NCERT Class 8 Sanskrit Deepakam: Chapter 9 — कोऽरुक् ? कोऽरुक् ? कोऽरुक् ?
This chapter, 'कोऽरुक्?' (Who is sick?), from NCERT Class 8 Sanskrit Deepakam, begins with a dialogue between a mother and child about the temperature of food, highlighting the Ayurvedic principle that excessively hot food is not beneficial. The mother then narrates an interesting anecdote from Ayurveda. It describes how Lord Dhanvantari, in the form of a parrot, traveled across India to understand how physicians treated various ailments. He would perch on trees near renowned physicians' homes and call out 'कोऽरुक्?', but no one paid attention. Finally, he reached the hermitage of the physician Vagbhata. Upon hearing the parrot's call, Vagbhata, a physician dedicated to his work, came out and saw the parrot. Impressed by its human-like voice, Vagbhata realized it was no ordinary bird and offered it fruits. This chapter introduces students to Ayurvedic principles and the importance of attentive observation in medicine.
Quick info
| Board | CBSE / NCERT |
|---|---|
| Class | Class 8 |
| Subject | Sanskrit |
| Book | Deepakam |
| Chapter | Chapter 9 — कोऽरुक् ? कोऽरुक् ? कोऽरुक् ? |
| Language | Sanskrit |
| PDF type | NCERT Textbook |
| Session | CBSE 2026 |
| Reading time | 1 minute |
| Word count | 198 |
Learning outcomes
- Understand the Ayurvedic principle regarding the temperature of food.
- Learn about Lord Dhanvantari's journey in the form of a parrot.
- Appreciate the importance of observation in medical practice.
- Enhance Sanskrit vocabulary and comprehension skills.
Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| अतिउष्णम् | Too hot |
| बбуभुक्या | Hunger |
| परिवेषयतु | Serve (food) |
| दाहः | Burning sensation |
| हितकरं | Beneficial |
| आयुर्वेद्य | Ayurveda |
| आहारनियमाः | Dietary rules |
| प्रसङ्गः | Incident/Anecdote |
| शमनं | Curing/Alleviating |
| शुकरूपं | Form of a parrot |
| अभ्रमत् | Wandered |
| अवधानं | Attention |
The complete chapter text is read in the official NCERT PDF viewer below (streamed from ncert.nic.in). This page provides NCERT Help study material — summary, vocabulary, practice questions, and FAQs — not a full reproduction of the textbook.
Read chapter online
This PDF is loaded from the official NCERT website (ncert.nic.in). Use the page buttons below to read — download is disabled on NCERT Help.
Read page by page below. PDF is streamed from the official NCERT website — no download button on this page.
Practice questions
- भोजनं कियत् उष्णं न भवेत्? Answer: भोजनं अतिउष्णं न भवेत्।
- भगवान् धन्वन्तरिः कस्य रूपं धृतवान्? Answer: भगवान् धन्वन्तरिः शुकरूपं धृतवान्।
- वागभटः कस्य कुटीरसमीपं गतवान्? Answer: वागभटः वैद्यस्य कुटीरसमीपं गतवान्।
- वागभटः विस्मितः किं चिन्तितवान्? Answer: वागभटः विस्मितः चिन्तितवान् - 'नायं लौकिकः खगः। एषः निश्चयेन कश्चन देवविशेषः अस्ति'।
Frequently asked questions
What is the main theme of the chapter 'कोऽरुक्?'?
The chapter 'कोऽरुक्?' focuses on Ayurvedic principles related to food temperature and narrates an anecdote about Lord Dhanvantari, emphasizing the importance of observation in medicine.
Why did Lord Dhanvantari take the form of a parrot?
Lord Dhanvantari took the form of a parrot to travel across India and understand how physicians treated various ailments.
What did the parrot say when it visited physicians' homes?
The parrot called out 'कोऽरुक्?' (Who is sick?) when it visited physicians' homes.
Who was Vagbhata?
Vagbhata was a physician whose hermitage Lord Dhanvantari visited.
What did Vagbhata realize upon seeing the parrot?
Vagbhata realized that the parrot was not an ordinary bird but a divine being due to its meaningful human-like voice.
What Ayurvedic advice is given in the chapter?
The chapter advises that excessively hot food is not beneficial for health.
Related resources
Important topics
Topics covered
NCERT Class 8 Sanskrit — Deepakam — Chapter 9 — कोऽरुक् ? कोऽरुक् ? कोऽरुक् ?. Verified by NCERT Help Editorial Team. Reviewed on 29 Jul 2026. Last updated 10 Aug 2026.