Shloka 16
अक्षविजय-प्रसङ्गः
Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory
बुद्धिमान् विदुरजी! मैं राजा धृतराष्ट्रकी आज्ञासे जूएमें अवश्य चलना चाहता हूँ। पुत्रको पिता सदैव प्रिय है; अतः: आपने मुझे जैसा आदेश दिया है, वैसा ही करूँगा ।।
buddhimān vidurajī! ahaṁ rājā dhṛtarāṣṭrasyājñayā dyūte niyataṁ gantum icchāmi. putraḥ pitre sadā priyaḥ; ataḥ tvayā yathā niyukto ’smi tathā kariṣyāmi. na cākāmaḥ śakunena devitāhaṁ na cen māṁ jiṣṇur āhvayitā sabhāyām | āhūto ’haṁ na nivarte kadācit tad āsthitaṁ śāśvataṁ vai vrataṁ me ||
坚战说道：“噢，智者毗度罗，奉持国王之命，我必定前往掷骰之局。父亲于儿子永远可亲；因此我将完全照你所教而行。我并无赌博之欲。若非战胜之王持国在会堂中召我，我决不会与舍拘尼对掷骰子。然而一旦受邀，我从不退却——此乃我恒久不变的誓愿。”
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a tension in dharma: Yudhiṣṭhira personally rejects gambling, yet feels bound by royal summons and his self-imposed rule of not refusing a formal invitation. It illustrates how rigid adherence to a vow or social code, when detached from discernment, can lead to ethical peril.
Before the fateful dice match, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Vidura, stating he has no wish to gamble with Śakuni. However, since Dhṛtarāṣṭra has called him to the assembly, he will go and will not withdraw, citing this as his longstanding vow.