Previous Verse

Shloka 2436

धृतराष्ट्रस्य युधिष्ठिरं प्रति व्यवहार-रक्षा-नियमनोपदेशः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Instruction on Administration, Punishment, and Daily Governance

दुर्बुद्धिविंदुरं प्राह द्यूते कि जितमित्युत । 'पार्थ! क्या तुम उस बातको भूल गये

Vaiśampāyana uvāca | durbuddhi-viduraṃ prāha dyūte kiṃ jitam ity uta |

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。賭博の勝負のさなか、その邪心の男はヴィドゥラに幾度も問いかけた。「我らはこの賭けで、いったい何を勝ち得たのだ?」

दुर्बुद्धिःthe evil-minded one
दुर्बुद्धिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदुर्बुद्धि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
विदुरम्Vidura
विदुरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootविदुर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
प्राहsaid/spoke
प्राह:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र+अह्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular
द्यूतेin the gambling (match)
द्यूते:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootद्यूत
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
किम्what?
किम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
जितम्won
जितम्:
TypeVerb
Rootजि
FormPast Passive Participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
इतिthus/quoting
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
उतand/also (emphatic particle)
उत:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootउत

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
V
Vidura
D
dyūta (dice-game)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how obsession with winning can eclipse dharma: a seemingly simple question—“What have we won?”—becomes a sign of moral confusion when victory is pursued through unjust means. It implicitly elevates Vidura’s role as a voice of righteousness amid a court that mistakes harmful gain for true success.

The narrator recalls the infamous dice-game episode: an evil-minded figure at the Kuru court repeatedly questions Vidura about what has been won in the wager. The remembrance functions as a moral commentary on the chain of events that led to catastrophe, contrasting reckless triumphalism with Vidura’s dharmic perspective.