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स्वर्गारोहणिकपर्व (svargArohaNikaparva)

 
Mahabharata
English
Svargārohaṇika(ṃ) [parva] (“[the section]
relating to the ascension to heaven”). § 10 (Parvasaṅgr.): I, 2, 356 (ºaṃ, sc. parva, i.e. Svargārohaṇaparvan).
Svargārohaṇika(ṃ) parva(n) (“Bhīshma's ascension to Heaven”), the 92nd of the minor parvans of Mhbhr. § 10 (Pārvas.): I, 2, 353.--§ 777. Vaiśampāyana said: When Yudhishṭhira had taken leave of the citizens, etc., he comforted the widows, whose husbands had been slain, with abundant gifts, and being duly installed on the throne, he reassured all his subjects [by acts of goodwill], etc. After fifty days, seeing that the sun had begun its northern course, he set out to see Bhīshma, taking with him what was necessary for the latter's cremation, accompanied by Dhṛtarāshṭra, Gāndhārī, Kuntī, his brothers, Kṛshṇa, Vidura, Yuyutsu, Yuyudhāna, and his other relatives and a great retinue, and his priests. He beheld Bhīshma surrounded by Ṛ Vyāsa, Nārada, Asita Devala, and by the remnant of unslain kings from various parts of the country, guarded by the warriors appointed for that duty
all the inhabitants of Kurujāṅgala were also there. When Yudhishṭhira had told his errand, Bhīshma opened his eyes and saw all the Bharatas assembled. He seized the hand of Yudhishṭhira and welcomed him
he had now been lying there for fifty-eight nights, which he had felt to be as long as a century
now it was the bright fortnight of Māgha, and of this one-fourth had passed away. Then he reminded Dhṛtarāshṭra of the instructions he had received from Vyāsa, and that he should regard the Pāṇḍavas and especially Yudhishṭhira as his own sons. Then he praised Kṛshṇa as the Supreme God, and asked him to grant him leave to die, and that he should ever protect the Pāṇḍavas
he complained that Duryodhana had never been willing to follow his counsels
he said that he knew from Nārada and Vyāsa, that Kṛshṇa and Arjuna were Ṛ Nārāyaṇa and Nara, who had lived for a long time in Badarī. Kṛshṇa then gave Bhīshma leave to die and come to the Vasus, comparing him to Mārkaṇḍeya. Having given some few admonitions to Dhṛtarāshṭra, etc. (XIII, 168), Bhīshma successively caused his life-breaths to leave his body, and the parts of his body became successively free from wounds and arrows, at which the bystanders became filled with wonder. His soul passed through the crown of his head, ascended to heaven like a meteor, and soon became invisible, while the celestial kettledrums began to play, a rain of flowers fell down, and Si. and B-ṛ. applauded. Then the Pāṇḍavas, etc. () cremated the corpse. Then, accompanied by Ṛ., etc. (), they proceeded to Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā), where they offered oblations of water to Bhīshma. Then Bhāgīrathī appeared and, weeping, praised Bhīshma (). Kṛshṇa comforted her, mentioning the present felicity of Bhīshma as one of the Vasus, and declared that he had not been slain by Śikhaṇḍin, but by Arjuna. Gaṅgā gave up her grief
all the kings, headed by Kṛshṇa, obtained her permission to depart, and all returned [to the city]
(XIII, 169).