high-souled person, why
should Bhishma pass out (of the world) during the southern declension?'
Having said these words, those swans went away, proceeding towards the
southern direction. Endued with great intelligence, Bhishma, O Bharata.
beholding them, reflected for a moment. And the son of Santanu then said
unto them, 'I will never pass out (of the world) as long as the Sun is in
the southern solstice. Even this is my resolve. I will proceed to my own
ancient abode when the Sun reacheth the northern solstice. Ye swans, I
tell you this truly. Expectant of the northern declension I will hold my
life. Since I have the fullest control over the yielding up of my life, I
will, therefore, hold life, expectant of death during the northern
declension. The boon that was granted to me by my illustrious sire, to
the effect that my death would depend on my own wish. O, let that boon
become true. I will hold my life, since I have control in the matter of
laying it down.' Having said these words to those swans, he continued to
lie down on his bed of arrows.

"When that crest of the Kuru race, viz., Bhishma of great energy, fell
down, the Pandavas and the Srinjayas uttered leonine shouts. When the
grandsire of the Bharatas who was endued with great might was overthrown,
thy son, O bull of Bharata's race, knew not what to do. And all the Kurus
were entirely deprived of their senses. And the Kurus headed by Kripa,
and Duryodhana, sighed and wept. And from grief they remained for a long
while deprived of their senses. And they remained perfectly still, O
monarch, without setting their hearts on battle. As if seized by thighs,
they stood motionless, without proceeding against the Pandavas. When
Santanu's son Bhishma of mighty energy, who was (regarded as) unslayable,
was slain, all of us thought that the destruction of the Kuru king was at
hand.[490] Vanquished by Savyasachin, with our foremost heroes slain, and
ourselves mangled with sharp arrows, we knew not what to do. And the
heroic Pandavas possessed of massive arms that looked like spiked maces,
having obtained the victory and won a highly blessed state in the other
world,[491] all blew their great conches. And the Somakas and the
Panchalas all rejoiced, O king. Then when thousands of trumpets were
blown, the mighty Bhimasena slapped his arm-pits and uttered loud shouts.
When the all-powerful son of Ganga was slain, the heroic warriors of both
armies, laying down their weapons, be