Shakuni's Challenge

Verse 1 (2.84.1)

प्रविश्य तां सभां पार्था युधिष्ठिरपुरोगमाः । समेत्य पार्थिवान्सर्वान्पूजार्हानभिपूज्य च ॥

praviśya tāṃ sabhāṃ pārthā yudhiṣṭhirapurogamāḥ | sametya pārthivānsarvānpūjārhānabhipūjya ca

Entering that hall, the sons of Pritha, with Yudhishthira at their head, met all the kings and honoured those who were worthy of honour.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition's apparatus gives these lines as passage *501, lines 1–2, before 2.53.1).

Verse 2 (2.84.2)

यथावयः समेयाना उपविष्टा यथार्हतः । आसनेषु विचित्रेषु स्पर्द्ध्यास्तरणवत्सु च ॥

yathāvayaḥ sameyānā upaviṣṭā yathārhataḥ | āsaneṣu vicitreṣu sparddhyāstaraṇavatsu ca

Greeting each in order of age, they sat down according to rank on splendid seats spread with costly coverings.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition's apparatus gives these lines as passage *501, lines 3–4, before 2.53.1).

Verse 3 (2.84.3)

तेषु तत्रोपविष्टेषु सर्वेष्वथ नृपेषु च । शकुनिः सौबलस्तत्र युधिष्ठिरमभाषत ॥

teṣu tatropaviṣṭeṣu sarveṣvatha nṛpeṣu ca | śakuniḥ saubalastatra yudhiṣṭhiramabhāṣata

When they and all the kings were seated there, Shakuni, the son of Subala, spoke to Yudhishthira.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; the critical edition's apparatus gives these lines as passage *501, lines 5–6, before 2.53.1).

Verse 4 (2.84.4)

उपस्तीर्णा सभा राजन्सर्वे त्वयि कृतक्षणाः । अक्षानुप्त्वा देवनस्य समयोऽस्तु युधिष्ठिर ॥

upastīrṇā sabhā rājansarve tvayi kṛtakṣaṇāḥ | akṣānuptvā devanasya samayo'stu yudhiṣṭhira

"The hall is spread for play, O king, and everyone has been waiting for you. Let the dice be thrown, Yudhishthira, and let the terms of the game be settled."

Verse 5 (2.84.5)

निकृतिर्देवनं पापं न क्षात्रोऽत्र पराक्रमः । न च नीतिर्ध्रुवा राजन्किं त्वं द्यूतं प्रशंससि ॥

nikṛtirdevanaṃ pāpaṃ na kṣātro'tra parākramaḥ | na ca nītirdhruvā rājankiṃ tvaṃ dyūtaṃ praśaṃsasi

"Gambling is deceit and a sin. There is no kshatriya valour in it, O king, and no sure policy. Why do you praise dice?

Note on the text: Corrected नितिर्देवनं → निकृतिर्देवनं (misprint in Wikisource; an akshara is lost and the line is a syllable short; critical edition nikṛtir devanaṃ at 2.53.2).

Verse 6 (2.84.6)

न हि मानं प्रशंसन्ति निकृतौ कितवस्य हि । शकुने मैवं नोऽजैषीरमार्गेण नृशंसवत् ॥

na hi mānaṃ praśaṃsanti nikṛtau kitavasya hi | śakune maivaṃ no'jaiṣīramārgeṇa nṛśaṃsavat

"People do not praise the pride a gambler takes in his tricks. Shakuni, do not beat us by crooked means, like a cruel man."

Note on the text: Corrected हि मानं → न हि मानं (misprint in Wikisource; the negative is lost, leaving the line a syllable short and reversing the sense; critical edition na hi mānaṃ at 2.53.3).

Verse 7 (2.84.7)

यो वेत्ति सङ्ख्यां निकृतौ विधिज्ञ- । श्चेष्टास्वखिन्नः कितवोऽक्षजासु । महामतिर्यश्च जानाति द्यूतं । स वै सर्वं सहते प्रक्रियासु ॥

yo vetti saṅkhyāṃ nikṛtau vidhijña- | śceṣṭāsvakhinnaḥ kitavo'kṣajāsu | mahāmatiryaśca jānāti dyūtaṃ | sa vai sarvaṃ sahate prakriyāsu

"The gambler who knows the count, who is versed in the rules of the tricks, untiring in the play of the dice, the man of great intelligence who understands the game, he bears it all through every turn of play.

