Yudhishthira Begins to Lose

Verse 1 (2.85.1)

उपोह्यमाने द्यूते तु राजानः सर्व एव ते । धृतराष्ट्रं पुरस्कृत्य विविशुस्तां सभां ततः ॥

upohyamāne dyūte tu rājānaḥ sarva eva te | dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ puraskṛtya viviśustāṃ sabhāṃ tataḥ

As the game was being made ready, all those kings, with Dhritarashtra at their head, entered the hall.

Verse 2 (2.85.2)

भीष्मो द्रोणः कृपश्चैव विदुरश्च महामतिः । नातिप्रीतेन मनसा तेऽन्ववर्तन्त भारत ॥

bhīṣmo droṇaḥ kṛpaścaiva viduraśca mahāmatiḥ | nātiprītena manasā te'nvavartanta bhārata

Bhishma, Drona and Kripa, and the wise Vidura, followed them, O Bharata, with no great gladness of heart.

Verse 3 (2.85.3)

ते द्वन्द्वशः पृथक्चैव सिंहग्रीवा महौजसः । सिंहासनानि भूरीणि विचित्राणि च भेजिरे ॥

te dvandvaśaḥ pṛthakcaiva siṃhagrīvā mahaujasaḥ | siṃhāsanāni bhūrīṇi vicitrāṇi ca bhejire

Lion-necked and full of vigour, they took their seats, in pairs and singly, on many splendid thrones.

Note on the text: Corrected पृथच्कैव → पृथक्चैव (misprint in Wikisource; transposed conjunct, critical edition pṛthak caiva) and भूरिणी → भूरीणि (misprint; the neuter plural, critical edition bhūrīṇi at 2.53.19).

Verse 4 (2.85.4)

शुशुभे सा सभा राजन्राजभिस्तैः समागतैः । देवैरिव महाभागैः समवेतैस्त्रिविष्टपम् ॥

śuśubhe sā sabhā rājanrājabhistaiḥ samāgataiḥ | devairiva mahābhāgaiḥ samavetaistriviṣṭapam

That hall shone, O king, with those assembled kings, as heaven shines with the gathered gods of great fortune.

Verse 5 (2.85.5)

सर्वे वेदविदः शूराः सर्वे भास्वरमूर्तयः । प्रवर्तत महाराज सुहृद्द्यूतमनन्तरम् ॥

sarve vedavidaḥ śūrāḥ sarve bhāsvaramūrtayaḥ | pravartata mahārāja suhṛddyūtamanantaram

All were learned in the Vedas, all were heroes, all radiant in form. Then, great king, the friendly game began.

Verse 6 (2.85.6)

अयं बहुधनो राजन्सागरावर्तसम्भवः । मणिर्हारोत्तरः श्रीमान्कनकोत्तमभूषणः ॥

ayaṃ bahudhano rājansāgarāvartasambhavaḥ | maṇirhārottaraḥ śrīmānkanakottamabhūṣaṇaḥ

"Here, O king, is a jewel of great price, born of the ocean's whirlpools, a splendid gem set at the head of a necklace and adorned with the finest gold.

Note on the text: Corrected बुहधनो → बहुधनो (misprint in Wikisource; transposed vowel sign, critical edition bahudhano at 2.53.22).

Verse 7 (2.85.7)

एतद्राजन्मम धनं प्रतिपाणोऽस्ति कस्तव । येन मां त्वं महाराज धनेन प्रतिदीव्यसे ॥

etadrājanmama dhanaṃ pratipāṇo'sti kastava | yena māṃ tvaṃ mahārāja dhanena pratidīvyase

"This is my wealth, O king. What is your stake to match it, great king, the wealth with which you will play against me?"

Note on the text: The first line is 2.53.23ab of the critical edition; the second line is not in its text (found in the vulgate recension), where the critical edition has bhavatv eṣa kramas tāta jayāmy enaṃ durodaram.

