Shloka 11
अक्षविजय-प्रसङ्गः
Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory
विदुर उवाच जानाम्यहं द्यूतमनर्थमूलं कृतश्च यत्नो5स्य मया निवारणे । राजा च मां प्राहिणोत् त्वत्सकाशं श्र॒त्वा विद्वन्छेय इहाचरस्व
vidura uvāca | jānāmy ahaṃ dyūtam anarthamūlaṃ kṛtaś ca yatno ’sya mayā nivāraṇe | rājā ca māṃ prāhiṇot tvatsakāśaṃ śrutvā vidvañ cheya iha ācarasva ||
قال فيدورا: «أيها الحكيم، أعلم أن القمار أصلُ البلاء، وقد بذلتُ جهدي في منعه. غير أن الملك قد أرسلني إليك. فإذا سمعتَ ذلك، أيها العاقل، فافعل هنا ما تراه خيرًا وصلاحًا».
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Gambling (dyūta) is identified as anarthamūla—the root of ruin—so a wise person should restrain it and choose śreyas (true welfare) over short-term excitement, even when political pressure pushes events toward harm.
Vidura reports that he understands the danger of the dice-game and has tried to stop it, but Dhṛtarāṣṭra has nevertheless sent him as a messenger to a wise person (the addressee) and asks that, after hearing the situation, the addressee act in whatever way seems most beneficial.