Shakuni Proposes the Dice Game; the Hall Is Built

Verse 1 (2.82.1)

यां त्वमेतां श्रियं दृष्ट्वा पाण्डुपुत्रे युधिष्ठिरे । तप्यसे तां हरिष्यामि द्यूतेन जयतां वर ॥

yāṃ tvametāṃ śriyaṃ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍuputre yudhiṣṭhire | tapyase tāṃ hariṣyāmi dyūtena jayatāṃ vara

This fortune that you have seen in Yudhishthira, son of Pandu, and that torments you, I shall take away by dice, O best of victors.

Note on the text: Corrected श्रियं पाण्डुपुत्रे → श्रियं दृष्ट्वा पाण्डुपुत्रे (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped word: the first pada is two syllables short and lacks its verb; the critical edition reads śriyaṃ dṛṣṭvā). The second half differs from the critical edition (dyūtenāhūyatāṃ paraḥ), a recension variant.

Verse 2 (2.82.2)

आहूयतां परं राजन्कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । अगत्वा संशयमहमयुद्ध्वा च चमूमुखे ॥

āhūyatāṃ paraṃ rājankuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | agatvā saṃśayamahamayuddhvā ca camūmukhe

Let Kunti's son Yudhishthira be summoned, O king. Without running any risk, without fighting at the head of an army,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides verses 2–4 one half-line out of step with the critical edition (2.51.2–3). The first line (आहूयतां…) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the CE gives it in its apparatus as 494*, after 2.51.1); the second line is 2.51.2a.

Verse 3 (2.82.3)

अक्षान्क्षिपन्नक्षतः सन्विद्वानविदुषो जये । ग्लहान्धनूंषि मे विद्धि शरानक्षांश्च भारत ॥

akṣānkṣipannakṣataḥ sanvidvānaviduṣo jaye | glahāndhanūṃṣi me viddhi śarānakṣāṃśca bhārata

casting the dice and myself unharmed, I who know the game will defeat those who do not. Know the stakes to be my bows, O Bharata, and the dice my arrows;

Note on the text: Lines correspond to 2.51.2c and 2.51.3a of the critical edition (Wikisource divides the verses differently).

Verse 4 (2.82.4)

अक्षाणां हृदयं मे ज्यां रथं विद्धि ममास्फुरम् ॥

akṣāṇāṃ hṛdayaṃ me jyāṃ rathaṃ viddhi mamāsphuram

the heart of the dice is my bowstring, and know the gaming board to be my chariot.

Note on the text: A single line in Wikisource because of the half-line offset: it is 2.51.3c of the critical edition, which reads mamāstaram for ममास्फुरम्; nothing has been lost.

Verse 5 (2.82.5)

अयमुत्सहते राजच्छ्रियमाहर्तुमक्षवित् । द्यूतेन पाण्डुपुत्रेभ्यस्तदनुज्ञातुमर्हसि ॥

ayamutsahate rājacchriyamāhartumakṣavit | dyūtena pāṇḍuputrebhyastadanujñātumarhasi

This man, skilled at dice, is ready to take the fortune of the sons of Pandu by gambling, O king. You should give him leave.

Note on the text: The second line differs from the critical edition (tat tubhyaṃ tāta rocatām), a recension variant.

Verse 6 (2.82.6)

स्थितोऽस्मि शासने भ्रातुर्विदुरस्य महात्मनः । तेन सङ्गम्य वेत्स्यामि कार्यस्यास्य विनिश्चयम् ॥

sthito'smi śāsane bhrāturvidurasya mahātmanaḥ | tena saṅgamya vetsyāmi kāryasyāsya viniścayam

I abide by the counsel of my brother, the great-souled Vidura. After meeting him I shall know what is to be decided in this matter.

