Shloka 13
अक्षविजय-प्रसङ्गः
Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory
विदुर उवाच गान्धारराज: शकुनिर्विशाम्पते राजातिदेवी कृतहस्तो मताक्ष: । विविंशतिक्षित्रसेनश्ष॒ राजा सत्यव्रत: पुरुमित्रो जयश्वल
vidura uvāca—gāndhārarājaḥ śakunir viśāmpate rājātidevī kṛtahasto matākṣaḥ | viviṁśatiś citrasenaś ca rājā satyavrataḥ purumitraś ca jayaś ca ||
毗度罗说道：“噢，众民之主（大王），那里有犍陀罗王舍拘尼——嗜赌而精于赌博之人，掷骰之技臻于化境，能随其意愿使骰子落定，并洞悉赌戏的内在诡计。除他之外，还有毗毗ṁ沙提王、质多罗塞那、萨提耶弗罗多王、普鲁密多罗，以及阇耶。”
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores an ethical warning: when a contest is shaped by a master of manipulation (Śakuni in dice), the appearance of fair play collapses. Vidura’s naming of such a figure highlights the dharmic danger of entering games or agreements where deceit and unequal skill are intentionally used to entrap others.
Vidura is informing the king about who will be present/active in the dice setting, emphasizing that Śakuni—the Gāndhāra king—is a consummate dice-player who can cast dice as he wishes and knows the tricks of the game, along with other named kings/persons.