Shloka 31
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुकक््त्वा मताक्षस्तान् ग्लहे सर्वानवस्थितान् । पराजयं लोकवीरानुकत्वा राज्ञां पृूथक्ू-पृथक्
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: evam uktvā matākṣas tān glāhe sarvān avasthitān | parājayaṁ lokavīrān uktvā rājñāṁ pṛthak pṛthak ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Setelah berkata demikian, Śakuni—mahir dalam seni melempar dadu—di hadapan para raja pahlawan termasyhur yang duduk di balairung, menyatakan satu per satu kekalahan para Pāṇḍava dalam permainan itu.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how adharma can be advanced through social theater: by publicly announcing outcomes and involving respected witnesses, a morally dubious act (gambling that targets a king’s weakness) is made to appear legitimate. It warns that ethical failure is often enabled not only by the wrongdoer but also by the court’s passive acceptance.
After speaking to Yudhiṣṭhira about wagering, Śakuni—expert with dice—turns to the assembled famous kings in the sabhā and proclaims, one by one, the Pāṇḍavas’ defeat in the gambling contest, setting the stage for the unfolding calamity of the dice game.