Shloka 36
वैशम्पायन उवाच प्रवर्तमाने द्यूते तु मत्स्य: पाण्डवमब्रवीत् । पश्य पुत्रेण मे युद्धे तादशा: कुरवो जिता:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! जूएका खेल आस्मभ हो गया। खेलते-खेलते मत्स्यराजने पाण्डुनन्दनसे कहा--'देखो, आज मेरे बेटेने युद्धमें उन प्रसिद्ध कौरवोंपर विजय पायी है'
vaiśampāyana uvāca | pravartamāne dyūte tu matsyaḥ pāṇḍavam abravīt | paśya putreṇa me yuddhe tādṛśāḥ kuravo jitāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Ketika permainan dadu mula berlangsung, raja Matsya menegur sang Pāṇḍava: “Lihatlah—oleh anak lelakiku, di medan perang, bahkan para Kuru yang termasyhur itu telah ditewaskan.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how easily royal pride and the excitement of competition (here, gambling) can lead to boastful claims; it implicitly contrasts mere talk with the ethical need for discernment and restraint, especially when reputations and conflicts (war) are involved.
As the dice-game begins in Virāṭa’s court, King Virāṭa speaks to the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna in disguise), boasting that his son has defeated the famed Kurus in battle—an assertion tied to the unfolding events around the Kauravas’ confrontation with Matsya.