Shloka 23
(वैशग्पायन उवाच एवं देवबलाविष्टो धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिर: । भीष्मद्रोणैर्वार्यमाणो विदुरेण च धीमता ।। युयुत्सुना कृपेणाथ सञठ्जयेन च भारत । गान्धार्या पृथया चैव भीमार्जुनयमैस्तथा ।। विकर्णेन च वीरेण द्रौपद्या द्रौणिना तथा । सोमदत्तेन च तथा बाह्लीकेन च धीमता ।। वार्यमाणोडपि सततं न च राजा नियच्छति ।) वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! उस समय धर्मराज युधिष्ठिर प्रारब्धके वशीभूत हो गये थे। महाराज! उन्हें भीष्म, द्रोण और बुद्धिमान् विदुरजी दुबारा जूआ खेलनेसे रोक रहे थे। युयुत्सु, कृपाचार्य तथा संजय भी मना कर रहे थे। गान्धारी, कुन्ती, भीम, अर्जुन, नकुल, सहदेव, वीर विकर्ण, द्रौपदी, अश्वत्थामा, सोमदत्त तथा बुद्धिमान् बाह्नीक भी बारंबार रोक रहे थे तो भी राजा युधिष्ठिर भावीके वश होनेके कारण जूएसे नहीं हटे। शकुनिरुवाच गवाश्चव॑ं बहुधेनूकमपर्यन्तमजाविकम् । गजा: कोशो हिरण्यं च दासीदासाक्ष सर्वश:,त्रयोदशं च वै वर्षमज्ञाता: सजने तथा । अनेन व्यवसायेन दीव्याम पुरुषर्षभा: केवल तेरहवें वर्ष हमें किसी जनसमूहमें अज्ञात-भावसे रहना होगा। नरश्रेष्ठरण! हम इसी निश्चयके साथ जूआ खेलें
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
evaṁ devabalāviṣṭo dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
bhīṣmadroṇair vāryamāṇo vidureṇa ca dhīmatā ||
yuyutsunā kṛpeṇātha sañjayena ca bhārata |
gāndhāryā pṛthayā caiva bhīmārjunayamais tathā ||
vikarṇena ca vīreṇa draupadyā drauṇinā tathā |
somadattena ca tathā bāhlīkena ca dhīmatā ||
vāryamāṇo 'pi satataṁ na ca rājā niyacchati ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Bhārata (Janamejaya), at that time King Yudhiṣṭhira, the lord of dharma, was overpowered by the force of destiny. Though he was repeatedly restrained by Bhīṣma and Droṇa, and by the wise Vidura; though Yuyutsu, Kṛpa, and Sañjaya also tried to dissuade him; though Gāndhārī and Pṛthā (Kuntī), and Bhīma, Arjuna, and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) likewise; though the heroic Vikarṇa, Draupadī, Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāmā), Somadatta, and the wise Bāhlīka too kept warning him again and again—still the king did not hold back from the dice, being driven by what was to be.”
(वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a righteous person can be swept away when desire, social pressure, and a sense of inevitability override self-restraint. The verse highlights the ethical necessity of heeding wise counsel and exercising inner control, especially when actions have public and irreversible consequences.
During the dice-game crisis in the royal assembly, many respected elders, family members, and allies repeatedly try to stop Yudhiṣṭhira from continuing to gamble. Despite these warnings, he persists, described as being overpowered by destiny.