Bhishma

Family: Kurus · Role: elder of the Kuru race · First appears: Book III (The Imperial Sacrifice) · II. Feast and Sacrifice

As elder of the Kuru line, Bhishma received Yudhishthir’s parting blessing in Book IV (The Fatal Dice) · V. The Banishment: “Noble grandsire stainless Bhishma, may thy glories ever shine!” In Book VI (Cattle-Lifting) · I. Complaint of the Cowherd, he led the Kuru warriors with Drona and Karna in the raid on Matsya, driving away the cowherds and taking its cattle.

In Book VIII (Fall of Bhishma) · Introduction, Duryodhan chose Bhishma as commander-in-chief. For ten days Bhishma held his own against Yudhishthir’s army and inflicted serious losses. In battle he faced Arjun and Krishna, routed the Pandav forces, and pierced Abhimanyu with arrows, leaving him faint. At the fall of Bhishma, Arjun placed Sikhandin in the van; Bhishma dropped his arms and fell as the sun declined.

Lying on his bed of arrows, Bhishma urged Duryodhan to grant Yudhishthir his kingdom, but Duryodhan rejected his counsel. In the midnight darkness, Bhishma revealed to Karna that he was the son of Pritha and the Sun. In Book IX (Fall of Drona) · II. Standards of the Pandavs, Karna entered battle after staying away while Bhishma led. Bhishma died and was cremated; in Book XII (Sacrifice of the Horse) · Introduction, he is described as instructing the newly crowned Yudhishthir while still on his deathbed.