Verse 8 (2.85.8)

सन्ति मे मणयश्चैव धनानि सुबहूनि च । मत्सरश्च न मेऽर्थेषु जयस्वैनं दुरोदरम् ॥

santi me maṇayaścaiva dhanāni subahūni ca | matsaraśca na me'rtheṣu jayasvainaṃ durodaram

"I too have jewels, and a great deal of wealth, and I am not jealous of my possessions. Win this stake."

Verse 9 (2.85.9)

ततो जग्राह शकुनिस्तानक्षानक्षतत्त्ववित् । जितमित्येव शकुनिर्युधिष्ठिरमभाषत ॥

tato jagrāha śakunistānakṣānakṣatattvavit | jitamityeva śakuniryudhiṣṭhiramabhāṣata

Then Shakuni, who knew the secret of the dice, took up the dice; and Shakuni said to Yudhishthira, "Won!"

Verse 10 (2.85.10)

मत्तः कैतवकेनैव यज्जितोऽस्मि दुरोदरे । शकुने हन्त दीव्यामो ग्लहमानाः परस्परम् ॥

mattaḥ kaitavakenaiva yajjito'smi durodare | śakune hanta dīvyāmo glahamānāḥ parasparam

"You have won this game from me by sheer trickery. Well then, Shakuni, let us play on, staking against each other.

Note on the text: Corrected मत्त कैतकेनैव → मत्तः कैतवकेनैव (misprint in Wikisource; the visarga and an akshara are lost, leaving the line a syllable short; critical edition mattaḥ kaitavakenaiva at 2.54.1).

Verse 11 (2.85.11)

सन्ति निष्कसहस्रस्य भाण्डिन्यो भरिताः शुभाः । कोशो हिरण्यमक्षय्यं जातरूपमनेकशः । एतद्राजन्मम धनं तेन दीव्याम्यहं त्वया ॥

santi niṣkasahasrasya bhāṇḍinyo bharitāḥ śubhāḥ | kośo hiraṇyamakṣayyaṃ jātarūpamanekaśaḥ | etadrājanmama dhanaṃ tena dīvyāmyahaṃ tvayā

"I have fine chests, each filled with a thousand gold coins, an inexhaustible treasury of gold, and refined gold in abundance. This is my wealth, O king; with it I play against you."

Verse 12 (2.85.12)

कौरवाणां कुलकरं ज्येष्ठं पाण्डवमच्युतम् । इत्युक्तः शकुनिः प्राह जितमित्येव तं नृपम् ॥

kauravāṇāṃ kulakaraṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ pāṇḍavamacyutam | ityuktaḥ śakuniḥ prāha jitamityeva taṃ nṛpam

So addressed, Shakuni said "Won!" to the king, the eldest son of Pandu, the steadfast upholder of the Kaurava line.

Note on the text: The second line is 2.54.3ab of the critical edition; the first is not in its text (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus gives it as passage *507).

Verse 13 (2.85.13)

अयं सहस्रसमितो वैयाघ्रः सुप्रतिष्ठितः । सुचक्रोपस्करः श्रीमान्किङ्किणीजालमण्डितः ॥

ayaṃ sahasrasamito vaiyāghraḥ supratiṣṭhitaḥ | sucakropaskaraḥ śrīmānkiṅkiṇījālamaṇḍitaḥ

"Here is my royal chariot, worth a thousand, covered in tiger skin and firmly built, with fine wheels and fittings, splendid and hung with a net of little bells,

Verse 14 (2.85.14)

संह्रादनो राजरथो य इहास्मानुपावहत् । जैत्रो रथवरः पुण्यो मेघसागरनिःस्वनः ॥

saṃhrādano rājaratho ya ihāsmānupāvahat | jaitro rathavaraḥ puṇyo meghasāgaraniḥsvanaḥ

"the thundering royal chariot that brought us here, a victorious and auspicious chariot, the finest of chariots, with a sound like a cloud or the ocean.