Verse 7 (2.82.7)

कृष्णादभ्यधिकः सोऽपि क्षत्ता बोद्धा विशाम्पते । केवलं धर्ममेवाह न तद्विजयसाधकम् ॥

kṛṣṇādabhyadhikaḥ so'pi kṣattā boddhā viśāmpate | kevalaṃ dharmamevāha na tadvijayasādhakam

That steward is a wiser judge even than Krishna, O lord of the people, yet he speaks only of dharma, and that does not bring victory.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick (wiki mark) before कृष्णाद्. Corrected अभ्याधिकः → अभ्यधिकः (misprint in Wikisource; spurious long ā; the CE apparatus reads abhyadhikaḥ). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it in its apparatus as 495*, lines 1–2, after 2.51.6.

Verse 8 (2.82.8)

जयश्च धर्मतोऽपेतस्तथैव भरतर्षभ । तस्माद्विनयतो जेता तावुभौ च विरोधिनौ ॥

jayaśca dharmato'petastathaiva bharatarṣabha | tasmādvinayato jetā tāvubhau ca virodhinau

And victory likewise stands apart from dharma, O bull of the Bharatas. So the victor wins by setting rule aside; the two are opposed to each other.

Note on the text: Corrected धर्मतोपेत → धर्मतोऽपेत (missing avagraha; धर्मतः + अपेतः, "apart from dharma", which the sense requires; the CE apparatus reads dharmato 'petas). Removed a stray closing quote mark (wiki mark) after विरोधिनौ. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it in its apparatus as 495*, lines 3–4, after 2.51.6, reading nayaś for जयश्.

Verse 9 (2.82.9)

व्यपनेष्यति ते बुद्धिं विदुरो मुक्तसंशयः । पाण्डवानां हिते युक्तो न तथा मम कौरव ॥

vyapaneṣyati te buddhiṃ viduro muktasaṃśayaḥ | pāṇḍavānāṃ hite yukto na tathā mama kaurava

Vidura, free of all doubt, will turn your mind aside; he is devoted to the good of the Pandavas, not so to mine, O Kaurava.

Verse 10 (2.82.10)

नारभेतान्यसामर्थ्यात्पुरुषः कार्यमात्मनः । मतिसाम्यं द्वयोर्नास्ति कार्येषु कुरुनन्दन ॥

nārabhetānyasāmarthyātpuruṣaḥ kāryamātmanaḥ | matisāmyaṃ dvayornāsti kāryeṣu kurunandana

A man should not undertake his own affairs relying on another's strength; no two people are of one mind in what they undertake, O joy of the Kurus.

Verse 11 (2.82.11)

भयं परिहरन्मत्त आत्मानं परिपालयन् । वर्षासु क्लिन्नकटवत्तिष्ठन्नेवावसीदति ॥

bhayaṃ pariharanmatta ātmānaṃ paripālayan | varṣāsu klinnakaṭavattiṣṭhannevāvasīdati

The fool who shuns danger and only guards himself sinks just where he stands, like a wet mat in the rains.

Note on the text: Corrected क्लिन्नवटवत् → क्लिन्नकटवत् (misprint in Wikisource; व for क; the simile is a wet mat, which rots, as in the critical edition's klinnakaṭavat). Corrected तिष्ठन्नैवावसीदति → तिष्ठन्नेवावसीदति (misprint in Wikisource; the vowel sign ै for े introduces a negation that reverses the simile and Duryodhana's argument; the critical edition reads tiṣṭhann evāvasīdati).

Verse 12 (2.82.12)

न व्याधयो नापि यमः प्राप्तुं श्रेयः प्रतीक्षते । यावदेव भवेत्कल्पस्तावच्छ्रेयः समाचरेत् ॥

na vyādhayo nāpi yamaḥ prāptuṃ śreyaḥ pratīkṣate | yāvadeva bhavetkalpastāvacchreyaḥ samācaret

Neither diseases nor Death wait for a man to attain his good. As long as he is able, he should do what brings him good.

