Being afraid for having killed so many people on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, Yudhiṣṭhira went to the scene of the massacre to meet Bhīsma, who was lying on a bed of arrows, about to pass away. Bhīṣma was endowed with the power of leaving his body at will. His passing away attracted the attention of all the contemporary elites, and all of them assembled there to show their feelings of love and respect for the great soul. By the will of Kṛṣṇa, Bhīṣma would impart instructions to King Yudhiṣṭhira on the subject of occupational duties.
Being afraid for having killed so many people on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, Yudhiṣṭhira went to the scene of the massacre to meet Bhīsma, who was lying on a bed of arrows, about to pass away. Bhīṣma was endowed with the power of leaving his body at will. His passing away attracted the attention of all the contemporary elites, and all of them assembled there to show their feelings of love and respect for the great soul. By the will of Kṛṣṇa, Bhīṣma would impart instructions to King Yudhiṣṭhira on the subject of occupational duties.
All his brothers followed the king, and with them were Vyāsa, ṛṣis like Dhaumya and others. Kṛṣṇa also followed, seated on a chariot with Arjuna. Thus Yudhiṣṭhira appeared aristocratic, like Kuvera surrounded by the Guhyakas. Kṛṣṇa wanted the Pāṇḍavas to be present before Bhīṣma in the most aristocratic order so that he might be pleased to see them happy at the time of his death.
Seeing Bhīṣma lying on the ground, Yudhiṣṭhira along with his brothers bowed down. Kṛṣṇa behaved in a humanly custom and so also bowed down before Bhīṣma. Bhīṣṁa understood Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he would later address Kṛṣṇa as bhagavān sākṣād and ādyo nārāyaṇaḥ. Just to see Bhīṣma, all the great souls like the ṛṣis amongst the demigods, brāhmaṇa sages and kings who were sages, all situated in the quality of goodness, were assembled there.