Shloka 16
अक्षदेवन-प्रवर्तनम् | Commencement of the Dice Game
तेनाभिषिक्त: कृष्णेन तत्र मे कश्मलो5भवत् | तथा नकुल और सहदेवने दो विशुद्ध चँवर हाथमें ले लिये। पूर्वकालमें प्रजापतिने इन्द्रके लिये जिस शंखको धारण किया था
tenābhiṣiktaḥ kṛṣṇena tatra me kaśmalo ’bhavat | tadā nakulaś ca sahadevaś ca śubhre cāmarayugale pāṇibhyāṃ jagṛhatuḥ | pūrvakāle prajāpatiṇendrasya yac chaṅkhaṃ dhāritam āsīt sa eva varuṇadevatāyāḥ śaṅkhaḥ samudreṇa yudhiṣṭhirāya dattah | viśvakarmaṇā sahasra-suvarṇa-mudrābhiḥ kṛtaṃ śaikya-pātraṃ (suvarṇa-kalaśaṃ) tasmin sthitaṃ samudra-jalaṃ śaṅkhe gṛhītvā śrīkṛṣṇena yudhiṣṭhirasya abhiṣeko ’kriyata | tasmin kāle tatra mama mūrcchā samajāyata || gacchanti pūrvād aparaṃ samudraṃ cāpi dakṣiṇam
Duryodhana disse: «Quando Kṛṣṇa o consagrou ali, uma angústia esmagadora apoderou-se de mim. Então Nakula e Sahadeva tomaram nas mãos os dois leques imaculados de cauda de iaque. A própria concha que Prajāpati outrora levara para Indra—a concha de Varuṇa—foi apresentada pelo Oceano a Yudhiṣṭhira. Com a água do Oceano guardada num vaso de ouro, feito por Viśvakarman ao preço de mil moedas de ouro, Kṛṣṇa encheu a concha e realizou a unção de Yudhiṣṭhira. Nesse momento, desmaiei ali mesmo.»
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage contrasts rightful royal consecration—supported by ritual propriety and divine symbols—with the corrosive power of envy. Duryodhana’s fainting dramatizes how jealousy and wounded pride can overwhelm judgment when confronted with another’s legitimate rise.
During Yudhiṣṭhira’s consecration, Kṛṣṇa performs the anointing using ocean-water poured from a golden vessel into an auspicious conch associated with Varuṇa. Nakula and Sahadeva serve as attendants with royal fans. Duryodhana, watching the ceremony and Yudhiṣṭhira’s elevation, is seized by anguish and faints.