fair-faced one”) that Bhīṣma, while armed and battle-ready, was invincible in ordinary combat—even Indra could not kill him. Bhīṣma ultimately left his body voluntarily and went to heaven.