Note on the text: Corrected जौत्रो → जैत्रो (misprint in Wikisource; जैत्र, "victorious", critical edition jaitro at 2.54.5) and joined मेघसागरनिः स्वनः → मेघसागरनिःस्वनः (one compound).

Verse 15 (2.85.15)

अष्टौ यं कुररच्छायाः सदश्वा राष्ट्रसंमताः । वहन्ति नैषां मुच्येत पदाद्भूमिमुपस्पृशन् । एतद्राजन्धनं मह्यं तेन दीव्याम्यहं त्वया ॥

aṣṭau yaṃ kuraracchāyāḥ sadaśvā rāṣṭrasaṃmatāḥ | vahanti naiṣāṃ mucyeta padādbhūmimupaspṛśan | etadrājandhanaṃ mahyaṃ tena dīvyāmyahaṃ tvayā

"It is drawn by eight fine horses the colour of the osprey, prized throughout the kingdom; nothing that treads the ground could escape their pace. This is my wealth, O king; with it I play against you."

Verse 16 (2.85.16)

एवं श्रुत्वा व्यवसितो निकृतिं समुपाश्रितः । जितमित्येव शकुनिर्युधिष्ठिरमभाषत ॥

evaṃ śrutvā vyavasito nikṛtiṃ samupāśritaḥ | jitamityeva śakuniryudhiṣṭhiramabhāṣata

Hearing this, Shakuni, set on his purpose and relying on deceit, said to Yudhishthira, "Won!"

Verse 17 (2.85.17)

शतं दासीसहस्राणि तरुण्यो हेमभद्रिकाः । कम्बुकेयूरधारिण्यो निष्ककण्ठ्यः स्वलङ्कृताः ॥

śataṃ dāsīsahasrāṇi taruṇyo hemabhadrikāḥ | kambukeyūradhāriṇyo niṣkakaṇṭhyaḥ svalaṅkṛtāḥ

"A hundred thousand serving women, young and lovely with gold, wearing bracelets of shell and armlets, with gold ornaments at their throats, beautifully adorned,

Verse 18 (2.85.18)

महार्हमाल्याभरणाः सुवस्त्राश्चन्दनोक्षिताः । मणीन्हेम च बिभ्रत्यश्चतुःषष्टिविशारदाः ॥

mahārhamālyābharaṇāḥ suvastrāścandanokṣitāḥ | maṇīnhema ca bibhratyaścatuḥṣaṣṭiviśāradāḥ

"wearing costly garlands and ornaments, finely dressed, anointed with sandal, bearing jewels and gold, skilled in the sixty-four arts,

Verse 19 (2.85.19)

अनुसेवां चरन्तीमाः कुशला नृत्तसामसु । स्नातकानाममात्यानां राज्ञां च मम शासनात् । एतद्राजन्मम धनं तेन दीव्याम्यहं त्वया ॥

anusevāṃ carantīmāḥ kuśalā nṛttasāmasu | snātakānāmamātyānāṃ rājñāṃ ca mama śāsanāt | etadrājanmama dhanaṃ tena dīvyāmyahaṃ tvayā

"skilled in dance and song, who wait upon the graduates of the Veda, the ministers and the kings at my command. This is my wealth, O king; with it I play against you."

Verse 20 (2.85.20)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा व्यवसितो निकृतिं समुपाश्रितः । जितमित्येव शकुनिर्युधिष्ठिरमभाषत ॥

etacchrutvā vyavasito nikṛtiṃ samupāśritaḥ | jitamityeva śakuniryudhiṣṭhiramabhāṣata

Hearing this, Shakuni, set on his purpose and relying on deceit, said to Yudhishthira, "Won!"

Note on the text: Corrected एतच्छुत्वा → एतच्छ्रुत्वा (misprint in Wikisource; the र of श्रुत्वा is lost).

