Shloka 28
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)
शकुनि बोला--कुन्तीनन्दन! आप अपने भाइयों और हाथी-घोड़ोंसहित बहुत धन हार चुके, अब आपके पास बिना हारा हुआ धन कोई अवशिष्ट हो, तो बतलाइये ।।
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | ahaṃ viśiṣṭaḥ sarveṣāṃ bhrātṝṇāṃ dayitas tathā | kuryām ahaṃ jitaḥ karma svayam ātmany upaplute ||
ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର କହିଲେ—ମୁଁ ମୋ ସମସ୍ତ ଭାଇମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ ଏବଂ ସେମାନଙ୍କର ପ୍ରିୟ। ତେଣୁ ମୁଁ ନିଜକୁ ହିଁ ପଣ ରଖୁଛି। ଯଦି ମୁଁ ହାରିଯାଏ, ତେବେ ପରାଜିତ ଦାସ ପରି ଯେ କାମ ଆରୋପିତ ହେବ, ସେସବୁ କରିବି।
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical collapse that can occur when honor and compulsive adherence to a flawed code override discernment: Yudhiṣṭhira, identifying himself as the responsible elder, accepts self-enslavement as the consequence of defeat, showing how dharma can be misapplied when judgment is clouded.
During the dice match engineered by Śakuni, after Yudhiṣṭhira has already lost wealth and possessions, he is pressed to declare anything remaining unlost. Yudhiṣṭhira responds by wagering his own person, agreeing that if he loses he will serve like a defeated slave.