Verse 13 (2.82.13)

सर्वथा पुत्र बलिभिर्विग्रहो मे न रोचते । वैरं विकारं सृजति तद्वै शस्त्रमनायसम् ॥

sarvathā putra balibhirvigraho me na rocate | vairaṃ vikāraṃ sṛjati tadvai śastramanāyasam

In no way, my son, do I favour a quarrel with the powerful. Enmity breeds estrangement, and that is a weapon not made of iron.

Note on the text: Corrected विग्रहो मे रोचते → विग्रहो मे न रोचते (misprint in Wikisource; the pada is a syllable short, and without न Dhritarashtra would be approving the quarrel he goes on to warn against; the critical edition has the negation, vigrahaṃ te na rocaye).

Verse 14 (2.82.14)

अनर्थमर्थं मन्यसे राजपुत्र । सङ्ग्रन्थनं कलहस्यातियाति । तद्वै प्रवृत्तं तु यथाकथञ्चित् । सृजेदसीन्निशितान्सायकांश्च ॥

anarthamarthaṃ manyase rājaputra | saṅgranthanaṃ kalahasyātiyāti | tadvai pravṛttaṃ tu yathākathañcit | sṛjedasīnniśitānsāyakāṃśca

You take harm for gain, prince. Once the knot of a quarrel is tied it goes beyond all bounds, and once it has begun, somehow or other it will bring out swords and sharpened arrows.

Verse 15 (2.82.15)

द्यूते पुराणैर्व्यवहारः प्रणीत- । स्तत्रात्ययो नास्ति न सम्प्रहारः । तद्रोचतां शकुनेर्वाक्यमद्य । सभां क्षिप्रं त्वमिहाज्ञापयस्व ॥

dyūte purāṇairvyavahāraḥ praṇīta- | statrātyayo nāsti na samprahāraḥ | tadrocatāṃ śakunervākyamadya | sabhāṃ kṣipraṃ tvamihājñāpayasva

The ancients established the custom of dice; in it there is no ruin and no fighting. Let Shakuni's words please you today; give orders quickly for the hall to be built here.

Verse 16 (2.82.16)

स्वर्गद्वारं दीव्यतां नो विशिष्टं । तद्वर्तिनां चापि तथैव युक्तम् । भवेदेवं ह्यात्मना तुल्यमेव । दुरोदरं पाण्डवैस्त्वं कुरुष्व ॥

svargadvāraṃ dīvyatāṃ no viśiṣṭaṃ | tadvartināṃ cāpi tathaiva yuktam | bhavedevaṃ hyātmanā tulyameva | durodaraṃ pāṇḍavaistvaṃ kuruṣva

For us who play, it is a special door to heaven, and it is fitting too for those who take part in it. In this way the contest will be between equals; arrange the game of dice with the Pandavas.

Verse 17 (2.82.17)

वाक्यं न मे रोचते यत्त्वयोक्तं । यत्ते प्रियं तत्क्रियतां नरेन्द्र । पश्चात्तप्स्यसे तदुपाक्रम्य वाक्यं । न हीदृशं भावि वचो हि धर्म्यम् ॥

vākyaṃ na me rocate yattvayoktaṃ | yatte priyaṃ tatkriyatāṃ narendra | paścāttapsyase tadupākramya vākyaṃ | na hīdṛśaṃ bhāvi vaco hi dharmyam

What you have said does not please me. Still, let what pleases you be done, lord of men. You will regret it afterwards, having acted on these words, for words such as these will not prove righteous.

Verse 18 (2.82.18)

दृष्टं ह्येतद्विदुरेणैव सर्वं । विपश्चिता बुद्धिविद्यानुगेन । तदेवैतदवशस्याभ्युपैति । महद्भयं क्षत्रियजीवघाति ॥

dṛṣṭaṃ hyetadvidureṇaiva sarvaṃ | vipaścitā buddhividyānugena | tadevaitadavaśasyābhyupaiti | mahadbhayaṃ kṣatriyajīvaghāti

All this was foreseen by the wise Vidura, who follows understanding and learning. And now this very thing, a great danger that destroys the lives of kshatriyas, is coming upon me against my will.

