Shloka 30
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)
शकुनिरुवाच एतत् पापिष्ठमकरोर्यदात्मानमहारय: । शिष्टे सति धने राजन् पाप आत्मपराजय:
śakunir uvāca: etat pāpiṣṭham akaror yad ātmānam ahārayaḥ | śiṣṭe sati dhane rājan pāpa ātma-parājayaḥ ||
សកុនីបាននិយាយថា៖ «ឱ ព្រះមហាក្សត្រ! ការដែលអ្នកដាក់ខ្លួនឯងជាដង្វាយភ្នាល់ ហើយបាត់បង់វា នោះជាការប្រព្រឹត្តអំពើបាបដ៏អាក្រក់បំផុត។ នៅពេលដែលទ្រព្យនៅសល់ ការចាញ់ខ្លួនឯង—បាត់បង់ខ្លួនឯងក្នុងល្បែង—គឺជាកំហុសធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ។»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even within a flawed contest like gambling, staking one’s own person is portrayed as a severe ethical transgression; self-loss (ātma-parājaya) is condemned as worse than losing wealth, because it violates dignity, duty, and responsible kingship.
In the dice-game episode of the Sabha Parva, Śakuni comments on the moment when the king stakes himself and loses; he frames this as a grave sin, emphasizing that wealth still remained and therefore the self-wager was an especially blameworthy step.