Shloka 29
Bhīṣmadeva’s Passing Away in the Presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa
धर्मं प्रवदतस्तस्य स काल: प्रत्युपस्थित: । यो योगिनश्छन्दमृत्योर्वाञ्छितस्तूत्तरायण: ॥ २९ ॥
dharmaṁ pravadatas tasya sa kālaḥ pratyupasthitaḥ yo yoginaś chanda-mṛtyor vāñchitas tūttarāyaṇaḥ
భీష్మదేవుడు ధర్మకర్తవ్యాలను ఉపదేశించుచుండగా, సూర్యగతి ఉత్తరాయణంలో ప్రవేశించింది. స్వేచ్ఛామరణాన్ని కోరే యోగులు ఈ కాలాన్ని అత్యంత వాంఛనీయంగా భావిస్తారు.
The perfect yogīs or mystics can leave the material body at their own sweet will at a suitable time and go to a suitable planet desired by them. In the Bhagavad-gītā (8.24) it is said that self-realized souls who have exactly identified themselves with the interest of the Supreme Lord can generally leave the material body during the time of the fire-god’s effulgence and when the sun is in the northern horizon, and thus achieve the transcendental sky. In the Vedas these times are considered auspicious for quitting the body, and they are taken advantage of by the expert mystics who have perfected the system. Perfection of yoga means attainment of such supermental states as to be able to leave the material body as desired. Yogīs can also reach any planet within no time without a material vehicle. The yogīs can reach the highest planetary system within a very short time, and this is impossible for the materialist. Even attempting to reach the highest planet will take millions of years at a speed of millions of miles per hour. This is a different science, and Bhīṣmadeva knew well how to utilize it. He was just waiting for the suitable moment to quit his material body, and the golden opportunity arrived when he was instructing his noble grandsons, the Pāṇḍavas. He thus prepared himself to quit his body before the exalted Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the pious Pāṇḍavas and the great sages headed by Bhagavān Vyāsa, etc., all great souls.
FAQs
This verse says that Bhīṣma’s destined moment arrived during Uttarāyaṇa—an auspicious period valued by yogīs who can consciously choose the time of leaving the body.
Because Bhīṣma had the boon of icchā-mṛtyu (voluntary departure) and waited for the favorable Uttarāyaṇa, leaving while absorbed in dharma and in the presence of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
The verse highlights preparation: live by dharma and cultivate steady spiritual remembrance so that one’s final consciousness becomes auspicious, even if one cannot literally choose the moment of death.