Shloka 386

Rājasūyābhiṣeka-darśana: Duryodhana’s Observation of the Consecration

Devanagari script

भारत! मैं इस भूमण्डलमें द्यूतविद्याका विशेष जानकार हूँ, द्यूतक्रीड़ाका मर्म जानता हूँ; दाव लगानेका भी मुझे ज्ञान है तथा पासे फेंकनेकी कलाका भी मैं विशेषज्ञ हूँ ।। द्यूतप्रियश्न॒ कौन्तेयो न च जानाति देवितुम्‌ । कुन्तीनन्दन युधिष्ठिरको जुआ खेलना बहुत प्रिय है, परंतु वे उसे खेलना जानते नहीं हैं

Transliteration

duryodhana uvāca | dyūtapriyaś ca kaunteyo na ca jānāti devitum |

Translation

Duryodhana said: “O Bhārata! In this world I am a singular knower of the science of dice; I understand the very heart of gambling, I know how stakes are laid, and I am an expert in the art of casting the dice. The son of Kuntī, Yudhiṣṭhira, is fond of gambling, yet he does not know how to play.” In context, Duryodhana weaponizes this weakness to ensnare Yudhiṣṭhira and undermine dharma through a contest that appears ‘lawful’.

Word by Word

• {'dyūta': 'gambling

• dice-game', 'dyūtapriyaḥ': 'fond of gambling', 'Kaunteyaḥ': 'son of Kuntī

• epithet of Yudhiṣṭhira (also applicable to the Pāṇḍavas generally)', 'na': 'not', 'ca': 'and', 'jānāti': 'knows

• understands', 'devitum': 'to gamble

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Kaunteya, son of Kuntī)
• Kuntī