Sārasvata–Dadhīca Upākhyāna at Sarasvatī Tīrtha
Balarāma’s Pilgrimage Context
देवलस्तु वच: श्रुत्वा भूतानां करुणं तथा
devalas tu vacaḥ śrutvā bhūtānāṃ karuṇaṃ tathā
Mendengar kata-kata penuh welas asih yang diucapkan demi semua makhluk, Devala pun tergugah; di tengah kerasnya peristiwa, ia menyadari bobot dharma kasih sayang.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
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.