Bhishma Ashtami

Bhishma Ashtami is also celebrated as the Nirvana Day of Bhishma Pitamah. Bhishma Pitamah had left his body on the Ashtami date of Shukla Paksha of Magh month. That's why Bhishma Ashtami is also celebrated as his Nirvana Day. On this day worship is done in his memory and he is bowed down.

The worship method of Bhishma Ashtami can be done in the following way:

Take a bath on the day of Bhishma Ashtami and become pure. It is considered an auspicious personality.

Select a holy place where the puja can be performed. Decorate the place of worship and install an idol, picture or pothi of Lord Bhishma.

Take a Kalash and fill it with Ganga water. Install the Kalash at the place of worship and keep coconut, fat, betel nut, cardamom, cloves, and money in it.

Prepare gangajal, durva, roli, rice, kumkum, supari, flowers, lamp, incense, naivedya (sweets or prasad), clothes, etc.

Before starting the puja, purify your mind and seek the blessings of Lord Bhishma. Follow various worship rituals, such as lighting a lamp, offering incense, chanting mantras, offering flowers and offerings, performing aarti, etc.

After worship, offer Prasad to God and then distribute it in the form of food.

Keep a fast on Bhishma Ashtami and listen to the story of Lord Bhishma. This will help in understanding the glory of their sacrifice and sacrifice.

Story:

It is a matter of time of Dwapar Yuga. One day King Shantanu went out hunting. He saw a beautiful woman in the forest on the banks of the Ganges. That woman was very beautiful. That woman was none other than Mother Ganga. King Shantanu became fascinated by her. He proposed marriage to her, then Ganga said that I will do all the work as per my wish, if you ask me the reason to stop or do that work, I will leave everything and go away. King Shantanu accepted his condition. Seven sons were born to him, but whenever a son was born, Ganga Mata used to make him flow into Ganga ji. Seeing all this, King Shantanu could not say anything because he was bound by the words he had given and did not want to lose Ganga. When the eighth son was born and she went to shed it in Ganga ji, the king was very worried and his patience broke and he asked Ganga the reason for this, then Ganga said that your vow has been broken when you asked. Now I am leaving everything behind. The name of the eighth son was Devdutt. He was brought up by Ganga and learned warfare from Parshuram. Shantanu declared his son Devadatta as the emperor of Hastinapur.

Once King Shantanu saw Nishad's daughter. Her name was Satyavati. They were fascinated to see him. And proposed marriage to Kevat. The boatman said that this marriage can take place only if you declare the son born to Satyavati the prince of Hastinapur. This worried King Shantanu a lot. Because he had already made Devdutt the king of Hastinapur, but he was in love with Satyavati. Devdutt did not know about this. When he came to know about this, Devdutt accepted his condition in front of the boatman and took a vow never to get married. It was because of this promise that he was named Bhishma. Pleased with this sacrifice, King Shantanu gave him the boon of voluntary death.

He had one more promise which became the reason for his death. He had vowed that he would never raise arms in front of any woman.

If we talk about the war of Mahabharata, when Shikhandi came in front of Bhishma, he gave up his weapons and lay down on the arrows showered by Arjuna and then he voluntarily gave up his life.

Through this festival, people get an opportunity to understand the greatness, sacrifice and dharma of Bhishma Pitamah. They remember their sacrifices and try to imbibe the values of their lives.

Bhishma Ashtami is a symbolic and important festival which holds religious and cultural significance.