Section LXIV

"Sakuni said,—

'You have, O Yudhishthira, lost much wealth of the Pandavas. If you have still anything that you have 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 you 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 you.

I have as much. With that wealth, O king, I will play with you."

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 you.

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 you.'

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 you.

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 you. He is already under our subjection. With whom (as stake) will you now play?"

Vaisampayana said,—"Saying this, Sakuni cast those dice, and said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo! He has been won by us.'

Yudhishthira said,—

"This Sahadeva administers justice. He has 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 you, have both been won by me. It would seem, however, that Bhimasena and Dhananjaya are regarded very much by you.'

"Yudhishthira said,—

'Wretch! you actest sinfully in thus seeking to create disunion amongst us who are all of one heart, disregarding morality.'

"Sakuni said,—

'One that is intoxicated falls into a pit (hell) and stays there deprived of the power of motion. You are, 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 you.

You 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 takes 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 Phalguna as stake, however, undeserving of being made so, I will now play with you.'"

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 has now been won by me. O play now with the wealth that is still left unto you, even with Bhima your dear brother, as your stake, O son of Pandu.

"Yudhishthira said,—

'O king, however, undeserving he may be of being made a stake, I will now play with you 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 has no equal in might in the world, who is the foremost of all wielders of the mace, and who grinds all foes,'"

"Vaisampayana said,—"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready with the dice adopting foul means, said unto Yudhishthira. 'Lo! I have won.'

Sakuni continued,—

You have, O son of Kunti, lost much wealth, horses and elephants and your brothers as well. Say, if you have anything which you have not lost.'

Yudhishthira, said—

'I alone, the eldest of all my brothers and dear unto them, am still unwon. Won by you, 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,—

'You have permitted thyself to be won. This is very sinful. There is wealth still left to you, O king. Therefore, your 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 you that is still unwon. Stake you Krishna, the princess of Pancala. 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 you.

Possessed of eyes like the leaves of the autumn lotus, and fragrant also as the autumn lotus,
equal in beauty unto her (Lakshmi) who delights in autumn lotuses,
and unto Shri 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 looks after all down to the cowherds and the shepherds. Her face too, when covered with sweat, looks 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 Pancala.

O king, making the slender-waisted Draupadi, who is even such as my stake, I will play with you, 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,

'Has the stake been won?'

'Has 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.

You have one stake, dear to you, etc. said,—

'Lo! I have won'

and took up the dice that had been cast."