Shloka 20
Jvarotpatti — The Origin and Distribution of Jvara
Fever
जल्पनाभ्यवहारार्थ मुखमिन्द्रियमुच्यते । गमनेन्द्रियं तथा पादौ कर्मण: करणे करौ,मुख-इन्द्रियका उपयोग बोलने और भोजन करनेके लिये बताया जाता है। पैर चलनेकी और हाथ काम करनेकी इन्द्रियाँ हैं
jalpanābhyavahārārthaṁ mukham indriyam ucyate | gamanendriyaṁ tathā pādau karmaṇaḥ karaṇe karau ||
Asita berkata: mulut disebut organ karena berfungsi untuk berbicara dan untuk menyantap makanan. Demikian pula, kaki adalah organ untuk bergerak, dan tangan adalah alat untuk melaksanakan perbuatan.
असित उवाच
Educational Q&A
It classifies bodily faculties by their functions: the mouth serves speech and nourishment, the feet enable movement, and the hands are the chief instruments for carrying out work—supporting an ethical reflection on how actions arise through specific organs and should be governed by dharma.
In Shanti Parva’s instructional discourse, Asita explains the functional roles of different indriyas (organs/faculties), using simple examples to ground a broader teaching about action, conduct, and disciplined use of the body.