Shloka 12
अक्षविजय-प्रसङ्गः
Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory
युधिछिर उवाच के तत्रान्ये कितवा दीव्यमाना विना राज्ञो धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रै: । पृच्छामि त्वां विदुर ब्रूहि नस्तान् यैर्दीव्याम: शतश: संनिपत्य,युधिष्ठिरने पूछा--विदुरजी! वहाँ राजा धृतराष्ट्रके पुत्रोंकी छोड़कर दूसरे कौन-कौन धूर्त जुआ खेलनेवाले हैं? यह मैं आपसे पूछता हूँ। आप उन सबको बताइये, जिनके साथ मिलकर और सैकड़ोंकी बाजी लगाकर हमें जुआ खेलना पड़ेगा
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | ke tatrānye kitavā dīvyamānā vinā rājño dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putraiḥ | pṛcchāmi tvāṃ vidura brūhi nas tān yair dīvyāmaḥ śataśaḥ sannipatya ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Who else are there, apart from the sons of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, that crafty gamblers are playing there? I ask you, Vidura—tell us who they are, those with whom we must gamble, assembling together and staking by the hundreds.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical vigilance: Yudhiṣṭhira seeks clarity about who is involved in the gambling, implying awareness that deceitful players and a biased assembly can turn a game into an instrument of adharma.
In the Kuru court context of the dice match, Yudhiṣṭhira questions Vidura about who, besides Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons, are the ‘kitavāḥ’ present—i.e., other crafty gamblers or collaborators—since the Pandavas are being drawn into high-stakes play.