Verse 21 (2.85.21)

एतावन्ति च दासानां सहस्राण्युत सन्ति मे । प्रदक्षिणानुलोमाश्च प्रावारवसनाः सदा ॥

etāvanti ca dāsānāṃ sahasrāṇyuta santi me | pradakṣiṇānulomāśca prāvāravasanāḥ sadā

"And I have as many thousands of menservants, courteous and obedient, always clad in mantles,

Verse 22 (2.85.22)

प्राज्ञा मेधाविनो दान्ता युवानो मृष्टकुण्डलाः । पात्रीहस्ता दिवारात्रमतिथीन्भोजयन्त्युत । एतद्राजन्मम धनं तेन दीव्याम्यहं त्वया ॥

prājñā medhāvino dāntā yuvāno mṛṣṭakuṇḍalāḥ | pātrīhastā divārātramatithīnbhojayantyuta | etadrājanmama dhanaṃ tena dīvyāmyahaṃ tvayā

"wise, intelligent, self-controlled, young, with polished earrings, who feed guests day and night, dishes in hand. This is my wealth, O king; with it I play against you."

Verse 23 (2.85.23)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा व्यवसितो निकृतिं समुपाश्रितः । जितमित्येव शकुनिर्युधिष्ठिरमभाषत ॥

etacchrutvā vyavasito nikṛtiṃ samupāśritaḥ | jitamityeva śakuniryudhiṣṭhiramabhāṣata

Hearing this, Shakuni, set on his purpose and relying on deceit, said to Yudhishthira, "Won!"

Note on the text: Corrected युधिष्ठिरभाषत → युधिष्ठिरमभाषत (misprint in Wikisource; the accusative ending is lost and the line is a syllable short).

Verse 24 (2.85.24)

सहस्रसङ्ख्या नागा मे मत्तास्तिष्ठन्ति सौबल । हेमकक्षाः कृतापीडाः पद्मिनो हेममालिनः ॥

sahasrasaṅkhyā nāgā me mattāstiṣṭhanti saubala | hemakakṣāḥ kṛtāpīḍāḥ padmino hemamālinaḥ

"I have a thousand elephants in rut, son of Subala, with golden girths, adorned, marked with lotuses and wearing golden garlands,

Note on the text: Corrected नगा → नागा (misprint in Wikisource; नग is "mountain", and these are elephants in rut; critical edition nāgā at 2.54.8).

Verse 25 (2.85.25)

सुदान्ता राजवहनाः सर्वशब्दक्षमा युधि । ईषादन्ता महाकायाः सर्वे चाष्टकरेणवः ॥

sudāntā rājavahanāḥ sarvaśabdakṣamā yudhi | īṣādantā mahākāyāḥ sarve cāṣṭakareṇavaḥ

"well trained, fit to carry kings, able to bear every din of battle, with tusks as long as plough-poles, huge of body, each with eight cow-elephants,

Verse 26 (2.85.26)

सर्वे च पुरभेत्तारो नवमेघनिभा गजाः । एतद्राजन्मम धनं तेन दीव्याम्यहं त्वया ॥

sarve ca purabhettāro navameghanibhā gajāḥ | etadrājanmama dhanaṃ tena dīvyāmyahaṃ tvayā

"all of them breakers of city walls, elephants like fresh rain clouds. This is my wealth, O king; with it I play against you."

Verse 27 (2.85.27)

इत्येवंवादिनं पार्थं प्रहसन्निव सौबलः । जितमित्येव शकुनिर्युधिष्ठिरमभाषत ॥

ityevaṃvādinaṃ pārthaṃ prahasanniva saubalaḥ | jitamityeva śakuniryudhiṣṭhiramabhāṣata

To the son of Pritha as he spoke thus, the son of Subala replied as though laughing; Shakuni said to Yudhishthira, "Won!"

