Mahabharata 3.52.33 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 52, Shloka 33

Nala’s Embassy to Damayantī and the Gods’ Proposal (नलस्य दूतत्वं देवप्रस्तावश्च)

Devanagari script

“नरेश्वर! वह विवेकशून्य शकुनि जूआ फेंकनेकी कलामें कितना कुशल है, यह आप अच्छी तरह जानते हैं, फिर तो उसमें हारकर आप पुनः वनवास ही भोगेंगे ।।

Transliteration

nareśvara! sa vivekaśūnyaḥ śakuniḥ dyūtaprakṣepa-kalāyāṃ kīdṛśaṃ kuśalaḥ, etad bhavān suṣṭhu jānāti; tasmāt tasmin parājitya bhavān punaḥ vanavāsam eva bhokṣyate. yady asmān, su-mahārāja, kṛpaṇān kartum arhasi, yāvaj-jīvam aveksasva vedokta-dharmān api kṛtsnaśaḥ.

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «О владыка людей! Ты хорошо знаешь, сколь непревзойдённо искусен в броске костей Шакуни, лишённый рассудительности. Если ты проиграешь ему, тебе вновь придётся терпеть лесное изгнание. И если, великий царь, ты и впрямь желаешь довести нас до убожества, то, пока длится жизнь, устремляй взор к полному соблюдению всех обязанностей, предписанных Ведой.»

Word by Word

• यद्यस्मान्: if (you) ... us
• यद्यस्मान्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् + अस्मद्
• Form: yadi (conditional particle) + asmān (acc. pl.)

• सुमहाराज: O very great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + महाराज
• Form: Masculine, vocative, singular

• कृपणान्: wretched/mean (persons)
• कृपणान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपण
• Form: Masculine, accusative, plural

• कर्तुम्: to make
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Infinitive (tumun)

• अर्हसि: (you) wish/are fit/are able
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह्
• Form: Present, 2nd person, singular (parasmaipada)

• यावत्: as long as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत्
• Form: correlative adverb

• जीवम्: life / living state
• जीवम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (usage), accusative, singular (adverbial: 'while alive')

• अतवेक्षस्व: keep watch / look to / attend to
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + ईक्ष्
• Form: Imperative, 2nd person, singular, middle (ātmanepada)

• वेदधर्मान्: Veda-prescribed duties
• वेदधर्मान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदधर्म
• Form: Masculine, accusative, plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: conjunction

• कृत्स्नशः: entirely / in full
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृत्स्न
• Form: avyaya (adverbial -śas)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Śakuni
• nareśvara (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage warns that knowingly entering a rigged or morally corrupt contest (dice-play with Śakuni) leads to ruin and renewed suffering; it also frames true refuge in steadfast adherence to Vedic dharma even amid humiliation and loss.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana recounts a warning addressed to a king: since Śakuni is exceptionally adept at dice, losing to him will bring another forest-exile; if the king intends to make the speakers miserable, they resolve to cling to the full practice of Vedic duties for as long as they live.