Bhishma deva... Taking a closer look...

As a young prince he vowed never to marry or have children in order to satisfy the father of a girl that his father wanted to marry and to serve and protect Hastinapur as his life's service. Very powerful vows for sure for a kshatriya to never marry and still carry on the duties and responsibilities of the royal order.

Later when the Pandavas were left fatherless with the death of Pandu, Bhishma considered them to be his grandchildren. This would put Bhishma in a very difficult situation later at the Battle of Kurukshetra. For one thing if Bhishma was never to marry and have children how could he have grandchildren? This was on the emotional and sentimental level. To remain alone was very difficult with no "loving relationships at all." And the Pandavas were just young children when Pandu passed away.

The bond was very strong between the Pandavas and Grandfather Bhishma. We see Arjuna falling to pieces before the battle. His love for his grandfather blocking his having to kill him even though Bhishma found himself on the wrong side, the side of irreligion.

Again the dynamic of duty versus emotions which plays out all through the Personality of Godhead's pastimes.. The whole Bhagavad gita addresses this dilemma. The conclusion.... relationships based on the temporary body have lower precedence than religious duties. And the highest religious duty is the abandoning of all "varieties" of religion and simply surrender to Krishna.

We see how strong and faithful Krishna is in a friendship. Even when the friend "drops the ball" so to speak, Krishna picks up the slack, overlooks the friend's shortcoming and preserves the loving relationship. Arjuna "dropped the ball" before the battle. His friend Krishna carried him to the proper conclusion.