Shloka 20
सभा-पर्व, अध्याय ६१ — द्रौपदी-प्रश्नः, सभाधर्मः, सत्यवचन-नियमः
एकैको ह्वात्र लभते सहस्रपरमां भृतिम् । युध्यतो<्युध्यतो वापि वेतनं मासकालिकम् । एतद् राजन् मम धन तेन दीव्याम्यहं त्वया
ekāiko hvātra labhate sahasra-paramāṁ bhṛtim | yudhyato 'yudhyato vāpi vetanaṁ māsa-kālikam | etad rājan mama dhanaṁ tena dīvyāmy ahaṁ tvayā |
যুধিষ্ঠির বললেন—“এখানে প্রত্যেকে সর্বাধিক এক সহস্র ভৃতি (বেতন) পায়। যুদ্ধ করুক বা না করুক, মাসিক বেতন দেওয়া হয়। রাজন! এটাই আমার ধন; এটিকেই পণ রেখে আমি তোমার সঙ্গে খেলছি।”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how wealth and institutional power (regular pay to warriors/retainers) can be treated as stake in reckless gambling, raising an ethical tension: royal resources meant for protection and order are being risked for a game, foreshadowing adharma and political collapse.
In the dice-hall episode of the Sabha Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira declares what he possesses and is willing to stake. He describes dependable, monthly-paid retainers/warriors and presents this as his wealth, which he now puts at risk in gambling with the opposing side.