Shloka 16
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)
वैशम्पायन उवाच एतच्छुत्वा व्यवसितो निकृतिं समुपाश्रित: । जितमित्येव शकुनिर्युधिष्ठिरमभाषत
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: etac chrutvā vyavasito nikṛtiṁ samupāśritaḥ | jitam ity eva Śakunir Yudhiṣṭhiram abhāṣata ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Mendengar itu, Śakuni—teguh pada niatnya dan berlindung pada tipu daya—berkata kepada Yudhiṣṭhira, “Aku menang,” seolah kemenangan itu sudah pasti.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral contrast between outward ‘victory’ and inner legitimacy: success gained through nikṛti (fraud) is ethically tainted, and it intensifies the dharmic dilemma of accepting outcomes produced by deception.
After hearing the preceding development in the dice match, Śakuni—committed to trickery—declares to Yudhiṣṭhira that he has won the stake, asserting the result with confidence rooted in manipulation rather than fair play.