"Yudhishthira said,--'Thou hast won this stake of me by unfair means.
But be not so proud, O Sakuni. Let us play staking thousands upon
thousands. I have many beautiful jars each full of a thousand Nishkas
in my treasury, inexhaustible gold, and much silver and other minerals.
This, O king, is the wealth with which I will stake with thee!'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Thus addressed, Sakuni said unto the chief of
the perpetuators of the Kuru race, the eldest of the sons of Pandu,
king Yudhishthira, of glory incapable of sustaining any diminution.
'Lo, I have won!'
"Yudhishthira said,--'This my sacred and victorious and royal car which
gladdeneth the heart and hath carried us hither, which is equal unto a
thousand cars, which is of symmetrical proportions and covered with
tiger-skin, and furnished with excellent wheels and flag-staffs which
is handsome, and decked with strings of little bells, whose clatter is
even like the roar of the clouds or of the ocean, and which is drawn by
eight noble steeds known all over the kingdom and which are white as
the moon-beam and from whose hoofs no terrestrial creature can
escape--this, O king, is my wealth with which I will stake with thee!'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Hearing these words, Sakuni ready with the
dice, and adopting unfair means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have
won!'
"Yudhishthira said,--'I have a hundred thousand serving-girls, all
young, and decked with golden bracelets on their wrists and upper arms,
and with nishkas round their necks and other ornaments, adorned with
costly garlands and attired in rich robes, daubed with the sandal
paste, wearing jewels and gold, and well-skilled in the four and sixty
elegant arts, especially versed in dancing and singing, and who wait
upon and serve at my command the celestials, the Snataka Brahmanas, and
kings. With this wealth, O king, I will stake with thee!'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Hearing these words, Sakuni ready with the
dice, adopting unfair means, said unto Yudhishthira. 'Lo, I have won!'
"Yudhishthira said,--'I have thousands of serving-men, skilled in
waiting upon guests, always attired in silken robes, endued with wisdom
and intelligence, their senses under control though young, and decked
with ear-rings, and who serve all guests night and day with plates and
dishes in hand. With this wealth, O king, I will stake with thee!'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Hearing these words, Sakuni, ready with the
dice, adopting unfair means said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won!'
"Yudhishthira said,--'I have, O son of Suvala, one thousand musty
elephants with golden girdles, decked with ornaments, with the mark of
the lotus on their temples and necks and other parts, adorned with
golden garlands, with fine white tusks long and thick as plough-shafts,
worthy of carrying kings on their backs, capable of bearing every kind
of noise on the field of battle, with huge bodies, capable of battering
down the walls of hostile towns, of the colour of new-formed clouds,
and each possessing eight she-elephants. With this wealth, O king, I
will stake with thee.'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Unto Yudhishthira who had said so, Sakuni,
the son of Suvala, laughingly said, 'Lo, I have won it!'
"Yudhishthira said,--'I have as many cars as elephants, all furnished
with golden poles and flag-staffs and well-trained horses and warriors
that fight wonderfully and each of whom receiveth a thousand coins as
his monthly pay whether he fighteth or not. With this wealth, O king, I
will stake with thee!'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"When these words had been spoken, the wretch
Sakuni, pledged to enmity, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won it.'
"Yudhishthira said.--'The steeds of the Tittiri, Kalmasha, and
Gandharva breeds, decked with ornaments, which Chitraratha having been
vanquished in battle and subdued cheerfully gave unto Arjuna, the
wielder of the Gandiva. With this wealth, O king, I will stake with
thee.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing this, Sakuni, ready at dice, adopting
unfair means, said unto Yudhishthira: 'Lo, I have won!'
"Yudhishthira said,--'I have ten thousand cars and vehicles unto which
are yoked draught animals of the foremost breed. And I have also sixty
thousand warriors picked from each order by thousands, who are all
brave and endued with prowess like heroes, who drink milk and eat good
rice, and all of whom have broad chests. With this wealth, O king, I
will stake with thee.'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Hearing this, Sakuni ready at dice, adopting
unfair means said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won!'
"Yudhishthira said,--'I have four hundred Nidis (jewels of great value)
encased in sheets of copper and iron. Each one of them is equal to five
draunikas of the costliest and purest leaf gold of the Jatarupa kind.
With this wealth, O king, I will stake with thee.'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Hearing this, Sakuni ready at dice, adopting
foul means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won it!'"