Shloka 24
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)
युधिछिर उवाच यो नो नेता युधि नः प्रणेता यथा वज्री दानवशत्रुरेक: । तिर्यक्प्रेक्षी संनत भ्रूर्महात्मा सिंहस्कन्धो यश्नू सदात्यमर्षी
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | yo no netā yudhi naḥ praṇetā yathā vajrī dānavāśatrur ekaḥ | tiryakprekṣī saṃnata-bhrūr mahātmā siṃha-skandho yaśnū sadātyamārṣī |
ຢຸທິສຖິຣະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ພຣະຣາຊາ! ຜູ້ເປັນຜູ້ນຳພວກເຮົາໃນສົງຄາມ ແລະເປັນແມ່ທັບຫຼັກ—ດັ່ງອິນທຣະຜູ້ຖືວັດຊຣະ ຜູ້ຕໍ່ຕ້ານດານະວະແຕ່ຜູ້ດຽວ—ຜູ້ມີສາຍຕາເບິ່ງສຽງ ຄິ້ວໂຄ້ງດັ່ງຄັນທະນູ ໃຈໃຫຍ່ ບ່າດັ່ງສິງ ແລະເຕັມໄປດ້ວຍຄວາມໂກດກ້າຫານເສມອ—ຜູ້ທີ່ບໍ່ມີໃຜເທົ່າທັນໃນກຳລັງ—ຄື ເຈົ້າຊາຍ ພີມະເສນ. ຂ້າຈະວາງພະນັນພຣະອົງໃນການຫຼິ້ນລູກເຕົ໋ານີ້ ແມ່ນແຕ່ພຣະອົງບໍ່ສົມຄວນຖືກວາງພະນັນ».
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one recognizes a deed as improper—here, wagering a person—attachment, pride, and the intoxication of play can override dharma. The verse highlights the ethical collapse that begins with treating persons as property, despite knowing it is wrong.
In the dice match, Yudhiṣṭhira continues staking ever more precious ‘possessions.’ He praises Bhīma’s heroic qualities—likening him to Indra in battle—yet still names him as a stake, underscoring the tragic momentum of the dyūta (gambling) episode.