Shloka 8
यथोपजोषमासीना: पुनर्द्यूतप्रवृत्तये सर्वलोकविनाशाय दैवेनोपनिपीडिता:,महारथी भरतश्रेष्ठ पाण्डव पुनः उस सभामें प्रविष्ट हुए। उन्हें देखकर सुहृदोंके मनमें बड़ी पीड़ा होने लगी। प्रारब्धके वशीभूत हुए कुन्तीकुमार सम्पूर्ण लोकोंके विनाशके लिये पुनः द्यूतक्रीड़ा आरम्भ करनेके उद्देश्यसे चुपचाप वहाँ जाकर बैठ गये
Vaiśampāyana uvāca—yathopajoṣam āsīnāḥ punardyūtapravṛttaye sarvalokavināśāya daivenopanipīḍitāḥ; mahārathī bharataśreṣṭha pāṇḍavāḥ punaḥ sabhāṃ praviṣṭāḥ. tān dṛṣṭvā suhṛdāṃ manasi mahān pīḍā samajāyata. prārabdhavaśībhūtāḥ kuntīkumārāḥ samastalokānāṃ vināśārthaṃ punar dyūtakrīḍām ārabdhum uddiśya tūṣṇīṃbhūtāḥ tatra gatvā niṣeduḥ.
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Overpowered by fate, the Pāṇḍavas sat down again—quietly and without resistance—intent on resuming the dice-game, a course that would bring ruin upon the worlds. O best of the Bharatas, those great chariot-warriors re-entered the assembly hall; and when their well-wishers saw them, deep anguish arose in their hearts. The sons of Kuntī, held fast by what had already begun (their destined course), went there in silence and took their seats, aiming once more to set the gambling in motion for the destruction of all.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how unethical actions—here, the renewed dice-game—can proceed under the pressure of fate and social power, yet still generate collective suffering. It underscores the moral danger of passively yielding to a destructive course once set in motion, and the way private vice in a royal court can expand into public catastrophe.
After earlier events in the assembly, the Pāṇḍavas return to the sabhā and sit down again to resume gambling. Their allies and well-wishers feel intense pain on seeing them submit silently, as the renewed dice-game is portrayed as a step that will lead toward widespread ruin.