Shloka 20
अश्वशिरो-आख्यानम्
Aśvaśiras / Hayaśiras Narrative: Retrieval of the Vedas
पितरौ सर्वभूतानां दैवतं च यशस्विनौ । कां देवतां तु यजतः पितृन् वा कान् महामती,'ये ही दोनों परमधामस्वरूप हैं। इनका यह नित्यकर्म कैसा है? ये दोनों यशस्वी देवता सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंके पिता और देवता हैं। ये परम बुद्धिमान् दोनों बन्धु भला किस देवताका यजन और किन पितरोंका पूजन करते हैं?”
pitarau sarvabhūtānāṁ daivataṁ ca yaśasvinau | kāṁ devatāṁ tu yajataḥ pitṝn vā kān mahāmatī ||
Bhishma sprach: „Jene beiden Ruhmreichen sind der Vater aller Wesen und zugleich ihr göttlicher Zufluchtsort. Und doch: Welche Gottheit verehren diese beiden großgesinnten Verwandten als ihren Gott, und welche Ahnen ehren sie mit Opfergaben?“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames parents (or primal progenitors) as the highest, universally relevant objects of reverence—both ‘father’ and ‘deity’ for all beings—then probes a dharmic paradox: if such exalted figures themselves perform worship, to whom is their worship directed? The teaching invites reflection on hierarchy of reverence (deva-yajña and pitṛ-yajña) and on how even the greatest uphold ritual duty within cosmic order.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma poses a pointed question about two supremely venerable beings described as the parents and divine support of all creatures. He asks which deity they worship and which ancestors they honor, setting up an explanation about ritual obligations and the structure of worship even for the most exalted.