Shloka 33
नरनारायण-नारदसंवादः
Nara-Nārāyaṇa–Nārada Discourse on Vision, Elements, and Entry into Vāsudeva
के वा भुवि चिकित्सन्ते रोगार्तान् मृगपक्षिण: । श्वापदानि दरिद्रांक्ष प्रायो नार्ता भवन्ति ते
ke vā bhuvi cikitsante rogārtān mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ | śvāpādāni daridrāṃkṣa prāyo nārtā bhavanti te ||
Nārada berkata: “Di bumi ini, siapakah yang merawat binatang dan burung yang sakit dan menderita? Namun makhluk pemakan bangkai, wahai yang bermata papa, pada umumnya tidak ditimpa derita—hampir tiada penyakit pada mereka.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the uneven distribution of suffering in the world: humans seek healing and care for the sick, but wild creatures often lack such support—yet some (like scavengers/predators) seem largely free from illness. It prompts reflection on the mystery of suffering and the ethical impulse to provide care where it is absent.
Nārada is speaking in a reflective, didactic mode within Śānti Parva, using observations about animals, birds, and scavenging beasts to make a point about illness, vulnerability, and the conditions of living beings in the world.