Shloka 16
अक्षविजय-प्रसङ्गः
Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory
बुद्धिमान् विदुरजी! मैं राजा धृतराष्ट्रकी आज्ञासे जूएमें अवश्य चलना चाहता हूँ। पुत्रको पिता सदैव प्रिय है; अतः: आपने मुझे जैसा आदेश दिया है, वैसा ही करूँगा ।। न चाकाम: शकुनिना देविताहं न चेन्मां जिष्णुराह्मयिता सभायाम् | आहूतो<हं न निवर्ते कदाचित् तदाद्ठितं शाश्रवृतं वै व्रतं मे,मेरे मनमें जूआ खेलनेकी इच्छा नहीं है। यदि मुझे विजयशील राजा धृतराष्ट्र सभामें न बुलाते, तो मैं शकुनिसे कभी जुआ न खेलता; किंतु बुलानेपर मैं कभी पीछे नहीं हटूँगा। यह मेरा सदाका नियम है
buddhimān vidurajī! ahaṁ rājā dhṛtarāṣṭrasyājñayā dyūte niyataṁ gantum icchāmi. putraḥ pitre sadā priyaḥ; ataḥ tvayā yathā niyukto ’smi tathā kariṣyāmi. na cākāmaḥ śakunena devitāhaṁ na cen māṁ jiṣṇur āhvayitā sabhāyām | āhūto ’haṁ na nivarte kadācit tad āsthitaṁ śāśvataṁ vai vrataṁ me ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O wise Vidura, by King Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s command I intend to go to the dice-game without fail. A son is always dear to his father; therefore I shall act exactly as you have instructed me. I have no desire to gamble. Had the victorious King Dhṛtarāṣṭra not summoned me to the assembly, I would never have played dice with Śakuni. But once invited, I do not turn back—this is my enduring vow.”
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a tension in dharma: Yudhiṣṭhira personally rejects gambling, yet feels bound by royal summons and his self-imposed rule of not refusing a formal invitation. It illustrates how rigid adherence to a vow or social code, when detached from discernment, can lead to ethical peril.
Before the fateful dice match, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Vidura, stating he has no wish to gamble with Śakuni. However, since Dhṛtarāṣṭra has called him to the assembly, he will go and will not withdraw, citing this as his longstanding vow.