Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 5

Bhīmasena’s Admonition to Yudhiṣṭhira on Rājya and the Ordering of Dharma–Artha–Kāma

Book 3, Chapter 34

अक्षांश्व दृष्टवा शकुनेर्यथावत्‌ कामानुकूलानयुजो युजश्न । शक्यो नियन्तुमभविष्यदात्मा मन्युस्तु हन्यात्‌ पुरुषस्य धैर्यम्‌,शकुनिके सम और विषम सभी पासोंको उसकी इच्छाके अनुसार ही ठीक-ठीक पड़ते देखकर यदि अपने मनको जूएकी ओरसे रोका जा सकता तो यह अनर्थ न होता, परंतु क्रोधावेश मनुष्यके धैर्यको नष्ट कर देता है (इसीलिये मैं जूएसे अलग न हो सका)

akṣāṁś ca dṛṣṭvā śakuner yathāvat kāmānukūlān ayujo yujaś ca | śakyo niyantum abhaviṣyad ātmā manyus tu hanyāt puruṣasya dhairyam ||

Wika ni Yudhiṣṭhira: “Nang makita kong ang mga sugal na buto ni Śakuni ay bumabagsak nang eksakto ayon sa kanyang nais—maging patas man o hindi ang hagis—kung napigil lamang ang sarili sa pang-akit ng pagsusugal, hindi sana naganap ang kapahamakan na ito. Ngunit ang galit at pagkaligalig ay sumisira sa tibay ng isip ng tao; kaya hindi ko naputol ang sarili ko sa laro.”

अक्षान्dice
अक्षान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअक्ष
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
दृष्ट्वाhaving seen
दृष्ट्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)
शकुनेःof Shakuni
शकुनेः:
TypeNoun
Rootशकुनि
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
यथावत्properly, exactly
यथावत्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथावत्
कामानुकूलान्favorable to (his) desire
कामानुकूलान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootकामानुकूल
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
अयुजःunfair/unequal (ones)
अयुजः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअयुज्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
युजश्चfair/equal (ones) and
युजश्च:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootयुज्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
शक्यःpossible, able
शक्यः:
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नियन्तुम्to restrain
नियन्तुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-यम्
Formतुमुन् (infinitive)
अभविष्यत्would have been
अभविष्यत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormConditional (लृङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
आत्माthe self, mind
आत्मा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मन्युःanger, wrath
मन्युः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमन्यु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut, however
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
हन्यात्would destroy
हन्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootहन्
FormOptative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
पुरुषस्यof a man
पुरुषस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
धैर्यम्steadfastness, courage
धैर्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधैर्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
Ś
Śakuni
D
dice (akṣa)
G
gambling/game of dice

Educational Q&A

Even when one recognizes deception and its consequences, inner agitation—especially anger (manyu)—can overpower discernment and destroy steadfastness (dhairya). Ethical living requires mastery of the mind; without self-restraint, knowledge alone cannot prevent ruin.

Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on the dice match with Śakuni, noting that the dice seemed to fall exactly as Śakuni desired, whether the throws were even or odd. He laments that if he could have restrained himself from gambling, the disaster would not have happened, but his disturbed state of mind prevented him from withdrawing.