Note on the text: Corrected सङ्ख्या → सङ्ख्यां (misprint in Wikisource; the object of वेत्ति has lost its anusvara; critical edition saṃkhyāṃ at 2.53.4).

Verse 8 (2.84.8)

अक्षग्लहः सोऽभिभवेत्परं न- । स्तेनैव दोषो भवतीह पार्थ । दीव्यामहे पार्थिव मा विशङ्कां । कुरुष्व पाणं च चिरं च मा कृथाः ॥

akṣaglahaḥ so'bhibhavetparaṃ na- | stenaiva doṣo bhavatīha pārtha | dīvyāmahe pārthiva mā viśaṅkāṃ | kuruṣva pāṇaṃ ca ciraṃ ca mā kṛthāḥ

"It is the throw of the dice that overcomes an opponent of ours, son of Pritha; any harm here comes from that alone. Let us play, O king; have no misgiving. Put down your stake, and do not delay."

Verse 9 (2.84.9)

एवमाहायमसितो देवलो मुनिसत्तमः । इमानि लोकद्वाराणि यो वै भ्राम्यति सर्वदा ॥

evamāhāyamasito devalo munisattamaḥ | imāni lokadvārāṇi yo vai bhrāmyati sarvadā

"This is what Asita Devala, best of sages, said, he who forever wanders through these gateways of the worlds:

Verse 10 (2.84.10)

इदं वै देवनं पापं निकृत्या कितवैः सह । धर्मेण तु जयो युद्धे तत्परं न तु देवनम् ॥

idaṃ vai devanaṃ pāpaṃ nikṛtyā kitavaiḥ saha | dharmeṇa tu jayo yuddhe tatparaṃ na tu devanam

"'Gambling with gamblers by deceit is a sin. Victory in battle, won by righteousness, is the highest; gambling is not.

Verse 11 (2.84.11)

नार्या म्लेच्छन्ति भाषाभिर्मायया न चरन्त्युत । अजिह्ममशठं युद्धमेतत्सत्पुरुषव्रतम् ॥

nāryā mlecchanti bhāṣābhirmāyayā na carantyuta | ajihmamaśaṭhaṃ yuddhametatsatpuruṣavratam

"'The noble do not speak in barbarous tongues, nor do they act by guile. War without crookedness or trickery is the vow of good men.'

Note on the text: Corrected अजिह्यम् → अजिह्मम् (misprint in Wikisource; the word is अजिह्म, "not crooked"; critical edition ajihmam at 2.53.8).

Verse 12 (2.84.12)

शक्तितो ब्राह्मणार्थाय शिक्षितुं प्रयतामहे । तद्वै वित्तं मातिदेवीर्माजैषीः शकुने परान् ॥

śaktito brāhmaṇārthāya śikṣituṃ prayatāmahe | tadvai vittaṃ mātidevīrmājaiṣīḥ śakune parān

"We strive, as far as we are able, to gather wealth for the sake of the brahmins. Do not gamble that wealth away beyond measure, Shakuni; do not overcome your opponents by such means.

Verse 13 (2.84.13)

निकृत्या कामये नाहं सुखान्युत धनानि वा । कितवस्येह कृतिनो वृत्तमेतन्न पूज्यते ॥

nikṛtyā kāmaye nāhaṃ sukhānyuta dhanāni vā | kitavasyeha kṛtino vṛttametanna pūjyate

"I do not desire happiness or riches won by deceit. The conduct of a crafty gambler is not honoured here."

Verse 14 (2.84.14)

श्रोत्रियः श्रोत्रियानेति निकृत्यैव युधिष्ठिर । विद्वानविदुषोऽभ्येति नाहुस्तां निकृतिं जनाः ॥

śrotriyaḥ śrotriyāneti nikṛtyaiva yudhiṣṭhira | vidvānaviduṣo'bhyeti nāhustāṃ nikṛtiṃ janāḥ

"One learned in the Veda gets the better of other learned men by cunning alone, Yudhishthira; the wise man overcomes the unwise, and people do not call that deceit.

