Shloka 25
Śrī–Indra–Bali Saṃvāda: The Departure and Fourfold Placement of Lakṣmī
अथ चेदेवमप्यस्ति यल्लोके नोपपद्यते । अजरोथ<यममृत्युश्व राजासौ मन्यते यथा
atha ced evam apy asti yal loke nopapadyate | ajaro 'yam amṛtyuś ca rājāsau manyate yathā ||
भीष्म बोले—यदि शास्त्र के आधार पर लोकानुभव से परे किसी अजर-अमर आत्मा को मान लिया जाए, तो राजाओं को ‘अजर-अमर’ कहने वाली स्तुति को भी अक्षरशः सत्य मानना पड़ेगा। इसलिए समझो कि ऐसे वचन प्रायः औपचारिक/अलंकारिक हैं—‘अजर’ का अर्थ निरोग देह और ‘स्वर्ग-सुख’ का अर्थ यहीं प्रत्यक्ष सुख-भोग है।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma highlights that some exalted claims—such as ‘unaging, deathless self’ or ‘immortal king’—may function as conventional or figurative speech rather than strict literal description; one should be careful about how scriptural language is interpreted.
In the Shanti Parva’s didactic dialogue, Bhishma is explaining a skeptical/critical line of reasoning: if one accepts non-empirical claims solely on authority, then one must also accept ordinary hyperbole (like bards calling a king immortal), thereby urging discernment about literal versus conventional meanings.