Shloka 20
अश्वशिरो-आख्यानम्
Aśvaśiras / Hayaśiras Narrative: Retrieval of the Vedas
पितरौ सर्वभूतानां दैवतं च यशस्विनौ । कां देवतां तु यजतः पितृन् वा कान् महामती
pitarau sarvabhūtānāṁ daivataṁ ca yaśasvinau | kāṁ devatāṁ tu yajataḥ pitṝn vā kān mahāmatī ||
毗湿摩说道：“那两位光耀者，正是一切众生之父，亦是一切众生所归依的神圣庇护。然而，这两位大心的亲族，究竟以何神为所祭之神，又以供品礼敬何等祖灵（祖先）呢？”
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.