Mahabharat: Unknown stories of Mahabharat’s characters (Part 6)

Some more facts about Bhishma-

Bhishma was cursed by sage Apava to remain as celibate in his next life.

Bhishma could check the fierce flow of Ganga with his divine arrows.

Bhishma took the vow of celibacy when he was thirty-six years old and hence fulfilled the curse imposed by sage Apava.

Bhishma abducted the three princesses of Kashi and defeated all the kings of the earth who were assembled in the swayambara.

Bhishma defeated a Yadava king named Shalva in archery.

Bhishma killed a evil king named Ugrayudha who attacked the Panchala kingdom.

Bhishma briefly ruled Hastinapura for a short period of time after the premature death of Vichitravirya.

The flagpole of Bhishma’s chariot was marked with five bright stars decorated on a blue piece of cloth.

Bhishma was knowledgeable about the sleep-inducing weapon known as Sammohanastra and countered the weapon which was invoked by Arjuna in Virat war.

Bhishma was the warrior who listed the ranking of the warriors as Ardharathas, Rathas, Maharathas and Atirathas prior to the commencement of Kurukshetra war.

Bhishma defeated Arjuna in a battle on the 2nd day of Kurukshetra war.

Bhishma was defeated by Arjuna on the 3rd day of Kurukshetra war due to the inability to counter the weapon known as Mahendrastra.

Bhishma single-handedly resisted a combined group attack perpetrated by all the five Pandava brothers on the 7th day of Kurukshetra war.

Bhishma killed ten thousand Pandava warriors per day during his tenure for ten days as the commander-in-chief of the Kourava army.

Bhishma additionally killed one million Pandava foot soilders during his tenure as the commander-in-chief of the Kourava army.

Since he fell in the war during Dakshinayana (southward movement of the sun) that was not an auspicious time to die, he chose to wait till Uthrayana (northward movement of the sun), which arrived after 58 days.