Critical Edition
शकुनिरुवाच उपस्तीर्णा सभा राजन्रन्तुं चैते कृतक्षणाः अक्षानुप्त्वा देवनस्य समयोऽस्तु युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: Shakuni said O king, the Assembly is full. All was waiting for you. O Yudhishthira, let now the dice be cast and the rules of play be fixed.
Supplementary Passages:
2.53 Before 1, K4 V1 B D (except D6) T1 (om. line 5) ins.: *501 वैशंपायन उवाच प्रविश्य तां सभां पार्था युधिष्ठिरपुरोगमाः समेत्य पार्थिवान्सर्वान्पूजार्हानभिपूज्य च यथावयः समेयाना उपविष्टा यथार्हतः आसनेषु विचित्रेषु स्पर्ध्यास्तरणवत्सु च अथ तेषूपविष्टेषु सर्वेष्वथ नृपेषु च शकुनिः सौबलस्तत्र युधिष्ठिरमभाषत
युधिष्ठिर उवाच निकृतिर्देवनं पापं न क्षात्रोऽत्र पराक्रमः न च नीतिर्ध्रुवा राजन्किं त्वं द्यूतं प्रशंससि
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said O king, deceitful gambling is a sin. there is no Kshatriya prowess (to be found) in it. There is certainly no moraliiy in it; why then are you praising gambling?
न हि मानं प्रशंसन्ति निकृतौ कितवस्य ह शकुने मैव नो जैषीरमार्गेण नृशंसवत्
M. N. Dutt: O Shakuni, the wise men do not praise the pride that gamesters feel in deceitful play. Do not like a cruel man defeat us by deceitful means.
शकुनिरुवाच योऽन्वेति संख्यां निकृतौ विधिज्ञ;श्चेष्टास्वखिन्नः कितवोऽक्षजासु महामतिर्यश्च जानाति द्यूतं; स वै सर्वं सहते प्रक्रियासु
AI Translation: Śakuni said: He who knows the rules in cheating, who is not tired in gambling with dice, And who is very wise and knows gambling, he can bear all the tricks.
अक्षग्लहः सोऽभिभवेत्परं न;स्तेनैव कालो भवतीदमात्थ दीव्यामहे पार्थिव मा विशङ्कां; कुरुष्व पाणं च चिरं च मा कृथाः
AI Translation: "He who plays dice will conquer his opponent, but by that very thing he will become old. You have said this." "Let us play, O king, do not be afraid. Take the hand and do not be long."
युधिष्ठिर उवाच एवमाहायमसितो देवलो मुनिसत्तमः इमानि लोकद्वाराणि यो वै संचरते सदा
AI Translation: Yudhisthira said: Thus, Ahalya, Asita, Devala, and the best of sages These are the gateways to the worlds, which he always traverses.
इदं वै देवनं पापं मायया कितवैः सह धर्मेण तु जयो युद्धे तत्परं साधु देवनम्
AI Translation: This is the gambling of the wicked with the cheats. But victory in battle by righteousness is the best gambling.
नार्या म्लेच्छन्ति भाषाभिर्मायया न चरन्त्युत अजिह्ममशठं युद्धमेतत्सत्पुरुषव्रतम्
M. N. Dutt: Those that are respectable do not use the Mleccha language, nor do they adopt deceitfulness in their behaviours. The act of honest men is to carry on a war without crookedness of cunning.
शक्तितो ब्राह्मणान्वन्द्याञ्शिक्षितुं प्रयतामहे तद्वै वित्तं मातिदेवीर्मा जैषीः शकुने परम्
M. N. Dutt: O Shakuni, by playing disparately do not deceitfully win from us that wealth with which according to our ability we try to benefit the Brahmanas. Even enemies should not be vanquished by desperate stakes in a deceitful play.
नाहं निकृत्या कामये सुखान्युत धनानि वा कितवस्याप्यनिकृतेर्वृत्तमेतन्न पूज्यते
M. N. Dutt: I do not desire to have happiness or wealth by means of cunning. The conduct of one that is a gamester, even if his playing be without deceitfulness, should still never be praised.
