Shloka 12
अक्षविजय-प्रसङ्गः
Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory
युधिछिर उवाच के तत्रान्ये कितवा दीव्यमाना विना राज्ञो धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रै: । पृच्छामि त्वां विदुर ब्रूहि नस्तान् यैर्दीव्याम: शतश: संनिपत्य
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | ke tatrānye kitavā dīvyamānā vinā rājño dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putraiḥ | pṛcchāmi tvāṃ vidura brūhi nas tān yair dīvyāmaḥ śataśaḥ sannipatya ||
坚战说道：“除持国王之子外，那处还有哪些狡黠的赌徒在掷骰相争？我问你，毗度罗——请告诉我们，他们是谁；我们将与谁同聚一处赌博，并以百数为注而押。”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical vigilance: Yudhiṣṭhira seeks clarity about who is involved in the gambling, implying awareness that deceitful players and a biased assembly can turn a game into an instrument of adharma.
In the Kuru court context of the dice match, Yudhiṣṭhira questions Vidura about who, besides Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons, are the ‘kitavāḥ’ present—i.e., other crafty gamblers or collaborators—since the Pandavas are being drawn into high-stakes play.