Shloka 58
Sārasvata–Dadhīca Upākhyāna at Sarasvatī Tīrtha
Balarāma’s Pilgrimage Context
Devanagari script
देवलस्तु वच: श्रुत्वा भूतानां करुणं तथा
Transliteration
devalas tu vacaḥ śrutvā bhūtānāṃ karuṇaṃ tathā
Translation
Vaiśampāyana said: Hearing those compassionate words spoken on behalf of living beings, Devala too was moved, recognizing the moral weight of mercy amid the harshness of events.
Word by Word
देवलःDevala (proper name)
देवलः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदेवल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
वचःspeech/words
वचः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवचस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
श्रुत्वाhaving heard
श्रुत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)
भूतानाम्of beings/creatures
भूतानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootभूत
FormNeuter, Genitive, Plural
करुणम्compassionate/piteous
करुणम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootकरुण
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
तथाthus/so/likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśampāyanaD
DevalaB
bhūtāni (living beings)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds karuṇā (compassion) as a dharmic value: speech that considers the suffering of all beings carries ethical force and can redirect judgment even in severe circumstances.
The narrator reports Devala’s response: he hears a compassionate appeal concerning living beings and is affected by it, setting up his ensuing reaction or counsel in the surrounding passage.