"Sakuni said,--'Thou hast, O Yudhishthira, lost much wealth of the
Pandavas. If thou hast still anything that thou hast not yet lost to
us, O son of Kunti, tell us what it is!'
"Yudhishthira said,--'O son of Suvala, I know that I have untold
wealth. But why is it, O Sakuni, that thou askest me of my wealth? Let
tens of thousands and millions and millions and tens of millions and
hundreds of millions and tens of billions and hundreds of billions and
trillions and tens of trillions and hundreds of trillions and tens of
quadrillions and hundreds of quadrillions and even more wealth be
staked by thee. I have as much. With that wealth, O king, I will play
with thee.'"
Vaisampayana said,--"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready with the dice,
adopting unfair means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won!'
"Yudhishthira said,--'I have, O son of Suvala, immeasurable kine and
horses and milch cows with calves and goats and sheep in the country
extending from the Parnasa to the eastern bank of the Sindu. With this
wealth, O king, I will play with thee.'"
Vaisampayana said,--"Hearing this Sakuni, ready with the dice, adopting
unfair means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won!'
"Yudhishthira said,--'I have my city, the country, land, the wealth of
all dwelling therein except of the Brahmanas, and all those persons
themselves except Brahmanas still remaining to me. With this wealth, O
king, I will play with thee.'"
Vaisampayana said,--"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready with the dice,
adopting foul means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo! I have won.'
"Yudhishthira said,--'These princes here, O king, who look resplendent
in their ornaments and their ear-rings and Nishkas and all the royal
ornaments on their persons are now my wealth. With this wealth, O king,
I play with thee.'"
Vaisampayana said,--"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready with his dice,
adopting foul means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo! I have won them.'
"Yudhishthira said,--'This Nakula here, of mighty arms and leonine
neck, of red eyes and endued with youth, is now my one stake. Know that
he is my wealth.'
"Sakuni said,--'O king Yudhishthira, prince Nakula is dear to thee. He
is already under our subjection. With whom (as stake) wilt thou now
play?'"
Vaisampayana said,--"Saying this, Sakuni cast those dice, and said unto
Yudhishthira, 'Lo! He hath been won by us.'
"Yudhishthira said,--'This Sahadeva administereth justice. He hath also
acquired a reputation for learning in this world. However undeserving
he may be to be staked in play, with him as stake I will play, with
such a dear object as it, indeed, he were not so!'"
Vaisampayana said,--"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready with the dice,
adopting foul means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo! I have won.'
"Sakuni continued,--'O king, the sons of Madri, dear unto thee, have
both been won by me. It would seem, however, that Bhimasena and
Dhananjaya are regarded very much by thee.'
"Yudhishthira said,--'Wretch! thou actest sinfully in thus seeking to
create disunion amongst us who are all of one heart, disregarding
morality.'
"Sakuni said,--'One that is intoxicated falleth into a pit (hell) and
stayeth there deprived of the power of motion. Thou art, O king, senior
to us in age, and possessed of the highest accomplishments. O bull of
the Bharata race, I (beg my pardon and) bow to thee. Thou knowest, O
Yudhishthira, that gamesters, while excited with play, utter such
ravings that they never indulge in the like of them in their waking
moments nor even in dream.'
"Yudhishthira said,--'He that taketh us like a boat to the other shore
of the sea of battle, he that is ever victorious over foes, the prince
who is endued with great activity, he who is the one hero in this
world, (is here). With that Falguna as stake, however, undeserving of
being made so, I will now play with thee.'"
Vaisampayana said,--"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready with the dice,
adopting foul means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo! I have won.'
"Sakuni continued,--'This foremost of all wielders of the bow, this son
of Pandu capable of using both his hands with equal activity hath now
been won by me. O play now with the wealth that is still left unto
thee, even with Bhima thy dear brother, as thy stake, O son of Pandu.'
"Yudhishthira said,--'O king, however undeserving he may be of being
made a stake, I will now play with thee by staking Bhimasena, that
prince who is our leader, who is the foremost in fight,--even like the
wielder of the thunder-bolt--the one enemy of the Danavas,--the
high-souled one with leonine neck and arched eye-brows and eyes looking
askance, who is incapable of putting up with an insult, who hath no
equal in might in the world, who is the foremost of all wielders of the
mace, and who grindeth all foes,'"
Vaisampayana said,--"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready with the dice adopting
foul means, said unto Yudhishthira. 'Lo! I have won.'
"Sakuni continued,--'Thou hast, O son of Kunti, lost much wealth,
horses and elephants and thy brothers as well. Say, if thou hast
anything which thou hast not lost.'
"Yudhishthira, said--'I alone, the eldest of all my brothers and dear
unto them, am still unwon. Won by thee, I will do what he that is won
will have to do.'"
Vaisampayana said,--"Hearing this Sakuni, ready with the dice, adopting
foul means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo! I have won.'
"Sakuni continued,--'Thou hast permitted thyself to be won. This is
very sinful. There is wealth still left to thee, O king. Therefore, thy
having lost thyself is certainly sinful.'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Having said this, Sakuni, well-skilled at
dice, spoke unto all the brave kings present there of his having won,
one after another, all the Pandavas. The son of Suvala then, addressing
Yudhishthira said,--'O king, there is still one stake dear to thee that
is still unwon. Stake thou Krishna, the princess of Panchala. By her,
win thyself back.'
"Yudhishthira said,--'With Draupadi as stake, who is neither short nor
tall, neither spare nor corpulent, and who is possessed of blue curly
locks, I will now play with thee. Possessed of eyes like the leaves of
the autumn lotus, and fragrant also as the autumn lotus, equal in
beauty unto her (Lakshmi) who delighteth in autumn lotuses, and unto
Sree herself in symmetry and every grace she is such a woman as a man
may desire for wife in respect of softness of heart, and wealth of
beauty and of virtues. Possessed of every accomplishment and
compassionate and sweet-speeched, she is such a woman as a man may
desire for wife in respect of her fitness for the acquisition of virtue
and pleasure and wealth. Retiring to bed last and waking up first, she
looketh after all down to the cowherds and the shepherds. Her face too,
when covered with sweat, looketh as the lotus or the jasmine. Of
slender waist like that of the wasp, of long flowing locks, of red
lips, and body without down, is the princess of Panchala. O king,
making the slender-waisted Draupadi, who is even such as my stake, I
will play with thee, O son of Suvala.'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"When the intelligent king Yudhishthira the
just has spoken thus,--'Fie!' 'Fie!' were the words that were uttered
by all the aged persons that were in the assembly. And the whole
conclave was agitated, and the kings who were present there all gave
way to grief. And Bhishma and Drona and Kripa were covered with
perspiration. And Vidura holding his head between his hands sat like
one that had lost his reason. He sat with face downwards giving way to
his reflections and sighing like a snake. But Dhritarashtra glad at
heart, asked repeatedly, 'Hath the stake been won?' 'Hath the stake
been won?' and could not conceal his emotions. Karna with Dussassana
and others laughed aloud, while tears began to flow from the eyes of
all other present in the assembly. And the son of Suvala, proud of
success and flurried with excitement and repeating. Thou hast one
stake, dear to thee, etc. said,--'Lo! I have won' and took up the dice
that had been cast.