When Kaurav-Paandav war started, and Krishn brought Arjun's chariot in the battlefield, Arjun kept his bow and arrow down after looking all around and said to Krishn - "These are all my relations, Guru, elders, friends standing before me with the desire of fighting with me, I cannot fight with them because I cannot aim my weapons at them. Even if I win at the end of war, how can I enjoy that kingdom without them?"

Then Bhagvaan Krishn told him about the mortality of body and immortality of soul, importance of Karm and still detachment from Karm. This Arjun and Krishn dialog is famous as Geetaa which was delivered to Arjun standing in the middle of the battlefield. Then Arjun picked his bow and arrow and got ready to fight.

Mahaabhaarat war continued for 18 days. For the first 10 days Bheeshm was its Chief Army Chief. When up to 9th day nothing important happened, neither from Paandav side nor from kaurav side, Paandav talked among themselves that how to defeat Kaurav army, because like this there was no end of fighting in sight. Because Bheeshm was the Chief Army Chief and he had the Var of Ichchaa Mrityu, so he could not die like that. Krishn said - "It is impossible to win Kaurav Army until Bheeshm Pitaamah is alive, because he has Ichchhaa Mrityu Vardaan from Shantanu." Arjun got restless hearing this that he would have to kill his Pitaamah.

"And how he will die" At this question Krishn said - "Only he can tell you this secret." So 9th day in the night all Paandav went to Bheeshm Pitaamah's camp. Bheeshm Jee also knew that his time now had come to move from the battlefield. So he freed his servants. He also told that he might not need various ointments to treat his wounds. So when Paandav arrived in his camp he was sitting alone. Bheeshm welcomed them, blessed them "Be victorious" and asked their welfare and purpose to come.

Paandav said - "We don't see any end of this war. How we will get victory? There should be some way." Bheeshm said - "Yes, Until I am alive, you cannot win Kaurav. I can tell you this much that if you bring a woman in front of me I will not fight with her." Yudhishthir got surprises at this statement of Bheeshm, he said - "But from where we will bring a woman in the battlefield?" Bheeshm said - "Krishn will tell you about this." All Paandav came back to their camps. Arjun got extremely sad at this but he was helpless.

Then Krishn told the story of Shikhandee and went to him - "Now the time has come fore you to fight with Bheeshm. Next day Arjun brought Shikhandee on his chariot, asked him to fight with Bheeshm. Shikhandee fought very bravely but he could not let him down. Then Krishn asked Arjun to shoot arrows from behind Shukhandee at Bheeshm. All the time Bheeshm stood without fighting. Arjun shot so many arrows at his body that when he fell at last, he did not touch the ground. He fell on arrows. A great noise spread in both the armies, "Bheeshm Pitaamah fell down, Bheeshm Pitaamah fell down".  When Duryodhan heard this he came rushing there and found him really lying on the bed of arrows. Paandav and Krishn were also there.

Bheeshm Jee didn't have any arrow in his head so his head was hanging down. He said crying in pain - "My head is hanging, somebody put a pillow under my head." Duryodhan immediately sent his men to bring the best pillow. By the time they brought the silken pillows Arjun had already shot two arrows crosswise to rest his head on them. All were standing surrounding him. He said - "I feel thirsty, somebody give me water." Again Duryodhan sent his men to bring sweet cool water for him. Again by the time they brought that water Arjun shot an arrow in the ground and a stream of water rose and fell directly into the mouth of Pitaamah. Bheeshm Jee said - "Duryodhan, you can never improve. Only a warrior knows to fulfill a warrior's needs." Duryodhan was once more insulted in front of Arjun.

Nobody fought further on that day. Bheeshm Jee was transferred to a safe place off the battleground. Arjun was very sad on that day.