Shloka 9
Dyūta-kathā-praśnaḥ — Inquiry into the Dice-Game Calamity
दिव्यांश्ैवान्तरिक्षांश्व॒ पार्थिवांश्व पितामह । अपि चैट्यस्य पतनाच्छन्नमौत्पातिकं महत्
divyāṁś caivāntarikṣāṁś ca pārthivāṁś ca pitāmaha | api caityasya patanāc channam autpātikaṁ mahat ||
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Wahai Kakek Agung, ada pertanda yang bersifat surgawi, ada yang tampak di angkasa, dan ada yang timbul di bumi. Lagi pula, dari runtuhnya caitya ini pun telah tersingkap suatu pertanda besar—tersembunyi namun berat maknanya.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames ethical-political vigilance: a ruler attentive to dharma also attends to warnings—celestial, atmospheric, and earthly—treating them as prompts for reflection, restraint, and prudent action rather than complacency.
Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma as ‘Grandfather’ and reports categories of ominous signs, adding that the fall of a caitya (a sacred marker/shrine) has produced a major, though not immediately obvious, portent—seeking guidance on its significance.