Shloka 15
अक्षदेवन-प्रवर्तनम् | Commencement of the Dice Game
तमस्मै शड्खमाहार्षीद् वारुणं कलशोदधि: । शैक्यं निष्कसहस्रेण सुकृतं विश्वकर्मणा
tam asmai śaṅkham āhārṣīd vāruṇaṃ kalaśodadhiḥ | śaikyaṃ niṣkasahasreṇa sukṛtaṃ viśvakarmaṇā ||
To him, the Ocean—treasury of the Varuṇa-born waters—brought a conch. It was a splendid, well-wrought conch, fashioned by Viśvakarman and valued at a thousand niṣkas. In Duryodhana’s telling, the gift underscores how extraordinary objects and divine craftsmanship can be marshalled to magnify royal prestige and worldly power.
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how material magnificence—especially when framed as divinely sourced and expertly crafted—can be used to legitimize status and intensify attachment to power. Ethically, it invites reflection on the difference between true worth (dharma, character) and the allure of prestige objects.
In Duryodhana’s narration, a remarkable conch is presented: the Ocean brings a Varuṇa-associated conch, exquisitely made by Viśvakarman and said to be worth a thousand niṣkas, emphasizing extraordinary wealth and splendor connected with royal or heroic possession.