02.053
Core-Pancharatra: Game of dice starts and Yudhisthira loses his first stake.
śakuniruvāca॥
Shakuni said.
upastīrṇā sabhā rājan rantuṃ caite kṛtakṣaṇāḥ। akṣān uptvā devanasya samayo'stu yudhiṣṭhira ॥2-53-1॥
O king, the assembly is ready and these men are prepared to play. The dice have been placed; let the game begin, Yudhishthira. (2-53-1)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhishthira said.
nikṛtirdevanaṃ pāpaṃ na kṣātro'tra parākramaḥ| na ca nītirdhruvā rājan kiṃ tvaṃ dyūtaṃ praśaṃsasi ॥2-53-2॥
Deceit is sinful for the gods and not valorous for a kṣatriya here; nor is righteousness assured, O king. Why then do you praise gambling? (2-53-2)
na hi mānaṃ praśaṃsanti nikṛtau kitavasya ha। śakune maiva no jaiṣīramārgeṇa nṛśaṃsavat ॥2-53-3॥
Honor is never praised in the deceit of a gambler, O Śakuni. Do not try to defeat us by cruel means. (2-53-3)
śakuniruvāca॥
Shakuni said.
yo'nveti saṅkhyāṃ nikṛtau vidhijñaḥ; ceṣṭāsu akhinnaḥ kitavo akṣajāsu. mahā-matiḥ yaḥ ca jānāti dyūtaṃ; sa vai sarvaṃ sahate prakriyāsu ॥2-53-4॥
He who follows the count in cheating, knows the rules, is tireless in actions, is a gambler in dice games, has great intellect, and knows gambling—such a person indeed endures all the processes. (2-53-4)
akṣaglahaḥ so’bhibhavetparaṃ na; stenaiva kālo bhavatīdamāttha. dīvyāmahe pārthiva mā viśaṅkāṃ; kuruṣva pāṇaṃ ca ciraṃ ca mā kṛthāḥ ॥2-53-5॥
The dice-gambler should not defeat the other; you have said that only a thief becomes time. We play dice, O king, do not be suspicious; place the stake, and do not delay or hesitate. (2-53-5)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
evam āha ayam asito devalo munisattamaḥ। imāni lokadvārāṇi yaḥ vai sañcarate sadā ॥2-53-6॥
Thus, this Asita Devala, the best among sages, said: "These are the gateways to the worlds; whoever always moves through them." (2-53-6)
idaṃ vai devanaṃ pāpaṃ māyayā kitavaiḥ saha। dharmeṇa tu jayo yuddhe tatparaṃ sādhu devanam ॥2-53-7॥
This is truly the fault of the Devas, who, through illusion and with cheats, act so. But victory in battle achieved by righteousness is truly supreme and good for the Devas. (2-53-7)
nāryā mlecchanti bhāṣābhirmāyayā na carantyuta। ajihmamaśaṭhaṃ yuddhametatsatpuruṣavratam ॥2-53-8॥
Women speak in barbarous languages and act with deceit, but this battle is neither crooked nor deceitful; it is the vow of noble men. (2-53-8)
śaktito brāhmaṇān-vandyāñ-śikṣituṃ prayatāmahe। tad-vai vittaṃ māti-devīr-mā jaiṣīḥ śakune param ॥2-53-9॥
We strive, according to our ability, to instruct Brāhmaṇas who are worthy of reverence. That indeed is wealth; O goddesses, do not, O bird, seek to conquer anything else. (2-53-9)
nāhaṃ nikṛtyā kāmaye sukhānyuta dhanāni vā। kitavasyāpyanikṛtervṛttametan na pūjyate ॥2-53-10॥
I do not desire pleasures or wealth by deceit. Even the conduct of a gambler who is not deceitful is not honored. (2-53-10)
śakuniruvāca॥
Shakuni said.
