Shloka 24
Phala of Vrata, Niyama, Svādhyāya, Dama, Satya, Brahmacarya, and Service (व्रत-नियम-स्वाध्याय-दम-सत्य-ब्रह्मचर्य-शुश्रूषा-फलप्रश्नः)
वैदूर्यार्फप्रकाशानि रूप्यरुक्ममयानि च । तरुणादित्यवर्णानि स्थावराणि चराणि च
bhīṣma uvāca | vaidūryārkaprakāśāni rūpyarukmamayāni ca | taruṇādityavarṇāni sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca |
কিছু বিমান বৈদূর্যমণি ও সূর্যের মতো দীপ্তিমান ছিল; কিছু রূপা ও সোনায় নির্মিত। কিছু প্রভাতের নবোদিত সূর্যের মতো আরুণ বর্ণে জ্বলজ্বল করত। তাদের মধ্যে কিছু স্থির ছিল, আর কিছু ইচ্ছামতো বিচরণশীল।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the Mahabharata’s moral imagination: righteous merit (dharma) is portrayed as yielding refined, luminous rewards—symbolized by radiant, gem-like, gold-and-silver vimānas—suggesting that ethical conduct culminates in elevated states of being and honor.
Bhishma is describing splendid vimānas—some shining like cat’s-eye gems and the sun, some made of silver and gold, some red like the morning sun—distinguishing between those that are stationary and those that can move freely at will.