Bhishma Ekadashi

The Ekadashi that falls in the month of Magha is called Bhishma Ekadashi. Bhishma Ekadashi is the holiest day on which Bhishma, who was wounded during the battle of Kurukshetra, taught Vishnu the Sahasranama to Dharmaraj while he was on Ampashayya. Bhishma Ekadashi is also known as Jaya Ekadashi. Because it is the belief of the elders that whatever action is taken today will surely be successful, and that those who worship Sri Mahavishnu on this day will have access to heaven.

Bhishma Ekadashi Highlights: Bhishma was the eighth child of Ganga, the Shantanu. The original name was Devavratu. Father Shantanu sacrificed his life to Satyavati by giving her the Satyavati he loved, and for Satyavati's promise that there would be no place in his life for the word of marriage that God would be a bachelor forever for the happiness of the father. Since then the deity has been known as Bhishma. Satisfied with his sacrifice, the father gave Bhishma the gift of voluntary death.

Bhishma, the father of archery, led the battle on the battlefield of Kurukshetra on behalf of the Kauravas, led by Lord Krishna himself for ten days with the ahva yajna single hand. Arjuna and Lord Krishna also became disillusioned with Bhishma's archery. "Bhishma" welcomed death only when he stood on the side of lawlessness and prepared to fight righteousness.  That is, Arjuna, thinking that it was a punishment for his incompetence, reached Bhishma, who had been wounded by arrows, and, waiting for a better time to die, not only preached the kingdom dharma to the Pandavas but also chanted the Vishnu Sahasranama to the king of Dharma.  The gods were also saddened to see Bhishma lying on the ground. Bhishma spent 58 days on Ampashayya, experiencing the agony of death, waiting for the Uttarayana pilgrimage, for death, a great boon to mankind.

In response to King Dharma's skepticism, Lord Krishna, the human idol of Leela, began by saying, 

"Jagat Ebhum Devadevamanantham Purushottamam," and "Vishvam Vishnurvashatkaro Bhuta Bhavya Bhavatprabhu:" 

While Lord Krishna gave Maghashuddha Ekadashi Tithi as a gift on the day of Bhishma's remembrance. This is how the Mahaprasthana of a great man in the Mahabharata epic ended. 

Thousands of years after Bhishma's demise, the "Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra" he prophesied is still dancing to the tune of Bhagavata. His divine voice continues to resonate universally. Reading Vishnu Sahasranama is omnipotent, all purification. Every letter in that nomenclature is divine. The pronoun is Mahamantra. It is immortal. Hindus celebrate Maghashuddha Ashtami as "Bhishmashtami" and Maghashuddha Ekadashi as "Bhishma Ekadashi" when Bhishma reaches Paramatman.