वैशम्पायन उवाच प्रविश्य तां सभां पार्था युधिष्ठिरपुरोगमाः। समेत्य पार्थिवान् सर्वान् पूजार्हानभिपूज्य च॥ यथावयः समेयाना उपविष्टा यथार्हतः। आसनेषु विचित्रेषु स्पर्ध्यास्तरणवत्सु च॥
Vaishampayana said Having entered the Sabha, the sons of Pritha with Yudhishthira at their head met all the kings that were present there. Worshipping all those that deserved to be worshipped and saluting others as each deserved according to his age, they took their seats on pure seats covered with costly carpets.
तेषु तत्रोपविष्टेषु सर्वेष्वध नृपेषु च। शकुनिः सौबलस्तत्र युधिष्ठिरमभाषत॥
When they were seated, and when the kings took their seats also, the son of Subala, Shakuni, thus spoke to Yudhishthira.
शकुनिरुवाच उपस्तीर्णा सभा राजन् सर्वे त्वयि कृतक्षणाः। अक्षानुप्त्वा देवनस्य समयोऽस्तु युधिष्ठिरः॥
Shakuni said O king, the Assembly is full. All was waiting for you. O Yudhishthira, let now the dice be cast and the rules of play be fixed.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच निकृतिर्देवनं पापं न क्षात्रोऽत्र पराक्रमः। न च नीति_वा राजन् किं त्वं द्यूतं प्रशंससि॥
Yudhishthira said O king, deceitful gambling is a sin. there is no Kshatriya prowess (to be found) in it. There is certainly no moraliiy in it; why then are you praising gambling?
न हि मानं प्रशंसन्ति निकृतौ कितवस्य हि। शकुने मैव नो जैषीरमार्गेण नृशंसवत्॥
O Shakuni, the wise men do not praise the pride that gamesters feel in deceitful play. Do not like a cruel man defeat us by deceitful means.
शकुनिरुवाच चेष्टास्वखिन्नः कितवोऽक्षजासु। महामतिर्यश्च जानाति द्यूतं स वै सर्वं सहते प्रक्रियासु॥ स्तेनैव दोषो भवतीह पार्थ। दीव्यामहे पार्थिव मा विशङ्कां कुरुष्व पाणं च चिरं च मा कृथाः॥
Shakuni said. That high minded player, who knows the secrets of winning and losing, who is skilled in baffling the deceitful arts of those with whom he plays, and who is united with the various operations which gambling consists of, knows truly the play and suffers all in course of it. O son of Pritha, it is the staking of dice that may be lost and won, and which may injure us. And it is for this reason gambling is considered to be a fault. Therefore, O king, let us begin the play. Fear not, let the stakes be fixed. Do not make any further delay.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच एवमाहायमसितो देवलो मुनिसत्तमः। इमानि लोकद्वाराणि यो वै भ्राम्यति सर्वदा॥ इदं वै देवनं पापं निकृत्या कितवैः सह। धर्मेण तु जयो युद्धे तत्परं न तु देवनम्॥
Yudhishthira said That best of Rishis, the son of Asita, Devala, who always instructs us about all those acts that may lead(men) to heaven, hell or to the other regions, has said this it is sinful to play deceitfully with a gamester. The best sport is to obtain victory in a righteous battle. Gambling is not a sport.
नार्या म्लेच्छन्ति भाषाभिर्मायया न चरन्त्युत। अजिह्ममशठं युद्धमेतत् सत्पुरुषव्रतम्॥
Those that are respectable do not use the Mleccha language, nor do they adopt deceitfulness in their behaviours. The act of honest men is to carry on a war without crookedness of cunning.
शक्तितो ब्राह्मणान् नूनं रक्षितुं प्रयतामहे। तद् वै वित्तं मातिदेवीर्मा जैषीः शकुने परान्॥
O Shakuni, by playing disparately do not deceitfully win from us that wealth with which according to our ability we try to benefit the Brahmanas. Even enemies should not be vanquished by desperate stakes in a deceitful play.
निकृत्या कामये नाहं सुखान्युत धनानि वा। कितवस्येह कृतिनो वृत्तमेतन्न पूज्यते॥
I do not desire to have happiness or wealth by means of cunning. The conduct of one that is a gamester, even if his playing be without deceitfulness, should still never be praised.
शकुनिरुवाच श्रोत्रियः श्रोत्रियानेति निकृत्यैव युधिष्ठिर। विद्वानविदुषोऽभ्येति नाहुस्तां निकृतिं जनाः॥
Shakuni said O Yudhishthira, it is with the desire of vanquishing, which is (of course) not a very honest motive, that a high-born man approaches another (like him); so does a learned man an ignorant one;
अक्षैर्हि शिक्षितोऽभ्येति निकृत्यैव युधिष्ठिरः। विद्वानविदुषोऽभ्येति नाहुस्तां निकृति जनाः॥
O Yudhishthira, so also a man skilled in dice approaches one who is not so from the desire of vanquishing (his opponent). One who is conversant with the truths of science approaches another that is not from the desire of victory, which is scarcely an honest motive.
अकृतास्त्रं कृतास्त्रश्चं दुर्बलं बलवत्तरः। एवं कर्मसु सर्वेषु निकृत्यैव युधिष्ठिर। विद्वानविदुषोऽभ्येति नाहुस्तां निकृति जनाः॥
O Yudhishthira, so also a man skilled in weapons approaches one who is not so; so does a strong man a weak one. This is the practice in every contest. The victory is(always)the motive.
एवं त्वं मामिहाभ्येत्य निकृति यदि मन्यसे। देवनाद् विनिवर्तस्व यदि ते विद्यते भयम्॥
If, therefore, in approaching me to play, you consider that I am actuated by dishonest motives, and if you are afraid then desist from the play.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच आहूतो न निवर्तेयमिति मे व्रतमाहितम्। विधिश्च बलवान् राजन् दिष्टस्यामि वशे स्थितः॥
Yudhishthira said. O king, challenged, I do not withdraw; this is my established vow. (I know) fate is (all) powerful. We are all under the sway of Fate.
अस्मिन् समागमे केन देवनं मे भविष्यति। प्रतिपाणश्च कोऽन्योऽस्ति ततो द्यूतं प्रवर्तताम्॥
In this assembly with whom am I to play? Who is there who can stake equally with me? Let the play begin (with him).
दुर्योधन उवाच अहं दातास्मि रत्नानां धनानां च विशाम्पते॥ मदर्थे देविता चायं शकुनिर्मातुलो मम।
Duryodhana said O king, I shall supply gems and jewels and wealth, and my uncle, Shakuni, will play the dice on my behalf.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अन्येनान्यस्य वै द्यूतं विषमं प्रतिभाति मे। एतद् विद्वन्नुपादत्स्व काममेवं प्रवर्तताम्॥
Yudhishthira said Gambling by one on another's behalf seems to me to be contrary to rule. O learned man, you too will admit this. If however, you still desire it, let the play begin.