Bhishma: Not so much talked about hero

Mahabharata is full of characters, some positive, some negative, some divine, some evil. People find heroes and villains in these characters and rightly so, Mahabharata was composed to educate less intelligent people about profound religious injections. In these heroes, there is a great hero who is like the sun in the galaxy of characters in Mahabharata. This hero is Bhishma who witnessed Mahabharata right from the beginning till the end and yet, he is not given as much value as he really should be.
             The character Bhishma, born as Devavrata to Gangadevi and Shantanu, is unprecedented. He has all the qualities that a kshatriya and a saint should have. Firmness to stand by the word, infinite patience, having deep knowledge of religion and war skills, infinite love with the supreme personality of Godhead, not desiring anything although deserving more than almost everybody present are just some virtues of this great son of Shantanu. Bhishma is a great ambassador of religion and he has spotless character, as white as perhaps his white beard and super bright clothes which he wears!

Krishna braking own vow of not picking arms in Mahabharata (from BBT)

             Bhishma was the best warrior present in the battlefield of Mahabharata, second only to Krishna. Bhishma was so great in his skills that he had defeated even his guru Lord Parashuram, who had made the earth devoid of kshatriyas for twenty one times. But Bhishma was no ordinary Kshatriya. Arjuna was not as good as his grandsire, but he was on the side of dharma in that war. Due to following strict celibacy throughout life, Bhishma's body was like vraja (very hard) and he possessed great bodily strength. Bhishma was highly qualified in political science (it is he who taught politics to Vidura who was highly praised for his knowledge). Bhishma is one of the very few who knew the Bhagwata-Dharma (he is one of twelve mahabhagwatas who understand the devotion to the supreme personality of the Godhead perfectly). He was the great devotee of Krishna and just out of love, Krishna had broken his own vow of not picking the arms to fulfill the vow of Bhishma (Bhishma had vowed to force Krishna to pick up weapons although he knew Krishna is one who could not be forced to do anything). This spotless warrior had never broken his promise, had always walked on the path of righteousness. Some of this unbroken promises are to be celibate throughout the life, to be alive till he sees Hastinapura safe, to always serve whoever would be the king of Hastinapura, to get Krishna pick arms, etc.
           Bhishma is a highly spiritual character, he does not live the life of bodily conception. Its he who wrote Vishnusahastranam. His religious indoctrination in Mahabharata (narration to Yudhisthira on deathbed) is perfect in that it describes the dharma for each member of the society. I bow down to this great inspirational character who is personified dharma.