HARIHARESHWARI 14 : CHANDRA CHAYAYAM SINGHASANAM

CHAPTER 21

When night was over, Bhishm woke up. He thought about his dream and was extremely delighted. Remembering the method of summoning and using prasvapan and sambodhana, the son of Shantanu, went to the battlefield.

Then once again, a tumultuous battle ensued between the Guru and the shishya. It was extraordinary for all beings and made the body hair stand up.

Parshuram shot a net of arrows at Bhishm, who successfully countered them all. Thereupon, the great ascetic was again supremely enraged. He angrily hurled a spear at Gangeya. It was like Indra’s vajra to the touch. It was as resplendent as Yama’s staff. It flamed like the fire and licked all directions of that field of battle.

With great force, it struck Bhishm on the shoulder. Thus wounded by the mighty-armed Jamdagneya, whose eyes were red, terrible streams of blood began to flow from Gangeya's shoulder, like minerals streaming from mountains.

Bhishm became extremely angry at Parshuram and hurled an arrow at him. It was like death, like the poison of serpents. Jamdagneya was struck on the forehead by it. The bhrighunandan became even more angry, and began shooting arrows.

And thus the battle continued. Terrible spears were hurled, hundreds and thousands of arrows were shot, and even Brahmastra was used and countered each other in mid air.

Because of the energy of those weapons, the rishis, the gandharvas and the gods were extremely tormented and oppressed. The earth, with its mountains, forests and trees, trembled. All the beings were supremely afflicted.

The sky blazed. The ten directions were full of smoke. Those that were in the sky were no longer capable of remaining in the firmament. There was a great lamentation in the world, with the gods, the asuras and the rakshasas.

Bhishm decided that now was the perfect time to use his beloved weapon prasvapan, as those 8 Brahmans asked him to.

At this, there was the sound of a great tumult in the sky.

"Kurunandan ! Prasvapan ka prayog na karo !" Narad Muni said appearing before them.

But Bhishm still aimed that weapon at Parshuram. While he was aiming the prasvapan, Narad said, "Parshuram Brahaman hai. Anant tapas hai unme. Woh tumhare Guru hai. Prasvapan ka prayog kar unka anadar na karo."

Then Bhishm saw those eight Brahmans, stationed at the sky. They smiled and spoke softly to him, "Bharatvanshi, jaisa Narad keh rahe hai waisa karo. Sabke hit mei yahi hoga."

Thus Bhishm, withdrew the prasvapan weapon. Instead, he readied a blazing Brahmastra. But having seen him not shoot prasvapan, Parshuram muttered with a smile, "Mujhe Bhishm ne jeet liya."

But then Parshuram saw his father Jamdagni, his grandfather Richika and his great-grandfather, descending down from the sky and coming towards him.

They surrounded him and in a comforting voice they said, "Parshuram, iss prakar ka sahas na karo, visheshkar tab jab tum Bhishm jaise kshatriya se yudh kar rahe ho. Iske saath yudh mei utarna tumhare liye uchit nahi. Shashtra neeche karlo. Bhishm ko bhi sabhi devta ne ab aur yudh karne se mana kiya hai."

Richika said, "Bhishm koi aur nahi, swayam Vasu Dyou hai. Woh tumse kaise parajit ho sakta hai ? Parshuram, piche hatt jaao."

With a smile on face, Jamdagneya said, "अर्जुनः पाण्डवश्रेष्ठः पुरंदरसुतो बली ||
नरः प्रजापतिर्वीरः पूर्वदेवः सनातनः ।
सव्यसाचीति विख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु वीर्यवान्।भीष्ममृत्युर्यथाकालं विहितो वै स्वयम्भुवा ॥"
(The ancient and eternal god, Prajapati Nara, shall appear as the son of Indra, Pandavshresht Mahabali Arjun. Due to his valour, he will be famous in the lokas as Savyasachi. Brahma himself, has appointed him to be the cause of Bhishm's death.)