Verse 28 (2.85.28)

रथास्तावन्त एवेमे हेमदण्डाः पताकिनः । हयैर्विनीतैः सम्पन्ना रथिभिश्चित्रयोधिभिः ॥

rathāstāvanta eveme hemadaṇḍāḥ patākinaḥ | hayairvinītaiḥ sampannā rathibhiścitrayodhibhiḥ

"I have as many chariots here, with golden poles and banners, furnished with well-trained horses and with chariot-fighters skilled in many ways of combat.

Verse 29 (2.85.29)

एकैको ह्यत्र लभते सहस्रपरमां भृतिम् । युध्यतोऽयुध्यतो वापि वेतनं मासकालिकम् । एतद्राजन्मम धनं तेन दीव्याम्यहं त्वया ॥

ekaiko hyatra labhate sahasraparamāṃ bhṛtim | yudhyato'yudhyato vāpi vetanaṃ māsakālikam | etadrājanmama dhanaṃ tena dīvyāmyahaṃ tvayā

"Each warrior there receives pay of up to a thousand a month, whether he fights or not. This is my wealth, O king; with it I play against you."

Note on the text: Corrected एतद्राजन्म धनं → एतद्राजन्मम धनं (misprint in Wikisource; मम is cut short and the line is a syllable short, as the refrain elsewhere shows).

Verse 30 (2.85.30)

इत्येवमुक्ते वचने कृतवैरो दुरात्मवान् । जितमित्येव शकुनिर्युधिष्ठिरमभाषत ॥

ityevamukte vacane kṛtavairo durātmavān | jitamityeva śakuniryudhiṣṭhiramabhāṣata

When these words had been spoken, the wicked Shakuni, bent on enmity, said to Yudhishthira, "Won!"

Verse 31 (2.85.31)

अश्वांस्तित्तिरिकल्माषान्गान्धर्वान्हेममालिनः । ददौ चित्ररथस्तुष्टो यांस्तान्गाण्डीवधन्वने ॥

aśvāṃstittirikalmāṣāngāndharvānhemamālinaḥ | dadau citrarathastuṣṭo yāṃstāngāṇḍīvadhanvane

"The Gandharva horses, dappled like partridges and wearing golden garlands, which Chitraratha gave in his delight to the bearer of the Gandiva

Verse 32 (2.85.32)

युद्धे जितः पराभूतः प्रीतिपूर्वमरिन्दमः । एतद्राजन्मम धनं तेन दीव्याम्यहं त्वया ॥

yuddhe jitaḥ parābhūtaḥ prītipūrvamarindamaḥ | etadrājanmama dhanaṃ tena dīvyāmyahaṃ tvayā

"when he, a tamer of foes, had been beaten and overcome in battle, and gave them in friendship: This is my wealth, O king; with it I play against you."

Note on the text: The second line is 2.54.22ef of the critical edition; the first is not in its text (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus gives it as passage *511).

Verse 33 (2.85.33)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा व्यवसितो निकृतिं समुपाश्रितः । जितमित्येव शकुनिर्युधिष्ठिरमभाषत ॥

etacchrutvā vyavasito nikṛtiṃ samupāśritaḥ | jitamityeva śakuniryudhiṣṭhiramabhāṣata

Hearing this, Shakuni, set on his purpose and relying on deceit, said to Yudhishthira, "Won!"

Note on the text: Corrected तमित्येव → जितमित्येव (misprint in Wikisource; जि is lost and the line is a syllable short, as the refrain elsewhere shows).

Verse 34 (2.85.34)

रथानां शकटानां च श्रेष्ठानां चायुतानि मे । युक्तान्येव हि तिष्ठन्ति वाहैरुच्चावचैस्तथा ॥

rathānāṃ śakaṭānāṃ ca śreṣṭhānāṃ cāyutāni me | yuktānyeva hi tiṣṭhanti vāhairuccāvacaistathā

"I have tens of thousands of the best chariots and carts, which stand always yoked, with draught animals of every kind.

