Shloka 27
Gandhārī’s Lament for Bhūriśravas and Śakuni
Book 11, Chapter 24
शकुन्ता: शकुनिं कृष्ण समन्तात् पर्युपासते । कैतवं मम पुत्राणां विनाशायोपशिक्षितम्,श्रीकृष्ण! आज शकुनि (पक्षी) ही इस शकुनिकी चारों ओरसे उपासना करते हैं। इसने मेरे पुत्रोंके विनाशके लिये ही द्यूतविद्या अथवा धूर्तविद्या सीखी थी
śakuntāḥ śakuniṁ kṛṣṇa samantāt paryupāsate | kaitavaṁ mama putrāṇāṁ vināśāyopaśikṣitam, śrīkṛṣṇa ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana berkata: “Wahai Kṛṣṇa, kini burung-burung berkumpul dari segenap arah mengelilingi Śakuni seolah-olah melayaninya. Tipu daya itu—kemahirannya dalam perjudian dan helah—dipelajarinya semata-mata untuk membinasakan anak-anakku, wahai Śrī Kṛṣṇa.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse condemns kaitava—deceitful skill used for harm—showing that cleverness divorced from dharma becomes a cause of ruin. It frames gambling-trickery as an ethically corrupt art learned with destructive intent, and hints that such adharma draws ominous signs and bitter consequences.
In the aftermath of the war (Strī Parva’s lamentation setting), Vaiśaṃpāyana addresses Kṛṣṇa and points to Śakuni, describing birds gathering around him. The image functions as an ominous sign and a pointed reminder that Śakuni’s learned deceit in gambling was instrumental in bringing about the downfall of the speaker’s sons (the Kauravas).