Verse 15 (2.84.15)

अक्षैर्हि शिक्षितोऽभ्येति निकृत्यैव युधिष्ठिर । विद्वानविदुषोऽभ्येति नाहुस्तां निकृतिं जनाः ॥

akṣairhi śikṣito'bhyeti nikṛtyaiva yudhiṣṭhira | vidvānaviduṣo'bhyeti nāhustāṃ nikṛtiṃ janāḥ

"One trained in dice gets the better of others by cunning alone, Yudhishthira; the wise man overcomes the unwise, and people do not call that deceit.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition's apparatus gives the first line as passage *502, after 2.53.11. The second line repeats the refrain of 2.53.11cd.

Verse 16 (2.84.16)

अकृतास्त्रं कृतास्त्रश्च दुर्बलं बलवत्तरः । एवं कर्मसु सर्वेषु निकृत्यैव युधिष्ठिर । विद्वानविदुषोऽभ्येति नाहुस्तां निकृतिं जनाः ॥

akṛtāstraṃ kṛtāstraśca durbalaṃ balavattaraḥ | evaṃ karmasu sarveṣu nikṛtyaiva yudhiṣṭhira | vidvānaviduṣo'bhyeti nāhustāṃ nikṛtiṃ janāḥ

"The one skilled in arms overcomes the unskilled, the stronger overcomes the weaker; so in every undertaking it is by cunning alone, Yudhishthira. The wise man overcomes the unwise, and people do not call that deceit.

Note on the text: Corrected कृतास्रश्च → कृतास्त्रश्च (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct, apparatus kṛtāstrāś ca), युधिष्ठिरः → युधिष्ठिर (the vocative, as in the refrain and the apparatus) and विद्वानविदुषोभ्येति → विद्वानविदुषोऽभ्येति (missing avagraha). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition's apparatus gives the first two lines as passages *503 and *504, after 2.53.11. The third line repeats the refrain of 2.53.11cd.

Verse 17 (2.84.17)

एवं त्वं मामिहाभ्येत्य निकृतिं यदि मन्यसे । देवनाद्विनिवर्तस्व यदि ते विद्यते भयम् ॥

evaṃ tvaṃ māmihābhyetya nikṛtiṃ yadi manyase | devanādvinivartasva yadi te vidyate bhayam

"If, having come here to face me, you think this is deceit, then withdraw from the game, if you are afraid."

Verse 18 (2.84.18)

आहूतो न निवर्तेयमिति मे व्रतमाहितम् । विधिश्च बलवान्राजन्दिष्टस्यास्मि वशे स्थितः ॥

āhūto na nivarteyamiti me vratamāhitam | vidhiśca balavānrājandiṣṭasyāsmi vaśe sthitaḥ

"Once challenged, I will not turn back; that is my settled vow. Fate is powerful, O king, and I stand in the power of what is decreed.

Verse 19 (2.84.19)

अस्मिन्समागमे केन देवनं मे भविष्यति । प्रतिपाणश्च कोऽन्योऽस्ति ततो द्यूतं प्रवर्तताम् ॥

asminsamāgame kena devanaṃ me bhaviṣyati | pratipāṇaśca ko'nyo'sti tato dyūtaṃ pravartatām

"In this gathering, with whom am I to play? And who else is there to match my stakes? Then let the game begin."

Note on the text: Corrected कोऽन्योस्ति → कोऽन्योऽस्ति (missing avagraha in Wikisource; critical edition ko 'nyo 'sti at 2.53.14).

Verse 20 (2.84.20)

अहं दातास्मि रत्नानां धनानां च विशाम्पते । मदर्थे देविता चायं शकुनिर्मातुलो मम ॥

ahaṃ dātāsmi ratnānāṃ dhanānāṃ ca viśāmpate | madarthe devitā cāyaṃ śakunirmātulo mama

"I shall put up the jewels and the wealth, O lord of the people, and this Shakuni, my maternal uncle, will play on my behalf."

Verse 21 (2.84.21)

अन्येनान्यस्य वै द्यूतं विषमं प्रतिभाति मे । एतद्विद्वन्नुपादत्स्व काममेवं प्रवर्तताम् ॥

anyenānyasya vai dyūtaṃ viṣamaṃ pratibhāti me | etadvidvannupādatsva kāmamevaṃ pravartatām

"For one man to play on another's behalf seems to me unequal. Bear that in mind, wise one; but as you wish, let it begin."

Note on the text: Corrected विद्विन् → विद्वन् (misprint in Wikisource; the vocative, critical edition vidvann) and प्रवर्ततम् → प्रवर्तताम् (misprint; the imperative, critical edition pravartatām at 2.53.16).