पितामहो<5पि भगवांस्तस्माद् देवादनन्तर:
pitāmaho 'pi bhagavāṁs tasmād devād anantaraḥ
యుధిష్ఠిరుడు అన్నాడు—పూజ్య పితామహుడు బ్రహ్మదేవుడు కూడా, దివ్యుడైనప్పటికీ, ఆ దేవుని తరువాతనే స్థానం పొందుతాడు.
युधिछिर उवाच
The line emphasizes ethical reverence and graded excellence: even a supremely venerable elder like Bhīṣma is spoken of in relation to a higher divine standard, suggesting that dharmic evaluation recognizes both human greatness and a transcendent benchmark.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction-setting, Yudhiṣṭhira is speaking about relative rank or precedence—placing Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma) immediately after a particular deity—within a broader discussion of dharma, authority, and exemplary figures.