A Lesson Carved in Dice — The Gambling Match of Hastinā-pura

(Mahābhārata, Sabhā-parva, “Dyūta” & “Anudyūta”)

1 Who’s Who (Quick Background for New Readers)

Character	1-Line Intro
Yudhiṣṭhira	Eldest of the five Pāṇḍava brothers; famous for honesty and calm.
Shakuni	Crafty uncle of the Kauravas; unbeatable with loaded dice.
Duryodhana	Jealous prince, cousin to the Pāṇḍavas; wants their kingdom.
Draupadī	Wife of all five Pāṇḍavas; wise and courageous.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra	Blind king of Hastinā-pura, father of the Kauravas.

After years of adventures the Pāṇḍavas build a glittering capital, Indra-prastha. Their success makes Duryodhana burn with envy. Shakuni whispers a plan:

“Invite Yudhiṣṭhira to a friendly game of dice.
Dice are my soldiers; the board is my battlefield.”

2 Vidura’s Warning ( Ignored )

Royal adviser Vidura begs the blind king not to allow the match:

“द्यूतेन नाशो न हि संशयोऽस्ति।”
dyūtena nāśo na hi saṁśayo ‘sti
“Gambling ends in ruin—of this there is no doubt.”

But Dhṛtarāṣṭra, eager to please his sons, sighs, “Let the game proceed.”

3 The First Throw — Gold & Gems

Shakuni’s dice are carved from the bones of his ancestors; they obey his will.

Stake – Yudhiṣṭhira offers a chest of gold.
Roll – Shakuni chants,
“एकैक्यं चन्द्रः” (“May the one-spot become the moon!”)
The die flips to the exact spot he needs. Yudhiṣṭhira loses.
Horses, elephants, chariots—gone in minutes.
The courtiers whisper uncomfortably, but the king remains silent.

4 The Slide into Disaster

Round	Yudhiṣṭhira’s Stake	Shakuni’s Winning Call
3	Servants & palaces	“विजयी भव!” – “Be victorious!”
4	His entire kingdom	“गते गजे!” – “Let the elephant spot fall!”

Each roll obeys. The hall grows colder.

Yudhiṣṭhira’s brothers beg him to stop. He mutters a single line—half pride, half fatalism:

“क्षत्रियस्य व्रतमिदं द्यूतम्।”
kṣatriyasya vratam idaṁ dyūtam
“For a warrior, a wager must be honoured.”

5 The Unthinkable Wager

Shakuni provokes: “You still have one treasure—Draupadī.”

Gasps. Even stone pillars seem to tremble. Yet Yudhiṣṭhira, trance-like, nods and rolls.

The die obeys Shakuni. Draupadī is declared lost property. She is dragged into the court, questioning aloud:

“किं नु पतितोऽयं धर्मः?”
kiṁ nu patito ‘yaṁ dharmaḥ?
“Has righteousness itself fallen?”

6 Shame, Fury, Reprieve

Humiliation follows—stopped only when Dhṛtarāṣṭra, alarmed by ill omens, grants Draupadī two boons. She asks for:

Freedom of Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers.
Restoration of all they lost.

The king agrees. But Duryodhana demands one more match. Bound by courtesy, Yudhiṣṭhira consents; again Shakuni wins. The Pāṇḍavas lose everything and must endure thirteen years of exile—the spark that will ignite the Kurukṣetra war.

7 Five Sanskrit Lines Worth Memorising

#	Devanāgarī	Transliteration	Take-Away
1	द्यूतेन नाशो न हि संशयोऽस्ति	dyūtena nāśo na hi saṁśayo ‘sti	“Gambling surely ends in ruin.”
2	क्षत्रियस्य व्रतमिदं द्यूतम्	kṣatriyasya vratam idaṁ dyūtam	“A warrior feels bound to honour a wager”—but duty can be twisted.
3	किं नु पतितोऽयं धर्मः?	kiṁ nu patito ‘yaṁ dharmaḥ?	“Has righteousness itself collapsed?”
4	पतति श्रेयः लोभकृतम्	patati śreyaḥ lobhakṛtam	“Greed topples the highest good.”
5	द्यूतः पथि प्रजाः क्षिपति	dyūtaḥ pathi prajāḥ kṣipati	“Dice fling families onto the road.”

(4) and (5) are traditional aphorisms quoted by scholars when retelling this episode.

8 Why Tell Kids This Story?

Temptation Escalates Quietly Small bets feel harmless until stakes become life-changing.
Skill vs. Chance Even the most honest person (Yudhiṣṭhira) can be destroyed by a game he cannot control.
Stand Up Early Vidura warned the king before the dice were thrown. Ignoring good advice is another form of gambling.

So next time a “harmless” challenge dares someone to keep risking a little more—remember Yudhiṣṭhira’s dice clicking on marble and Draupadī’s question echoing in the court:

“Has righteousness itself fallen?”

Walk away before the dice decide your fate.

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