Shloka 7
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)
वैशम्पायन उवाच 52: 20/4864828 निकृतिं समुपाश्रित: । शकुनिर्युधिष्ठिरमभाषत,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! यह सुनकर शठताके आश्रित हुए शकुनिने अपनी ही जीत घोषित करते हुए युधिष्ठिस्से कहा--'लो, यह दाँव भी मैंने ही जीता”
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: nikṛtiṃ samupāśritaḥ śakunir yudhiṣṭhiram abhāṣata—
വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ജനമേജയാ! വഞ്ചനയെ ആശ്രയിച്ച ശകുനി തന്റെ ജയമെന്നു തന്നെ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ച് യുധിഷ്ഠിരനോടു പറഞ്ഞു—“ഇതാ, ഈ പണവും ഞാൻ തന്നേ ജയിച്ചു.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of nikṛti (deceit): when a contest is driven by fraud, victory becomes morally empty and the victim is pushed toward further compromise. It foreshadows how adharma, once admitted into a royal setting, can rapidly erode judgment and dharma.
During the dice match in the Sabha, Śakuni—acting through trickery—speaks to Yudhiṣṭhira and announces that he has won the stake again, pressing the game forward and tightening the trap around the Pāṇḍavas.