Note on the text: Corrected विदुरेणै → विदुरेणैव (misprint in Wikisource; the pada is a syllable short and विदुरेणै is not a word; the critical edition reads vidureṇaivam eva). The critical edition words the first two lines differently (vidureṇaivam eva / sarvaṃ pūrvaṃ buddhividyānugena) and reads kṣatriyabīja- for क्षत्रियजीव-, recension variants.

Verse 19 (2.82.19)

एवमुक्त्वा धृतराष्ट्रो मनीषी । दैवं मत्वा परमं दुस्तरं च । शशासोच्चैः पुरुषान्पुत्रवाक्ये । स्थितो राजा दैवसंमूढचेताः ॥

evamuktvā dhṛtarāṣṭro manīṣī | daivaṃ matvā paramaṃ dustaraṃ ca | śaśāsoccaiḥ puruṣānputravākye | sthito rājā daivasaṃmūḍhacetāḥ

Having said this, the wise King Dhritarashtra, holding fate to be supreme and impossible to overcome, his mind bewildered by destiny and abiding by his son's word, loudly commanded his men:

Verse 20 (2.82.20)

सहस्रस्तम्भां हेमवैदूर्यचित्रां । शतद्वारां तोरणस्फाटिकाढ्याम् । सभामग्र्यां क्रोशमात्रायतां मे । तद्विस्तारामाशु कुर्वन्तु युक्ताः ॥

sahasrastambhāṃ hemavaidūryacitrāṃ | śatadvārāṃ toraṇasphāṭikāḍhyām | sabhāmagryāṃ krośamātrāyatāṃ me | tadvistārāmāśu kurvantu yuktāḥ

Let skilled men quickly build for me a peerless hall, a krosha long and as wide, with a thousand pillars, bright with gold and lapis, with a hundred doors and rich in crystal archways.

Verse 21 (2.82.21)

श्रुत्वा तस्य त्वरिता निर्विशङ्काः । प्राज्ञा दक्षास्तां तदा चक्रुराशु । सर्वद्रव्याण्युपजह्रुः सभायां । सहस्रशः शिल्पिनश्चैव युक्ताः ॥

śrutvā tasya tvaritā nirviśaṅkāḥ | prājñā dakṣāstāṃ tadā cakrurāśu | sarvadravyāṇyupajahruḥ sabhāyāṃ | sahasraśaḥ śilpinaścaiva yuktāḥ

Hearing him, wise and skilful men swiftly built it then, without hesitation; thousands of craftsmen set to work and brought every kind of material to the hall.

Verse 22 (2.82.22)

कालेनाल्पेनाथ निष्ठां गतां तां । सभां रम्यां बहुरत्नां विचित्राम् । चित्रैर्हैमैरासनैरभ्युपेता- । माचख्युस्ते तस्य राज्ञः प्रतीताः ॥

kālenālpenātha niṣṭhāṃ gatāṃ tāṃ | sabhāṃ ramyāṃ bahuratnāṃ vicitrām | citrairhaimairāsanairabhyupetā- | mācakhyuste tasya rājñaḥ pratītāḥ

In a short time the hall was finished, lovely, full of many gems and wondrous, furnished with bright golden seats, and the trusted men reported it to the king.

Verse 23 (2.82.23)

ततो विद्वान्विदुरं मन्त्रिमुख्य- । मुवाचेदं धृतराष्ट्रो नरेन्द्रः । युधिष्ठिरं राजपुत्रं च गत्वा । मद्वाक्येन क्षिप्रमिहानयस्व ॥

tato vidvānviduraṃ mantrimukhya- | muvācedaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭro narendraḥ | yudhiṣṭhiraṃ rājaputraṃ ca gatvā | madvākyena kṣipramihānayasva

Then the wise King Dhritarashtra said this to Vidura, chief of his ministers: "Go to Prince Yudhishthira and, at my word, bring him here quickly.

