Shloka 27
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)
शकुनिरुवाच बहु वित्त पराजैषी र्भ्रातृंश्व सहयद्विपान् । आचक्ष्व वित्त कौन्तेय यदि ते5स्त्यपराजितम्
śakunir uvāca: bahu vitta-parājaiṣīr bhrātṝṁś ca sahayadvipān | ācakṣva vitta kaunteya yadi te 'sty aparājitam ||
Śakuni said: “You have won much wealth, O son of Kuntī—along with your brothers and even elephants. Declare now, O Kaunteya, what wealth you still possess that has not yet been lost.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how unethical manipulation works: a provocateur (Śakuni) exploits a ruler’s vulnerability (Yudhiṣṭhira’s compulsion and sense of honor) to push him into ever-greater self-harm. It warns that dharma is not only about intentions but also about refusing traps that lead to injustice and loss of self-mastery.
During the dice-game in the royal assembly, Śakuni announces that Yudhiṣṭhira has already forfeited vast wealth and even major royal assets like elephants, and he challenges him to name what remains “unlost,” pressuring him to stake further—setting up the catastrophic next wagers.