Shloka 1
Adhyāya 160: Arjuna’s Envoy-Message—Critique of Borrowed Valor and Pre-dawn Mobilization
संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! तदनन्तर जुआ री शकुनिका पुत्र उलूक पाण्डवोंकी छावनीमें जाकर उनसे मिला और युधिष्ठिरसे इस प्रकार बोला--
sañjaya uvāca—rājan! tadanantaraṃ dyūtakṛt śakunikāputra ulūkaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ chāvanīṃ gatvā taiḥ samāgacchat, yudhiṣṭhiraṃ caivam uvāca—
Sañjaya sprach: „O König! Danach begab sich Ulūka, der Sohn Śakunis—eines Mannes, der beim Würfelspiel eine treibende Rolle gespielt hatte—ins Lager der Pāṇḍavas und traf sie. Dann wandte er sich in folgender Weise an Yudhiṣṭhira und setzte damit eine Botschaft in Gang, die die Entschlossenheit prüfen und die dharmischen Spannungen am Vorabend des Krieges schüren sollte.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a morally charged diplomatic encounter: those tied to adharma (the dice-game) now approach the dharmic king Yudhishthira, highlighting how speech and envoys can be used to provoke conflict and test restraint before war.
After prior events, Uluka—Shakuni’s son—goes to the Pandavas’ military camp, meets them, and begins speaking to Yudhishthira, introducing a message or challenge that will shape the ensuing confrontation.