Verse 35 (2.85.35)

एवं वर्णस्य वर्णस्य समुच्चीय सहस्रशः । यथा समुदिता वीराः सर्वे वीरपराक्रमाः ॥

evaṃ varṇasya varṇasya samuccīya sahasraśaḥ | yathā samuditā vīrāḥ sarve vīraparākramāḥ

"In the same way, gathered by thousands from every class, heroes are assembled, all of heroic valour,

Note on the text: The first line is 2.54.25ab of the critical edition; the second is not in its text (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus gives it as passage *512, which reads tathā for यथा).

Verse 36 (2.85.36)

क्षीरं पिबन्तस्तिष्ठन्ति भुञ्जानाः शालितण्डुलान् । षष्टिस्तानि सहस्राणि सर्वे विपुलवक्षसः । एतद्राजन्मम धनं तेन दीव्याम्यहं त्वया ॥

kṣīraṃ pibantastiṣṭhanti bhuñjānāḥ śālitaṇḍulān | ṣaṣṭistāni sahasrāṇi sarve vipulavakṣasaḥ | etadrājanmama dhanaṃ tena dīvyāmyahaṃ tvayā

"who stand ready, drinking milk and eating fine rice, sixty thousand of them, all broad-chested. This is my wealth, O king; with it I play against you."

Note on the text: The first line is 2.54.25cd of the critical edition; the second and third are its 2.54.26.

Verse 37 (2.85.37)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा व्यवसितो निकृतिं समुपाश्रितः । जितमित्येव शकुनिर्युधिष्ठिरमभाषत ॥

etacchrutvā vyavasito nikṛtiṃ samupāśritaḥ | jitamityeva śakuniryudhiṣṭhiramabhāṣata

Hearing this, Shakuni, set on his purpose and relying on deceit, said to Yudhishthira, "Won!"

Note on the text: Corrected एतच्छ्रत्वा → एतच्छ्रुत्वा (misprint in Wikisource; vowel sign lost) and निकृति → निकृतिं (anusvara of the object lost), as the refrain elsewhere reads.

Verse 38 (2.85.38)

ताम्रलोहैः परिवृता निधयो ये चतुःशताः । पञ्चद्रौणिक एकैकः सुवर्णस्याहतस्य वै ॥

tāmralohaiḥ parivṛtā nidhayo ye catuḥśatāḥ | pañcadrauṇika ekaikaḥ suvarṇasyāhatasya vai

"The four hundred treasure-stores I have, encased in copper and iron, each holding five dronas of beaten gold,

Note on the text: Joined चतुः शताः → चतुःशताः (one compound, "four hundred"). Matches 2.54.28abcd of the critical edition (which reads me for ये).

Verse 39 (2.85.39)

जातरूपस्य मुख्यस्य नार्घो यस्य हि भारत । एतद्राजन्मम धनं तेन दीव्याम्यहं त्वया ॥

jātarūpasya mukhyasya nārgho yasya hi bhārata | etadrājanmama dhanaṃ tena dīvyāmyahaṃ tvayā

"the finest refined gold, beyond all price, O Bharata: This is my wealth, O king; with it I play against you."

Note on the text: The second line is 2.54.28ef of the critical edition; the first is not in its text (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus gives it as passage *513).

Verse 40 (2.85.40)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा व्यवसितो निकृतिं समुपाश्रितः । जितमित्येव शकुनिर्युधिष्ठिरमभाषत ॥

etacchrutvā vyavasito nikṛtiṃ samupāśritaḥ | jitamityeva śakuniryudhiṣṭhiramabhāṣata

Hearing this, Shakuni, set on his purpose and relying on deceit, said to Yudhishthira, "Won!"

Note on the text: Corrected युधिष्ठिरमभापतः → युधिष्ठिरमभाषत (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष and a stray visarga; critical edition abhāṣata at 2.54.29).