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 disse: “Quem, na terra, trata os animais e as aves doentes e aflitos? E, no entanto, as criaturas necrófagas, ó tu de olhar pobre, em geral não são acometidas — quase não há enfermidade entre elas.”
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.