Vaisampayana said,--"The royal messenger, agreeably to the commands of
the intelligent king Dhritarashtra, coming upon Yudhishthira, the son
of Pritha who had by that time gone a great way, addressed the monarch
and said,--'Even these are the words of thy father-like uncle, O
Bharata, spoken unto thee, "The assembly is ready. O son of Pandu, O
king Yudhisthira, come and cast the dice."'
"Yudhishthira said,--'Creatures obtain fruits good and ill according to
the dispensation of the Ordainer of the creation. Those fruits are
inevitable whether I play or not. This is a summons to dice; it is,
besides the command of the old king. Although I know that it will prove
destructive to me, yet I cannot refuse.'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Although (a living) animal made of gold was
an impossibility, yet Rama suffered himself to be tempted by a (golden)
deer. Indeed, the minds of men over whom calamities hang, became
deranged and out of order. Yudhishthira, therefore, having said these
words, retraced his steps along with his brothers. And knowing full
well the deception practised by Sakuni, the son of Pritha came back to
sit at dice with him again. These mighty warriors again entered that
assembly, afflicting the hearts of all their friends. And compelled by
Fate they once more sat down at ease for gambling for the destruction
of themselves.
"Sakuni then said,--'The old king hath given ye back all your wealth.
That is well. But, O bull of the Bharata race, listen to me, there is a
stake of great value. Either defeated by ye at dice, dressed in deer
skins we shall enter the great forest and live there for twelve years
passing the whole of the thirteenth year in some inhabited region,
unrecognised, and if recognised return to an exile of another twelve
years; or vanquished by us, dressed in deer skins ye shall, with
Krishna, live for twelve years in the woods passing the whole of the
thirteenth year unrecognised, in some inhabited region. If recognised,
an exile of another twelve years is to be the consequence. On the
expiry of the thirteenth year, each is to have his kingdom surrendered
by the other. O Yudhishthira, with this resolution, play with us, O
Bharata, casting the dice.'
"At these words, they that were in that assembly, raising up their arms
said in great anxiety of mind, and from the strength of their feelings
these words,--'Alas, fie on the friends of Duryodhana that they do not
apprise him of his great danger. Whether he, O bull among the Bharatas,
(Dhritarashtra) understandeth or not, of his own sense, it is thy duty
to tell him plainly.'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"King Yudhishthira, even hearing these various
remarks, from shame and a sense of virtue again sat at dice. And though
possessed of great intelligence and fully knowing the consequences, he
again began to play, as if knowing that the destruction of the Kurus
was at hand.
"And Yudhishthira said,--'How can, O Sakuni, a king like me, always
observant of the uses of his own order, refuse, when summoned to dice?
Therefore I play with thee.'
"Sakuni answered,--'We have many kine and horses, and milch cows, and
an infinite number of goats and sheep; and elephants and treasures and
gold and slaves both male and female. All these were staked by us
before but now let this be our one stake, viz., exile into the
woods,--being defeated either ye or we will dwell in the woods (for
twelve years) and the thirteenth year, unrecognised, in some inhabited
place. Ye bulls among men, with this determination, will we play.'
"O Bharata, this proposal about a stay in the woods was uttered but
once. The son of Pritha, however, accepted it and Sakuni took up the
dice. And casting them he said unto Yudhishthira,--'Lo, I have won.'"