Character

Shakuni

शकुनिŚakuni

verses
624
books
3
chapters
235

What the texts say

In the Mahabharata, Shakuni, also called Saubala, is a prince of Gandhara who brought his sister to the Kurus. Mahabharata 1.57.94, 1.103.14 Duryodhana, a Kaurava prince, envied Yudhishthira's splendour and resolved with Shakuni on a deceitful game of dice. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.1.146 At the match Shakuni defeated Yudhishthira, who lost his kingdom and his brothers. Mahabharata 1.1.105, 2.58.26 Through Shakuni's stratagem, Yudhishthira was then sent to the forest for twelve years and a thirteenth year incognito. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.61.50 In the war, his nephew Sahadeva killed him, and the Mahabharata calls him the root of the quarrel and the dice game. Mahabharata 11.24.21, 1.1.149

Where to read

Every verse that names Shakuni, book by book.

  1. Mahabharata

    621 verses · 232 chapters

    All 621 verses in the Mahabharata

    Also in the Gita Press edition: 737 verses

    • 2.58.1

      Shakuni ne kaha. Yudhishthir, tune Pandavon ka bahut paisa haar ke diya hai. Kunti putra, ab bata, tere paas aur kitna paisa bacha hai jo abhi tak nahi gaya?

    • 2.54.1

      Yudhishthir ne kaha. Main dhokhe se haar gaya, Shakuni ne hi mujhe haraya. Chal ab aur khelte hain. Hazaron ka shart lagake khelte hain.

    • 2.53.1

      Shakuni ne kaha, Raja, sabha taiyaar hai. Yeh log khelne ke liye ready hain. Pase aao, aur Yudhishthir, khel ka time fix kar do.

  2. Bhagavatam

    2 verses · 2 chapters

    • 3.1.14

      Vidura ne jo baat kahi, woh achhi thi. Duryodhana gusse mein phool gaya, uske hooth kaanp rahe the. Usne Vidura ko bura bola. Karna, bhai aur mama Shakuni sab uske paas khade the.

    • 3.3.13

      Karna, Dushasan, Shakuni ki buri salaah se Duryodhan ka sab kuch barbaad ho gaya. Uski jaan bhi gayi. Woh apne aadmiyon ke saath zameen par pada tha, taangein tooti hui. Bhagwan ne use dekha lekin khush nahi hua.

  3. Skanda Purana

    1 verse · 1 chapter

    • 6.1.72.18

      Shakuni aur Karn bhi saath the. Aur bhi raja log the. Sab apne fauji parivar ko chhod ke us pavitra jagah par ghoomne lage.

Key chapters

The chapters where Shakuni matters most.

  1. Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory

    Mahabharata 2.58 · 32 verses

    Architect of escalation

  2. Yudhiṣṭhira’s Enumeration of Stakes in the Dice Match

    Mahabharata 2.54 · 16 verses

    Dice-master and instrument of predation

  3. Commencement of the Dice Game

    Mahabharata 2.53 · 12 verses

    Catalyst and procedural authority who converts invitation into…

  4. Unrestrained Battle Description and Śakuni’s Rear Assault

    Mahabharata 9.22 · 13 verses

    Architect of unrestrained tactics

  5. Śakuni and Duryodhana on Planning the Dice-Game

    Mahabharata 2.44 · 11 verses

    Strategist and corrupter of process

  6. Duryodhana’s Fast: Śakuni’s Consolation and the Summoning of a Kṛtyā

    Mahabharata 3.239 · 10 verses

    Counselor-uncle attempting de-escalation through pragmatic and…

  7. Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host

    Mahabharata 9.23 · 10 verses

    Kaurava instigator and tactical agitator

  8. Adhyāya 45: Duryodhana’s Distress, Śakuni’s Counsel, and the Summons for Dyūta

    Mahabharata 2.45 · 8 verses

    Architect of manipulation

  9. Renewed Summons to the Dice-Game and Exile Wager

    Mahabharata 2.67 · 8 verses

    Architect of the trap who converts the rematch into a single…

  10. Vighasāśin and the Difficulty of Gārhasthya

    Mahabharata 12.11 · 7 verses

    Divine corrector and dharma-guardian

Key episodes

  1. The Game of Dice

    Mahabharata 2.53-2.63

Also known to Wikipedia · Wikidata Q1992668