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Shloka 8

विदुर-धृतराष्ट्रसंवादः

Vidura–Dhṛtarāṣṭra Dialogue on Rajadharma and Restitution

कच्चिन्नायं वचनात्‌ सौबलस्य समाह्दाता देवनायोपयात: । कच्चित्‌ क्षुद्र: शकुनिर्नायुधानि जेष्यत्यस्मान्‌ पुनरेवाक्षवत्याम्‌,'ये शकुनिके कहनेसे हमें फिर जूआ खेलनेके लिये बुलाने तो नहीं आ रहे हैं। कहीं नीच शकुनि हमें फिर द्यूत-सभामें बुलाकर हमारे आयुधोंको तो जीत नहीं लेगा

kaccin nāyaṃ vacanāt saubalasya samāhvātā devanāyopayātaḥ | kaccit kṣudraḥ śakunir nāyudhāni jeṣyaty asmān punar evākṣavatyām ||

毗舍波耶那说:“难道没有使者奉娑乌婆罗(Saubala)之命前来,再次召我们去掷骰赌局吗?那卑鄙的沙昆尼,莫非又要在赌殿中设下诡计,把我们的兵器也赢走?”

कच्चित्whether? surely?
कच्चित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकच्चित्
Forminterrogative particle
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
Formnegation
अयम्this (man)
अयम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
वचनात्from (the) word/command
वचनात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootवचन
Formneuter, ablative, singular
सौबलस्यof Saubala (Shakuni)
सौबलस्य:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootसौबल
Formmasculine, genitive, singular
समाह्वाताsummoner/caller
समाह्वाता:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-आ-ह्वा
Formmasculine, nominative, singular; agent noun (कर्तृवाचक), 'one who summons'
देवनायfor gambling/dicing
देवनाय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootदेवना
Formfeminine, dative, singular
उपयातःhas come/approached
उपयातः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootउप-या
Formmasculine, nominative, singular; past passive participle
कच्चित्whether? surely?
कच्चित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकच्चित्
Forminterrogative particle
क्षुद्रःbase, mean
क्षुद्रः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootक्षुद्र
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
शकुनिःShakuni
शकुनिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशकुनि
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
Formnegation
आयुधानिweapons
आयुधानि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआयुध
Formneuter, accusative, plural
जेष्यतिwill win/conquer
जेष्यति:
TypeVerb
Rootजि
Formfuture, parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular
अस्मान्us
अस्मान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Formmasculine, accusative, plural
पुनःagain
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
Formadverb
एवindeed, just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
Formemphatic particle
अक्षवत्याम्in the dicing (game/assembly)
अक्षवत्याम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअक्षवती
Formfeminine, locative, singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
S
Shakuni (Saubala)
D
dice-hall (akṣavatī)
W
weapons (āyudhāni)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights ethical vigilance: once a community has suffered from deceitful gambling, prudence and self-restraint are required to avoid being drawn again into the same adharma. It also underscores how manipulation can target a warrior’s honor and resources—here, even weapons—through seemingly ‘legal’ but morally corrupt contests.

In the Vana Parva context after the disastrous dice-game, there is anxious suspicion that Shakuni (called Saubala) may be sending someone to summon the exiled party back to another dice match. The speaker fears Shakuni’s trickery could again dispossess them—this time even of their arms—by luring them into the dice-hall.