Shloka 6
Devaśarmā–Vipula Dialogue on Ahorātra–Ṛtu as Moral Witnesses (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४३)
अथाभ्यगच्छन् देवास्ते पितामहमरिंदम
athābhyagacchan devāste pitāmaham ariṃdama
Alors ces dieux s’approchèrent du Grand-Père primordial (Pitāmaha, Brahmā)—ô Bhīṣma, dompteur d’ennemis—marquant l’instant où l’autorité divine se tourne vers la stature morale et le conseil de l’aîné.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical authority of a venerable elder: even divine beings seek out the Pitāmaha, implying that dharma is clarified through reverence for wisdom, seniority, and rightful counsel.
Bhīṣma narrates that the gods came and approached the Grandsire (Bhīṣma himself), setting up a forthcoming exchange in which divine figures engage him, typically to request, affirm, or facilitate instruction on dharma.