Shloka 6
अध्याय ६६: पुनर्द्यूत-प्रस्तावः
Proposal for a Renewed Dice Game
जैसे बाँस अपने नाशके लिये ही फल धारण करता है, उसी प्रकार धृतराष्ट्रके पुत्र इस राजा दुर्योधनने महान् भयदायक वैरकी सृष्टिके लिये इस जूएके खेलको अपनाया है। यह ऐसा मतवाला हो गया है कि मौत सिरपर नाच रही है; किंतु इसे उसका पता ही नहीं है ।।
yathā vaṃśaḥ svanāśāyaiva phalaṃ dhārayati, tathā dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrair eṣa rājā duryodhanaḥ mahad bhayānaka-vaira-sṛṣṭaye dyūta-krīḍām āśritaḥ. sa evam unmattaḥ saṃjātaḥ yathā mṛtyuḥ śirasi nṛtyati, kintu tasya tad api na viditam. nāruntudaḥ syān na nṛśaṃsavādī na hīnataḥ param abhyādadīta; yayāsya vācā para udvijet na tāṃ vaded uṣatīṃ pāpalokyām.
Kung paanong ang kawayan ay namumunga para lamang sa sariling pagkawasak, gayon din si Duryodhana—anak ni Dhṛtarāṣṭra—ay niyakap ang larong ito ng sugal upang lumikha ng napakalaki at nakapanghihilakbot na poot. Nalasing siya sa kamangmangan, na wari’y sumasayaw na ang kamatayan sa ibabaw ng kanyang ulo, ngunit hindi niya ito nakikilala. Kaya’t huwag magsalita ng salitang tumutusok sa puso ng kapwa, ni gumamit ng malulupit na pananalita; huwag maghangad ng pakinabang sa maruruming paraan; at huwag kailanman bumigkas ng salitang gumugulo sa iba—salitang nag-aapoy sa masamang hangarin at humahantong sa kaparusahan ng impiyerno.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vidura teaches restraint and righteousness in speech and conduct: do not wound others with cutting words, do not speak cruelly, and do not pursue victory through base means. Harmful, inflammatory speech and ignoble tactics generate sin and destructive consequences.
In the Sabha assembly context, Vidura foresees that Duryodhana’s embrace of the dice game is not harmless entertainment but a deliberate engine for creating terrifying enmity. He likens it to bamboo fruiting for its own ruin, warning that Duryodhana is blinded by arrogance while death and disaster draw near.