Shloka 13
अक्षविजय-प्रसङ्गः
Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory
विदुर उवाच गान्धारराज: शकुनिर्विशाम्पते राजातिदेवी कृतहस्तो मताक्ष: । विविंशतिक्षित्रसेनश्ष॒ राजा सत्यव्रत: पुरुमित्रो जयश्वल,विदुरने कहा--राजन्! वहाँ गान्धारराज शकुनि है, जो जुएका बहुत बड़ा खिलाड़ी है। वह अपनी इच्छाके अनुसार पासे फेंकनेमें सिद्ध॒हस्त है। उसे द्यूतविद्याके रहस्यका ज्ञान है। उसके सिवा राजा विविंशति, चित्रसेन, राजा सत्यव्रत, पुरुमित्र और जय भी रहेंगे
vidura uvāca—gāndhārarājaḥ śakunir viśāmpate rājātidevī kṛtahasto matākṣaḥ | viviṁśatiś citrasenaś ca rājā satyavrataḥ purumitraś ca jayaś ca ||
Vidura said: “O lord of the people (King), there is Śakuni, the king of Gāndhāra—an expert gambler, perfectly skilled in casting the dice as he wishes, and one who knows the inner stratagems of the game. Besides him, there will also be King Viviṁśati, Citrasena, King Satyavrata, Purumitra, and Jaya.”
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores an ethical warning: when a contest is shaped by a master of manipulation (Śakuni in dice), the appearance of fair play collapses. Vidura’s naming of such a figure highlights the dharmic danger of entering games or agreements where deceit and unequal skill are intentionally used to entrap others.
Vidura is informing the king about who will be present/active in the dice setting, emphasizing that Śakuni—the Gāndhāra king—is a consummate dice-player who can cast dice as he wishes and knows the tricks of the game, along with other named kings/persons.