Shloka 8

अक्षविजय-प्रसङ्गः

Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory

Devanagari script

समागम्य भ्रातृभि: पार्थ तस्यां सुहृद्द्यूत॑ क्रियतां रम्यतां च | प्रीयामहे भवतां संगमेन समागता: कुरवश्चापि सर्वे

Transliteration

samāgamya bhrātṛbhiḥ pārtha tasyāṃ suhṛd-dyūtaṃ kriyatāṃ ramyatāṃ ca | prīyāmahe bhavatāṃ saṅgamena samāgatāḥ kuravaś cāpi sarve ||

Translation

毗度罗向阿周那转达国王之命：“噢，帕尔塔啊，携你的诸兄弟前来，观览那座新建的华美大殿。让亲友与善意之人齐聚其间，以掷骰之戏作消遣。我们俱卢一族尽皆会集，得与你相见，必将欢喜无量。”

Word by Word

• समागम्य: having come together / after meeting
• समागम्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-गम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि, —, —, —

• भ्रातृभिः: with (your) brothers
• भ्रातृभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• पार्थ: O Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थ: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तस्याम्: in that (hall/assembly)
• तस्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• सुहृद्: friends / well-wishers
• सुहृद्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, intended sense likely plural 'सुहृदः' (friends); text shows 'सुहृद्' as a stem-form

• द्यूतम्: dice-play / gambling
• द्यूतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्यूत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• क्रियताम्: let it be done / let (it) be played
• क्रियताम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: लोट् (imperative), कर्मणि (passive), Third, Singular

• रम्यताम्: let there be enjoyment / let it be delighted in
• रम्यताम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम्
• Form: लोट् (imperative), कर्मणि (passive), Third, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्रीयामहे: we rejoice / we are pleased
• प्रीयामहे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, First, Plural

• भवताम्: of you (honorific plural)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• संगमेन: by (your) meeting / by the coming together
• संगमेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संगम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• समागताः: assembled / having come together
• समागताः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-गम्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कुरवः: the Kurus
• कुरवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कुरुराज: O king of the Kurus
• कुरुराज: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• the Pandava brothers (bhrātṛbhiḥ)
• the Kurus (Kuravaḥ)
• the assembly hall (sabhā; implied by tasyām)
• dice-play (dyūta)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A courteous invitation can conceal moral danger: amusement (ramyatā) like gambling (dyūta) easily becomes a doorway to adharma when driven by pride, rivalry, or manipulation. The verse highlights the need for discernment and self-restraint even in seemingly friendly social settings.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vidura relays Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s invitation to Arjuna to come with his brothers to view the newly built assembly hall and to join a friendly gathering where dice-play is proposed. This sets the stage for the fateful dice match that will escalate the conflict between the Pandavas and the Kauravas.