Shloka 15
Bhṛgu–Bharadvāja-saṃvāda: Vānaprastha-parivrājaka-ācāra, Abhaya-dharma, and Lokānāṃ Vibhāga (Śānti-parva 185)
पादै: सलिलपानाच्च व्याधीनां चापि दर्शनात् । व्याधिप्रतिक्रियत्वाच्च विद्यते रसन॑ द्रुमे
pādaiḥ salilapānāc ca vyādhīnāṃ cāpi darśanāt | vyādhipratikriyatvāc ca vidyate rasanā drume ||
Bharadvāja dijo: «Del hecho de que los árboles beben agua por sus “pies” (raíces), y de que se observa que también padecen enfermedades, y además porque se aplican remedios para contrarrestarlas, se sigue que en el árbol existe la facultad del gusto, como un sentido semejante a la lengua.»
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bharadvāja argues, using observation and inference, that trees are not inert: since they take in water through roots and can be seen to suffer and be treated for diseases, they must possess an internal sensory faculty—here identified as taste (rasanā). The ethical implication is greater care and restraint toward plant life.
In a reflective discussion characteristic of the Śānti Parva, Bharadvāja presents a reasoned claim about the sentience of trees. He cites practical signs—water uptake through roots, visible ailments, and the application of remedies—to support the conclusion that trees have sense-capacities.