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 ||
婆罗陀婆阇说道：“由树木以其‘足’（根）饮水之事实，又见其亦会罹病，并且人们施以疗治以对治诸病，由此可推知：树中亦具味觉之能，如同舌根一般。”
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.