शकुनिरुवाच श्रोत्रियोऽश्रोत्रियमुत निकृत्यैव युधिष्ठिर विद्वानविदुषोऽभ्येति नाहुस्तां निकृतिं जनाः
M. N. Dutt: Shakuni said O Yudhishthira, it is with the desire of vanquishing, which is (of course) not a very honest motive, that a high-born man approaches another (like him); so does a learned man an ignorant one;
Supplementary Passages:
2.53.11 K3 Ñ1 V1 B Dn D1.2.4.5 T1 G3.4.6 M ins. after 11cd: D6, after 11ab: *502 अक्षैर्हि शिक्षितोऽभ्येति निकृत्यैव युधिष्ठिर K3 Ñ1 V1 Dn D4.5 G3.6 M ins. after this repetition of 11cd: B2-5 D1.2.6 T1 ins. after 502*: K1 B1, after 11ab: G1.2, after 11: B6, after 504*: *503 अकृतास्त्रं कृतास्त्राश्च दुर्बलं बलवत्तरः K1 V1 B2 Dn D5.6 ins. after 503*: Ś1, after 11: B6, after 502*: *504 एवं कर्मसु सर्वेषु निकृत्यैव युधिष्ठिर
एवं त्वं मामिहाभ्येत्य निकृतिं यदि मन्यसे देवनाद्विनिवर्तस्व यदि ते विद्यते भयम्
M. N. Dutt: If, therefore, in approaching me to play, you consider that I am actuated by dishonest motives, and if you are afraid then desist from the play.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच आहूतो न निवर्तेयमिति मे व्रतमाहितम् विधिश्च बलवान्राजन्दिष्टस्यास्मि वशे स्थितः
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said. O king, challenged, I do not withdraw; this is my established vow. (I know) fate is (all) powerful. We are all under the sway of Fate.
अस्मिन्समागमे केन देवनं मे भविष्यति प्रतिपाणश्च कोऽन्योऽस्ति ततो द्यूतं प्रवर्तताम्
M. N. Dutt: In this assembly with whom am I to play? Who is there who can stake equally with me? Let the play begin (with him).
दुर्योधन उवाच अहं दातास्मि रत्नानां धनानां च विशां पते मदर्थे देविता चायं शकुनिर्मातुलो मम
M. N. Dutt: Duryodhana said O king, I shall supply gems and jewels and wealth, and my uncle, Shakuni, will play the dice on my behalf.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अन्येनान्यस्य विषमं देवनं प्रतिभाति मे एतद्विद्वन्नुपादत्स्व काममेवं प्रवर्तताम्
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said Gambling by one on another's behalf seems to me to be contrary to rule. O learned man, you too will admit this. If however, you still desire it, let the play begin.
वैशंपायन उवाच उपोह्यमाने द्यूते तु राजानः सर्व एव ते धृतराष्ट्रं पुरस्कृत्य विविशुस्तां सभां ततः
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said When the play commenced, all the kings, Dhritarashtra being at their head, took their seats in that Assembly hall.
भीष्मो द्रोणः कृपश्चैव विदुरश्च महामतिः नातीवप्रीतमनसस्तेऽन्ववर्तन्त भारत
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, the high-souled Vidura followed their example with cheerless heart.
ते द्वंद्वशः पृथक्चैव सिंहग्रीवा महौजसः सिंहासनानि भूरीणि विचित्राणि च भेजिरे
M. N. Dutt: Those lion-necked and greatly effulgeit (kings) took their seats separately and in praise on may high (royal) seats of various make and colour.
शुशुभे सा सभा राजन्राजभिस्तैः समागतैः देवैरिव महाभागैः समवेतैस्त्रिविष्टपम्
M. N. Dutt: O king, that Assembly-hall looked beautiful with the assembled monarchs like the heaven with a conclave of greatly fortunate celestials.
सर्वे वेदविदः शूराः सर्वे भास्वरमूर्तयः प्रावर्तत महाराज सुहृद्द्यूतमनन्तरम्
M. N. Dutt: O great king, they were all heroes, they were all learned in the Vedas, and they all bore resplendent countenances. The friendly match at dice then commenced (in due form).
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अयं बहुधनो राजन्सागरावर्तसंभवः मणिर्हारोत्तरः श्रीमान्कनकोत्तमभूषणः
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said O king, this excellent and most valuable chain of pearls, so beautiful and adorned with gold and procured from the ocean by churning it,
एतद्राजन्धनं मह्यं प्रतिपाणस्तु कस्तव भवत्वेष क्रमस्तात जयाम्येनं दुरोदरम्
AI Translation: This is the wealth of the king. What is your wager? Let this be the rule, O father. Let us conquer this difficult to conquer one.
दुर्योधन उवाच सन्ति मे मणयश्चैव धनानि विविधानि च मत्सरश्च न मेऽर्थेषु जयाम्येनं दुरोदरम्
M. N. Dutt: Duryodhana said I have many jewels and much wealth, but I am not proud of them. However, let yourself win this stake.
Supplementary Passages:
2.53.24 After 24, K1 repeats 23cd (with v.l. klamas tāvaj (for krama.); while G6 ins. (cf. 54.1c-2b): *505 शकुने हन्त दिव्यानो ग्लग[reads ह]मानौ सहस्रशः इमे निष्कसहस्रस्य कुण्डिनो हारिणः शतम्
वैशंपायन उवाच ततो जग्राह शकुनिस्तानक्षानक्षतत्त्ववित् जितमित्येव शकुनिर्युधिष्ठिरमभाषत
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said Thereupon Shakuni, well-skilled in dice, took up the dice and said to Yudhishthira, “Lo, I have won it".
Supplementary Passages:
2.53.25 After the ref., G2 ins.: *506 एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु शकुनिर्निकृतिं समुपाश्रितः