Shloka 12
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)
युधिछिर उवाच श्यामो युवा लोहिताक्ष: सिंहस्कन्धो महाभुज: । नकुलो ग्लह एवैको विद्धयेतन्मम तद्धनम्
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca śyāmo yuvā lohitākṣaḥ siṃhaskandho mahābhujaḥ | nakulo glaha evaiko viddhy etan mama tad dhanam ||
Yudhiṣṭhira nói: “Nakula—da sẫm, tuổi trẻ, mắt đỏ, vai rộng như sư tử, cánh tay hùng mạnh—chỉ riêng chàng là vật cược trong ván này. Hãy biết chàng chính là tài sản ta đem đặt lên bàn.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical collapse that gambling can trigger: even a dharma-minded king, under the grip of the wager, begins to treat persons as property. It implicitly warns that addiction and misplaced honor can override discernment and duty toward family.
During the Kaurava-arranged dice match in the royal assembly, Yudhiṣṭhira declares that he is staking Nakula. He identifies Nakula with vivid physical epithets and presents him as the ‘wealth’ being put up in the game.