Shloka 1

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

ऑपन- माल बछ। अकाल पजञज्चषष्टितमो< ध्याय: युधिष्ठटिरका धन

Transliteration

śakuniḥ uvāca—bahu vittaṁ parājaiṣīḥ pāṇḍavānāṁ yudhiṣṭhira | ācakṣva vittaṁ kaunteya yadi te ’sty aparājitam ||

Translation

ଶକୁନି କହିଲା—ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର! ପାଣ୍ଡବମାନଙ୍କର ବହୁ ଧନ ତୁମେ ହାରିସାରିଛ। ହେ କୌନ୍ତେୟ, ଯଦି ତୁମ ପାଖରେ ଏପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ନ ହାରିଥିବା କିଛି ଧନ ଅଛି, ତେବେ କହ।

Word by Word

• बहु: much (a lot of)
• बहु: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वित्तम्: wealth, money
• वित्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पराजैषीः: you have lost (were defeated)
• पराजैषीः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पराजि (धातु: जि/जय् with परा-)
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha/लिट्), 2, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिर: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• आचक्ष्व: tell, declare
• आचक्ष्व: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चक्ष्
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2, Singular, Atmanepada

• वित्तम्: wealth (stake)
• वित्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कौन्तेय: O son of Kuntī
• कौन्तेय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• ते: of you, your
• ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• अस्ति: there is
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present (लट्), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अपराजितम्: unlost, not yet defeated (unwagered/unsurrendered)
• अपराजितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपराजित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śakuni
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pāṇḍavas
• Kuntī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how unethical pressure and taunting can push a person already weakened by vice (gambling) into further self-harm, showing the erosion of dharma when desire, pride, and manipulation override restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the dice-hall episode, Śakuni provokes Yudhiṣṭhira by pointing out how much wealth has already been lost and demands that he name any remaining unlost stake—setting up the continuation of ruinous wagers.