Texts 6-7] Bhisma’s Passing Away 447

all his suicide attempts were unsuccessful. He is also one of the seven rsis
and husband of Arundhati, the famous star.

Indrapramada. Another celebrated rsi.

Trita. One of the three sons of Prajapati Gautama. He was the third son,
and his other two brothers were known as Ekat and Duita. All the brothers
were great sages and strict followers of the principles of religion. By dint
of severe penances they were promoted to Brahmaloka (the planet where
Brahmaji lives). Once Trita Muni fell in a well. He was an organizing worker
of many sacrifices, and as one of the great sages he also came to show
respect to Bhismaji at his deathbed. He was one of the seven sages in the
Varunaloka. He hailed from the Western countries of the world. As such,
most probably he belonged to the European countries. At that time the
whole world was under one Vedic culture.

Grtsamada. One of the sages of the heavenly kingdom. He was a close
friend of Indra the King of heaven and was as great as Brhaspati. He used
to visit the royal assembly of Maharaja Yudhisthira, and he also visited the
place where Bhismadeva breathed his last. Sometimes he explained the
glories of Lord Siva before Maharaja Yudhisthira. He was the son of
Vitahavya, and he resembled in features the body of Indra. Sometimes the
enemies of Indra mistook him to be Indra and arrested him. He was a great
scholar of the Rg-veda, and thus he was highly respected by the brahmana
community. He lived a life of celibacy and was powerful in every respect.

Asita. There was a king of the same name, but herein the Asita men-
tioned is the Asita Devala Rsi, a great powerful sage of the time. He
explained to his father 1,500,000 verses from the Mahabharata. He was one
of the members in the snake sacrifice of Maharaja Janamcjaya. He was also
present during the coronation ceremony of Maharaja. Yudhisthira along
with other great rsis. He also gave Maharaja Yudhisthira instructions while
he was on the Afijana Hill. He was also one of the devotees of Lord Siva.

Kaksivan. One of the sons of Gautama Muni and the father of the great
sage Candakausika. He was one of the members of Parliament of Maharaja
Yudhisthira.

Atri. Atri Muni was a great brahmana sage and was one of the mental
sons of Brahmaji. Brahmaji is so powerful that simply by thinking of a son
he can have it. These sons are known as manasa-putras. Out of seven
manasa-putras of Brahmaji and out of the seven great brahmana sages. Atri
was one. In his family the great Pracetas were also born. Atri Muni had
two ksatriya sons who became kings. King Arthama is one of them. He is
counted as one of the twenty-one Prajapatis. His wife’s name was Anasilya,
and he helped Maharaja Pariksit in his great sacrifices.
