Shloka 17
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)
शकुनिरुवाच माद्रीपुत्रौ प्रियौ राजंस्तवेमौ विजितौ मया । गरीयांसौ तु ते मन्ये भीमसेनधनंजयौ,शकुनि बोला--राजन्! आपके ये दोनों प्रिय भाई माद्रीके पुत्र नकुल-सहदेव तो मेरे द्वारा जीत लिये गये, अब रहे भीमसेन और अर्जुन। मैं समझता हूँ, ये दोनों आपके लिये अधिक गौरवकी वस्तु हैं (इसीलिये आप इन्हें दाँवपर नहीं लगाते)
śakunir uvāca mādrīputrau priyau rājan tavemau vijitau mayā | garīyāṃsau tu te manye bhīmasenadhanaṃjayau ||
Śakuni said: “O King, these two beloved sons of Mādrī—yours—have been won by me. But I consider Bhīmasena and Dhanaṃjaya to be of greater weight and honor for you; that is why you do not stake them in the wager.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how unethical persuasion exploits attachment and pride: Śakuni frames Bhīma and Arjuna as Yudhiṣṭhira’s greatest ‘honor’ to provoke further staking, showing how adharma advances by manipulating values rather than by force.
During the dice match in the royal assembly, Śakuni announces that Nakula and Sahadeva have already been won and then taunts Yudhiṣṭhira by implying he is withholding the more ‘important’ brothers—Bhīma and Arjuna—thereby pressuring him to continue the ruinous game.