Shloka 18
अध्याय ३० — क्रोधदोषाः क्षमाप्रशंसा च
Defects of Anger and the Praise of Forbearance
राजन् परीतया बुद्धा विषमे5क्षपराजये । राज्यं वसून्यायुधानि भ्रातृन् मां चासि निर्जित:,परंतु महाराज! उस कपट हद्यूतजनित पराजयके समय आपकी बुद्धि विपरीत हो गयी, जिसके कारण आप राज्य, धन, आयुध तथा भाइयोंको और मुझे भी दावँपर रखकर हार गये
rājan parītayā buddhyā viṣame ’kṣaparājaye | rājyaṁ vasūny āyudhāni bhrātṝn māṁ cāsi nirjitaḥ ||
Pero, ¡oh rey!, en aquella derrota peligrosa del juego de dados, nacida del engaño, tu juicio se desvió; y así fuiste llevado a perder—tras apostar y entregar el reino, las riquezas, las armas, a tus hermanos y aun a mí misma.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must guard discernment (buddhi) especially in morally hazardous situations; when judgment is distorted—often through deceit or weakness—one can forfeit not only property but also duty, freedom, and the welfare of dependents.
Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a king and recalls the catastrophic dice-game loss, emphasizing that in that crisis the king’s judgment went astray, leading to the staking and losing of the kingdom, wealth, weapons, and even his brothers and himself.