—json {

  "name":"SB 4.9.56",
  "h1":"SB 4.9.56",
  "label":"Text 56",
  "title":"Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.9.56",
  "description":"In the capital city there were many palaces, city gates and surrounding walls, which were already very, very beautiful, and on this occasion all of them were decorated with golden ornaments. The domes of the city palaces glittered, as did the domes of the beautiful airplanes which hovered over the city."

} —

SB 4.9.56

प्राकारैर्गोपुरागारैः शातकुम्भपरिच्छदैः ।
सर्वतोऽलङ्कृतं श्रीमद् विमानशिखरद्युभिः ॥५६॥

Text

prākārair gopurāgāraiḥ
śātakumbha-paricchadaiḥ
sarvato 'laṅkṛtaṁ śrīmad-
vimāna-śikhara-dyubhiḥ

Synonyms

prākāraiḥ—with surrounding walls; gopura—city gates; āgāraiḥ—with houses; śātakumbha—golden; paricchadaiḥ—with ornamental work; sarvataḥ—on all sides; alaṅkṛtam—decorated; śrīmat—valuable, beautiful; vimāna—airplanes; śikhara—domes; dyubhiḥ—glittering.

Translation

In the capital city there were many palaces, city gates and surrounding walls, which were already very, very beautiful, and on this occasion all of them were decorated with golden ornaments. The domes of the city palaces glittered, as did the domes of the beautiful airplanes which hovered over the city.

Purport

Regarding the mention of airplanes here, it is suggested by Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha that on this occasion the demigods from higher planetary systems also came in their airplanes to bestow their blessings on Dhruva Mahārāja on his arrival at the capital of his father. It also appears that all the domes of the city palaces as well as the pinnacles of the airplanes were decorated with ornamental work in gold, and, being reflected by the sunshine, they were all glittering. We can observe a specific distinction between Dhruva Mahārāja's time and modern days, for the airplanes in those days were made of gold, whereas at the present moment airplanes are made of base aluminium. This just gives a hint of the opulence of Dhruva Mahārāja's days and the poverty of modern times.