Shloka 5
Adhyāya 59: Vidura’s Admonition to Duryodhana after the Summons of Draupadī (सभा पर्व)
युधिछिर उवाच निकृतिर्देवनं पापं न क्षात्रो5त्र पराक्रम: । न च नीतिर्धुवा राजन कि त्वं द्यूत॑ प्रशंभसि
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | nikṛtir dyūtanaṃ pāpaṃ na kṣātro ’tra parākramaḥ | na ca nītir dhruvā rājan kiṃ tvaṃ dyūtaṃ praśaṃsasi ||
Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „O König, das Würfelspiel ist eine Art Trug und eine Quelle der Sünde. Darin gibt es keinen Raum für wahre kṣatriyische Tapferkeit, und es besitzt auch keine feste, verlässliche Ordnung. Warum also preist du dieses Würfelspiel?“
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yudhiṣṭhira argues that gambling is inherently deceptive and morally harmful, lacking both the honorable arena for Kṣatriya courage and any stable ethical framework; therefore it should not be praised.
In the Sabha Parva context of the impending dice match, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses the king and challenges the glorification of dice-play, warning that it is rooted in trickery and leads to adharma.