Shloka 11
Udyoga Parva, Adhyaya 2 — Baladeva’s Counsel on Peace, Restitution, and Court Protocol
स दीव्यमान: प्रतिदेवनेन अक्षेषु नित्यं तु पराड्मुखेषु
sa dīvyamānaḥ pratidevanena akṣeṣu nityaṃ tu parāṅmukheṣu
Él, siempre absorto en el juego y en partidas repetidas de dados, permanecía sin embargo vuelto de continuo lejos de los dados—como si los evitara aun cuando era arrastrado a jugar—señal de una mente dividida y de una flaqueza moral que llama a la ruina.
बलदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of gambling: even when one knows it is harmful (being ‘turned away’ in conscience), repeated indulgence can overpower restraint and lead to downfall.
Baladeva describes a person characterized by continual dice-play and repeated gambling, portraying an inner contradiction—drawn into the game while simultaneously averse—setting up a critique of such conduct in a royal and moral context.