śrotriyo'śrotriyamuta nikṛtyaiva yudhiṣṭhira। vidvānaviduṣo'bhyeti nāhustāṃ nikṛtiṃ janāḥ ॥2-53-11॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, when a learned person surpasses an unlearned one by means of deceit, people do not consider that to be deceit. (2-53-11)
evaṃ tvaṃ mām ihābhyetya nikṛtiṃ yadi manyase। devanād vinivartasva yadi te vidyate bhayam ॥2-53-12॥
Thus, if you have come to me here and consider this to be deceit, then turn back from the god if you feel any fear. (2-53-12)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
āhūto na nivarteyamiti me vratamāhitam। vidhiśca balavānrājandiṣṭasyāsmi vaśe sthitaḥ ॥2-53-13॥
I have taken a vow that, once called, I will not turn back. Destiny is powerful, O king; I am under the control of what is ordained. (2-53-13)
asmin samāgame kena devanaṃ me bhaviṣyati। pratipāṇaś ca ko 'nyo 'sti tato dyūtaṃ pravartatām ॥2-53-14॥
In this assembly, who will be my stake? And who else is the counter-stake? Then let the dice-game begin. (2-53-14)
duryodhana uvāca॥
Duryodhana said.
ahaṃ dātāsmi ratnānāṃ dhanānāṃ ca viśāṃ pate। madarthe devitā cāyaṃ śakunirmātulo mama ॥2-53-15॥
O lord of peoples, I am the giver of jewels and riches; for my sake, this Śakuni, my maternal uncle, has been exalted to divinity. (2-53-15)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
anyenānyasya viṣamaṃ devanaṃ pratibhāti me। etadvidvannupādatsva kāmamevaṃ pravartatām ॥2-53-16॥
The action of one towards another seems unfair to me. O wise one, please accept this; let it be carried out in this way. (2-53-16)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
upohyāmāne dyūte tu rājānaḥ sarva eva te। dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ puraskṛtya viviśus tāṃ sabhāṃ tataḥ ॥2-53-17॥
But as the game of dice was about to begin, all the kings, with Dhritarashtra at their head, entered that assembly. (2-53-17)
bhīṣmo droṇaḥ kṛpaścaiva viduraśca mahāmatiḥ। nātīvaprītamanasaste'nvavartanta bhārata ॥2-53-18॥
Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Kṛpa, and Vidura, the wise, did not follow with much pleasure in their hearts, O Bhārata. (2-53-18)
te dvaṃdvaśaḥ pṛthak ca eva siṃhagrīvā mahaujasaḥ। siṃhāsanāni bhūrīṇi vicitrāṇi ca bhejire ॥2-53-19॥
Those lion-necked warriors of great energy, both in pairs and individually, occupied many splendid and varied lion-thrones. (2-53-19)
śuśubhe sā sabhā rājan rājabhis taiḥ samāgataiḥ। devair iva mahābhāgaiḥ samavetaiḥ triviṣṭapam ॥2-53-20॥
O king, that assembly shone with the presence of those kings who had assembled there, just as heaven shines when the greatly fortunate gods are gathered together. (2-53-20)
sarve vedavidaḥ śūrāḥ sarve bhāsvaramūrtayaḥ। prāvartata mahārāja suhṛddyūtamanantaram ॥2-53-21॥
O great king, all the valiant knowers of the Veda, all radiant in form, then commenced the friendly game of dice. (2-53-21)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
ayaṃ bahudhanō rājan sāgarāvartasambhavaḥ। maṇihārōttaraḥ śrīmān kanakōttamabhūṣaṇaḥ ॥2-53-22॥
O king, this splendid and wealthy necklace, originating from the ocean's whirlpool, is the finest among pearl necklaces and is adorned with the best gold. (2-53-22)
etad rājandhanaṃ mahyaṃ pratipāṇas tu kas tava। bhavatv eṣa kramas tāta jayāmy enaṃ durodaram ॥2-53-23॥
O king, this wealth is mine; but who is your counter-pledge? Let this be the order, dear one. I shall conquer Duryodhana. (2-53-23)
duryodhana uvāca॥
Duryodhana said.
santi me maṇayaścaiva dhanāni vividhāni ca। matsaraśca na me'rtheṣu jayāmyenaṃ durodaram ॥2-53-24॥
I have jewels and various kinds of wealth, and I do not have envy for possessions; I overcome this Duryodhana. (2-53-24)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tato jagrāha śakunistānakṣānakṣatattvavit। jitamityeva śakuniryudhiṣṭhiramabhāṣata ॥2-53-25॥
Then Śakuni, who understood the true nature of dice, took up the dice and said to Yudhishthira, 'It is won.' (2-53-25)
