Shloka 23
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)
शकुनिरुवाच अयं मया पाण्डवानां धनुर्धर: पराजित: पाण्डव: सव्यसाची । भीमेन राजन् दयितेन दीव्य यत् कैतवं पाण्डव तेडवशिष्टम्
śakunir uvāca—ayaṃ mayā pāṇḍavānāṃ dhanurdharaḥ parājitaḥ pāṇḍavaḥ savyasācī | bhīmena rājan dayitena dīvy yat kaitavaṃ pāṇḍava te ’vaśiṣṭam ||
Śakuni berkata: “Wahai Raja, aku telah menundukkan Pāṇḍava Savyasācī Arjuna, pemanah utama di antara para Pāṇḍava. Kini, wahai Pāṇḍava, yang tersisa padamu hanyalah Bhīma, kekasihmu, sebagai taruhan yang biasa dirampas para penjudi; maka pertaruhkan dia dan lanjutkan permainan.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical collapse caused by addiction and deceit: when gambling is driven by trickery (kaitava), even revered heroes become reduced to objects of wagering, showing how adharma dehumanizes and destroys social order.
During the rigged dice match, Śakuni announces that Arjuna has already been won/defeated as a stake, and he urges the king to continue by wagering Bhīma next, escalating the humiliation and loss of the Pāṇḍavas.