Shloka 30
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)
शकुनिरुवाच एतत् पापिष्ठमकरोर्यदात्मानमहारय: । शिष्टे सति धने राजन् पाप आत्मपराजय:,शकुनि फिर बोला--राजन्! आप अपनेको दाँवपर लगाकर जो हार गये, यह आपके द्वारा बड़ा अधर्म-कार्य हुआ। धनके शेष रहते हुए अपने-आपको हार जाना महान् पाप है
śakunir uvāca: etat pāpiṣṭham akaror yad ātmānam ahārayaḥ | śiṣṭe sati dhane rājan pāpa ātma-parājayaḥ ||
Śakuni berkata: “Wahai Raja, engkau telah melakukan perbuatan yang paling berdosa apabila mempertaruhkan dirimu sendiri lalu tewas. Selagi harta masih berbaki, tewasnya diri sendiri—yakni kehilangan dirimu dalam permainan—adalah kesalahan yang amat berat.”
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.