Shloka 18
इसी प्रकार आप यदि मेरे पास आकर यह मानते हैं कि आपके साथ शठता की जायगी एवं यदि आपको भय मालूम होता है तो इस जूएके खेलसे निवृत्त हो जाइये ।। युधिछिर उवाच आहूतो न निवर्तेयमिति मे व्रतमाहितम् । विधिश्व॒ बलवान् राजन् दिष्टस्यास्मि वशे स्थित:,युधिष्ठिरने कहा--राजन्! मैं बुलानेपर पीछे नहीं हटता, यह मेरा निश्चित व्रत है। दैव बलवान है। मैं दैवके वशमें हूँ
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: āhūto na nivarteyam iti me vratam āhitam | vidhis tu balavān rājan diṣṭasyāsmi vaśe sthitaḥ ||
قال يودهيشثيرا: «أيها الملك، هذا نذري الراسخ: إذا دُعيتُ فلا أرجع. إن القدر شديدُ السلطان؛ وأنا قائمٌ تحت حكم ما قُدِّر وأُبرم.»
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tension between personal dharma expressed as a vow (not withdrawing once summoned) and the perceived force of destiny. Yudhiṣṭhira frames his continued participation as adherence to a self-binding ethical rule, while also acknowledging the overpowering pull of what is ‘ordained’ (vidhi/diṣṭa).
In the dice-hall episode, Yudhiṣṭhira is being pressed to continue the game. He responds that, having been invited, he will not retreat because it is his established vow; he further says that fate is strong and he stands under its control—foreshadowing the disastrous consequences of the match.