Then desirous of yielding his life up during the Northern solstice, the grandsire of the Kurus, viz., Bhishma though fallen on earth still retained his vital breaths.
धारयामास च प्राणान् पतितोऽपि महीतले॥ उत्तरायणमन्विच्छन् भीष्मः कुरुपितामहः।