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 ||
Yudhiṣṭhira nói: “Thấy xúc xắc của Śakuni rơi đúng như hắn muốn—dù là nước đi công bằng hay bất công—nếu bản thân có thể kìm lại trước sức quyến rũ của cờ bạc, tai ương này đã không xảy ra. Nhưng cơn giận và sự xao động phá hủy sự vững vàng của tâm trí con người; vì thế ta không thể dứt mình khỏi cuộc chơi.”
युधिछिर उवाच
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.