Shloka 18

Devanagari script

पौरजानपदानां च सम्मतः साधुसत्कृत: | सर्वेषां बालवृद्धानां देवापिहदयंगम:,“नृपश्रेष्ठ देवापि महान्‌ तेजस्वी होते हुए भी चर्मरोगसे पीड़ित थे। वे धार्मिक, सत्यवादी, पिताकी सेवामें तत्पर, साधु पुरुषोंद्वारा सम्मानित तथा नगर एवं जनपद- निवासियोंके लिये आदरणीय थे। देवापिने बालकोंसे लेकर वृद्धोंतक सभीके हृदयमें अपना स्थान बना लिया था

Transliteration

paurajānāpadānāṁ ca sammataḥ sādhusatkṛtaḥ | sarveṣāṁ bālavṛddhānāṁ devāpi hṛdayaṅgamaḥ ||

Translation

Vāyu dit : «Devāpi était estimé des citadins comme des gens des campagnes, et honoré par les vertueux. Il avait trouvé place dans le cœur de tous, des enfants jusqu’aux vieillards.»

Word by Word

पौरof the townsmen

जनपदानाम्of the country/people of the districts

चand

सम्मतःapproved/esteemed

साधुby the good/virtuous

सत्कृतःhonored/respected

सर्वेषाम्of all

बालof children

वृद्धानाम्of the aged/elders

देवापिDevāpi (proper name)

हृदयंगमःdear/going to the heart, pleasing

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva

Devāpi

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True worth is measured by dharmic conduct and character: one who is virtuous and honored by the good becomes dear to society across all ages, regardless of personal hardship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu describes Devāpi’s standing among the people, emphasizing that both urban and rural communities respected him and that he was beloved by everyone from children to elders.