Shloka 5
युधिछिर उवाच निकृतिर्देवनं पापं न क्षात्रो5त्र पराक्रम: । न च नीतिर्धुवा राजन कि त्वं द्यूत॑ प्रशंभसि,युधिष्ठिरने कहा--राजन्! जूआ तो एक प्रकारका छल है तथा पापका कारण है! इसमें न तो क्षत्रियोचित पराक्रम दिखाया जा सकता है और न इसकी कोई निश्चित नीति ही है। फिर तुम द्यूतकी प्रशंसा क्यों करते हो?
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | nikṛtir dyūtanaṃ pāpaṃ na kṣātro ’tra parākramaḥ | na ca nītir dhruvā rājan kiṃ tvaṃ dyūtaṃ praśaṃsasi ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O King, gambling is a kind of deceit and a source of sin. In it there is no scope for true Kṣatriya valor, nor is there any firm and reliable code of conduct. Why, then, do you praise this game of dice?”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yudhiṣṭhira argues that gambling is inherently deceptive and morally harmful, lacking both the honorable arena for Kṣatriya courage and any stable ethical framework; therefore it should not be praised.
In the Sabha Parva context of the impending dice match, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses the king and challenges the glorification of dice-play, warning that it is rooted in trickery and leads to adharma.