Verse 24 (2.82.24)

सभेयं मे बहुरत्ना विचित्रा । शय्यासनैरुपपन्ना महार्हैः । सा दृश्यतां भ्रातृभिः सार्धमेत्य । सुहृद्द्यूतं वर्ततामत्र चेति ॥

sabheyaṃ me bahuratnā vicitrā | śayyāsanairupapannā mahārhaiḥ | sā dṛśyatāṃ bhrātṛbhiḥ sārdhametya | suhṛddyūtaṃ vartatāmatra ceti

This hall of mine is full of gems and wondrous, furnished with costly beds and seats. Let him come with his brothers and see it, and let there be a friendly game of dice here."

Note on the text: Corrected मुहृद्द्यूतं → सुहृद्द्यूतं (misprint in Wikisource; म for स; मुहृत् is not a word; the critical edition reads suhṛddyūtaṃ).

Verse 25 (2.82.25)

मतमाज्ञाय पुत्रस्य धृतराष्ट्रो नराधिपः । मत्वा च दुस्तरं दैवमेतद्राजंश्चकार ह ॥

matamājñāya putrasya dhṛtarāṣṭro narādhipaḥ | matvā ca dustaraṃ daivametadrājaṃścakāra ha

Knowing his son's mind, and thinking fate impossible to overcome, Dhritarashtra, ruler of men, did this, O king.

Verse 26 (2.82.26)

अन्यायेन तथोक्तस्तु विदुरो विदुषां वरः । नाभ्यनन्दद्वचो भ्रातुर्वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥

anyāyena tathoktastu viduro viduṣāṃ varaḥ | nābhyanandadvaco bhrāturvacanaṃ cedamabravīt

Vidura, best of the wise, thus wrongfully instructed, did not welcome his brother's words, and he said this:

Verse 27 (2.82.27)

नाभिनन्दे नृपते प्रैषमेतं । मैवं कृथाः कुलनाशाद्बिभेमि । पुत्रैर्भिन्नः कलहस्ते ध्रुवं स्या- । देतच्छङ्के द्यूतकृते नरेन्द्र ॥

nābhinande nṛpate praiṣametaṃ | maivaṃ kṛthāḥ kulanāśādbibhemi | putrairbhinnaḥ kalahaste dhruvaṃ syā- | detacchaṅke dyūtakṛte narendra

I do not welcome this command, O king. Do not do this; I fear the destruction of our house. With your sons divided, strife will surely come upon you. This is what I fear from the game of dice, lord of men.

Verse 28 (2.82.28)

नेह क्षत्तः कलहस्तप्स्यते मां । न चेद्दैवं प्रतिलोमं भविष्यत् । धात्रा तु दिष्टस्य वशे किलेदं । सर्वं जगच्चेष्टति न स्वतन्त्रम् ॥

neha kṣattaḥ kalahastapsyate māṃ | na ceddaivaṃ pratilomaṃ bhaviṣyat | dhātrā tu diṣṭasya vaśe kiledaṃ | sarvaṃ jagacceṣṭati na svatantram

Strife here will not trouble me, steward, unless fate turns against us. This whole world moves under the sway of what the Ordainer has decreed, not by its own will.

Note on the text: Corrected छात्रा → धात्रा (misprint in Wikisource; छ for ध; छात्रा, "a pupil", makes no sense here; the critical edition reads dhātrā).

Verse 29 (2.82.29)

तदद्य विदुर प्राप्य राजानं मम शासनात् । क्षिप्रमानय दुर्धर्षं कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम् ॥

tadadya vidura prāpya rājānaṃ mama śāsanāt | kṣipramānaya durdharṣaṃ kuntīputraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram

So today, Vidura, go to the king at my command and quickly bring Kunti's invincible son, Yudhishthira.