Shloka 10
Udyoga Parva, Adhyaya 2 — Baladeva’s Counsel on Peace, Restitution, and Court Protocol
हित्वा हि कर्ण च सुयोधनं च समाह्दयद् देवितुमाजमीढ: । दुरोदरास्तत्र सहस्रशो<न्ये युधिष्ठिरो यान् विषहेत जेतुम्
hitvā hi karṇaṃ ca suyodhanaṃ ca samāhvayad devitum ājamīḍhaḥ | duroddarās tatra sahasraśo 'nye yudhiṣṭhiro yān viṣahet jetum ||
婆罗罗摩说道：“他把迦尔那与苏约陀那（难敌）暂且搁置，阿阇弥陀的后裔（尤提施提罗）便去挑战其余诸人。然而那里还有成千上万凶悍难当的赌徒——尤提施提罗几乎难以承受而胜之的人。”
बलदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of dice and the social power of those skilled in deceitful play: even a dharmic king like Yudhiṣṭhira can be drawn into contests where the odds are stacked by seasoned gamblers, showing how adharma can masquerade as ‘sport’ and lead to ruin.
Balarāma comments on the situation around the dice-contest context: Yudhiṣṭhira, identified as a descendant of Ājamīḍha, is portrayed as being set against not only famous figures like Karṇa and Duryodhana but also a multitude of other hardened gamblers present, emphasizing the imbalance and peril of the challenge.