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 nói: Nghe những lời đầy lòng bi mẫn được thốt ra thay cho muôn loài hữu tình, Devala cũng xúc động, nhận ra sức nặng đạo lý của lòng thương xót giữa sự khắc nghiệt của biến cố.

Word by Word

• देवलः: Devala (proper name)
• देवलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• भूतानाम्: of beings/creatures
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• करुणम्: compassionate/piteous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करुण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: thus/so/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Devala
• bhūtāni (living beings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.