Shloka 21
तेरहवें वर्षमें लोगोंकी जानकारीसे दूर किसी नगरमें रहें। यदि तेरहवें वर्ष किसीकी जानकारीमें आ जाये तो फिर दुबारा बारह वर्षतक वनवास करें। हम हारें तो हम ऐसा करें और उनकी हार हो तो वे। इसी शर्तपर फिर जूएका खेल आरम्भ हो। पाण्डव पासे फेंककर जूआ खेलें ।। एतत् कृत्यतमं राजन्नस्माकं भरतर्षभ । अयं हि शकुनिर्वेद सविद्यामक्षसम्पदम्,भरतकुलभूषण महाराज! यही हमारा सबसे महान् कार्य है। ये शकुनि मामा विद्यासहित पासे फेंकनेकी कलाको अच्छी तरह जानते हैं
trayodaśe varṣe lokānāṃ jñānād dūre kasmiṃścid nagare vasantu | yadi trayodaśe varṣe kasyacid jñāne āgaccheyuḥ punar dvādaśa-varṣāṇi vanavāsaṃ careyuḥ | vayaṃ hāryāma cet tathā kuryāma, teṣāṃ hāniḥ syāc cet te kurvantu | etasminn eva śarte punar dyūtaṃ pravartatām | pāṇḍavā akṣān kṣipya dyūtaṃ krīḍantu || etat kṛtyatamaṃ rājan asmākaṃ bharatarṣabha | ayaṃ hi śakunir veda sa-vidyām akṣa-sampadam ||
Duryodhana proposed a new condition for the dice-game: the Pāṇḍavas must dwell for twelve years in the forest, and in the thirteenth year live in some town unknown to the people; if, during that thirteenth year, they are recognized by anyone, they must again undertake another twelve years of forest-exile. He added that the same rule should bind both sides—if he loses, he will accept it; if they lose, they must accept it. On this condition he urged that the gambling be resumed and that the Pāṇḍavas cast the dice. Then he declared to the king that this was their most decisive course, for Śakuni, his maternal uncle, was skilled—by knowledge and stratagem—in the art of dice.
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how adharma can be advanced through seemingly lawful agreements: a ‘contract’ made under coercive circumstances and driven by deceit (relying on Śakuni’s dice-skill) becomes a tool to inflict disproportionate suffering. It warns that ethical failure often hides behind procedural fairness.
Duryodhana presses for a renewed dice-game with a new stake: twelve years of forest exile plus a thirteenth year living unrecognized; if discovered in that final year, the exile cycle repeats. He insists the Pāṇḍavas throw the dice and claims Śakuni’s mastery makes this plan their strongest move.