Vaisampayana said,--"The sons of Pritha with Yudhishthira at their
head, having entered that assembly house, approached all the kings that
were present there. And worshipping all those that deserved to be
worshipped, and saluting others as each deserved according to age, they
seated themselves on seats that were clean and furnished with costly
carpets. After they had taken their seats, as also all the kings,
Sakuni the son of Suvala addressed Yudhishthira and said, 'O king, the
assembly is full. All had been waiting for thee. Let, therefore, the
dice be cast and the rules of play be fixed, O Yudhishthira.'
"Yudhishthira replied, 'Deceitful gambling is sinful. There is no
Kshatriya prowess in it. There is certainly no morality in it. Why,
then, O king, dost thou praise gambling so? The wise applaud not the
pride that gamesters feel in deceitful play. O Sakuni, vanquish us, not
like a wretch, by deceitful means.'
"Sakuni said,--'That high-souled player who knoweth the secrets of
winning and losing, who is skilled in baffling the deceitful arts of
his confrere, who is united in all the diverse operations of which
gambling consisteth, truly knoweth the play, and he suffereth all in
course of it. O son of Pritha, it is the staking at dice, which may be
lost or won that may injure us. And it is for that reason that gambling
is regarded as a fault. Let us, therefore, O king, begin the play. Fear
not. Let the stakes be fixed. Delay not!'
"Yudhishthira said,--'That best of Munis, Devala, the son of Asita, who
always instructeth us about all those acts that may lead to heaven,
hell, or the other regions, hath said, that it is sinful to play
deceitfully with a gamester. To obtain victory in battle without
cunning or stratagem is the best sport. Gambling, however, as a sport,
is not so. Those that are respectable never use the language of the
Mlechchas, nor do they adopt deceitfulness in their behaviour. War
carried on without crookedness and cunning, this is the act of men that
are honest. Do not, O Sakuni, playing desperately, win of us that
wealth with which according to our abilities, we strive to learn how to
benefit the Brahmanas. Even enemies should not be vanquished by
desperate stakes in deceitful play. I do not desire either happiness or
wealth by means of cunning. The conduct of one that is a gamester, even
if it be without deceitfulness, should not be applauded.'
"Sakuni said,--'O Yudhishthira, it is from a desire of winning, which
is not a very honest motive, that one high-born person approacheth
another (in a contest of race superiority). So also it is from a desire
of defeating, which is not a very honest motive, that one learned
person approacheth another (in a contest of learning). Such motives,
however, are scarcely regarded as really dishonest. So also, O
Yudhishthira, a person skilled at dice approacheth one that is not so
skilled from a desire of vanquishing him. One also who is conversant
with the truths of science approacheth another that is not from desire
of victory, which is scarcely an honest motive. But (as I have already
said) such a motive is not really dishonest. And, O Yudhishthira, so
also one that is skilled in weapons approacheth one that is not so
skilled; the strong approacheth the weak. This is the practice in every
contest. The motive is victory, O Yudhishthira. If, therefore, thou, in
approaching me, regardest me to be actuated by motives that are
dishonest, if thou art under any fear, desist then from play.'
"Yudhishthira said,--'Summoned, I do not withdraw. This is my
established vow. And, O king, Fate is all powerful. We all are under
the control of Destiny. With whom in this assembly am I to play? Who is
there that can stake equally with me? Let the play begin.'
"Duryodhana said,--'O monarch, I shall supply jewels and gems and every
kind of wealth. And it is for me that this Sakuni, my uncle, will play.'
"Yudhishthira said,--'Gambling for one's sake by the agency of another
seemeth to me to be contrary to rule. Thou also, O learned one, will
admit this. If, however, thou art still bent on it, let the play
begin.'"