Shloka 6

Devanagari script

ओषध्यो वीरुधश्चैव पशवो मृगपक्षिण: । अनादिभूता भूतानामित्यपि श्रूयते श्रुति:,ओषधियाँ, अन्न, तृण, लता, पशु, मृग और पक्षी आदि सभी वस्तुएँ सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंके अनादि-कालसे उपयोगमें आती रहती हैं--ऐसी श्रुति भी सुनी जाती है

Transliteration

oṣadhyo vīrudhaś caiva paśavo mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ | anādibhūtā bhūtānām ity api śrūyate śrutiḥ ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya berkata: “Tumbuhan obat dan aneka tanaman, rumput dan sulur, juga ternak, binatang liar, serta burung—dalam tradisi suci disebut sebagai bekal yang tanpa awal bagi makhluk hidup, senantiasa tersedia untuk menopang kehidupan.”

Word by Word

ओषध्यःmedicinal herbs/plants

वीरुधःcreepers/climbers

चand

एवindeed/just

पशवःdomestic animals

मृगwild animals/deer (as a class)

पक्षिणःbirds

अनादिbeginningless/from time without beginning

भूताःhaving been/being (so)

भूतानाम्of living beings/creatures

इतिthus/so (quotative)

अपिalso/even

श्रूयतेis heard/is said

श्रुतिःa Vedic statement/tradition (Śruti)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Śruti (Vedic revelation)

oṣadhi (herbs)

vīrudh (plants/creepers)

paśu (cattle/animals)

mṛga (wild animals)

pakṣin (birds)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse grounds human use of plants and animals in a Śruti-backed cosmological claim: the resources of nature—herbs, vegetation, livestock, and wild creatures—are described as ‘beginningless’ supports for beings. Ethically, it frames sustenance as part of an ordered world, implying responsible, dharmic use rather than arbitrary exploitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is speaking and cites Śruti as authority. He lists categories of living resources (plants and animals) and states that tradition teaches they have been available from time without beginning for the use and maintenance of creatures.