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When Shakuni challenged Yudhishthira to a game of dice, several thoughts flitted through Yudhisthrira's mind. The chief thought was that he had heard rumors that Shakuni used special dice, which gave him the advantage in every game played, and that was quickly followed by the thought that as a kshatriya, he could not refuse the offer to play the game of dice, leaving him in quite a sticky situation. He had to say yes to him.
When Shakuni challenged Yudhishthira to a game of dice, several thoughts flitted through Yudhisthrira's mind. The chief thought was that he had heard rumors that Shakuni used special dice, which gave him the advantage in every game played, and that was quickly followed by the thought that as a kshatriya, he could not refuse the offer to play the game of dice, leaving him in quite a sticky situation. He had to say yes to him.
He agreed to play against Shakuni, hoping with all of his heart that the rumors of Shakuni’s special die were false. His hopes were dashed, however, when he lost all of his possessions and wealth in the first game. He felt even more hopeless when he lost himself and the rest of the Pandavas. He wasn’t sure what would happen next – he had lost himself and the Pandavas – what else was there to lose if he was lost and his wealth and possessions were also already lost? Had Shakuni not already taken everything Yudhishthira had or owned of value and accomplished his mission to humiliate Yudhishthira?
He agreed to play against Shakuni, hoping with all of his heart that the rumors of Shakuni’s special die were false. His hopes were dashed, however, when he lost all of his possessions and wealth in the first game. He felt even more hopeless when he lost himself and the rest of the Pandavas. He wasn’t sure what would happen next – he had lost himself and the Pandavas – what else was there to lose if he was lost and his wealth and possessions were also already lost? Had Shakuni not already taken everything Yudhishthira had or owned of value and accomplished his mission to humiliate Yudhishthira?
Yudhishthira was stuck. He was completely and utterly stuck. From the gleam in Shakuni’s eyes and his whisperings to Duryodhana, they were up to something more, which meant that he did have something more to lose. He looked around and saw his brothers, and he then quickly looked away, lest he look too carefully and see the disappointment mirrored in their eyes. He scanned the great room further and saw some of their comrades, all of their expensive, silk clothing and assorted gold jewelry. What did they want? Did they want the comrades of the Pandavas to pledge loyalty to the Kauravas?
Yudhishthira was stuck. He was completely and utterly stuck. From the gleam in Shakuni’s eyes and his whisperings to Duryodhana, they were up to something more, which meant that he did have something more to lose. He looked around and saw his brothers, and he then quickly looked away, lest he look too carefully and see the disappointment mirrored in their eyes. He scanned the great room further and saw some of their comrades, all of their expensive, silk clothing and assorted gold jewelry. What did they want? Did they want the comrades of the Pandavas to pledge loyalty to the Kauravas?
Shakuni finally ceased his whispering and turned to Yudhishthira with a smile. “For this next round, if you win, you can take back your wealth, possessions, and your ownership of yourselves. But if you lose, you turn over Draupadi,” he stated. Yudhishthira could not believe what he had just heard. The stakes of this game was his wife? The beloved wife of all the Pandavas? He couldn’t stop playing this stupid game and had already gambled everything that he had, including himself, and now he had to give up the person most dear in his life?
Shakuni finally ceased his whispering and turned to Yudhishthira with a smile. “For this next round, if you win, you can take back your wealth, possessions, and your ownership of yourselves. But if you lose, you turn over Draupadi,” he stated. Yudhishthira could not believe what he had just heard. The stakes of this game was his wife? The beloved wife of all the Pandavas? He couldn’t stop playing this stupid game and had already gambled everything that he had, including himself, and now he had to give up the person most dear in his life?
He looked over to the rest of his brothers, who stared back at him hopelessly, and then looked at Draupadi, who was glaring at him, as if to say, “How could you get yourself into this mess?” He wanted to yell in frustration and scream in frustration that this wasn’t his fault.
He looked over to the rest of his brothers, who stared back at him hopelessly, and then looked at Draupadi, who was glaring at him, as if to say, “How could you get yourself into this mess?” He wanted to yell in frustration and scream in frustration that this wasn’t his fault.
He had no other alternative. He briefly looked up to the heavens and prayed to any of the gods who were there listening, to please spare his wife this dishonor – she was simply an innocent bystander in this whole mess.
He had no other alternative. He briefly looked up to the heavens and prayed to any of the gods who were there listening, to please spare his wife this dishonor – she was simply an innocent bystander in this whole mess.
He turned back to Shakuni and nodded at him to commence the game. The die was rolled, and after what seemed like an eternity (but was likely only a brief second), the die turned over and revealed Yudhishthira as the winner of the game! Thanks be to the gods who listened to his prayers! He had just been restored his possessions, wealth, and self-ownership, but most importantly, had not lost his beloved wife!
He turned back to Shakuni and nodded at him to commence the game. The die was rolled, and after what seemed like an eternity (but was likely only a brief second), the die turned over and revealed Yudhishthira as the winner of the game! Thanks be to the gods who listened to his prayers! He had just been restored his possessions, wealth, and self-ownership, but most importantly, had not lost his beloved wife!
Bibliography - PDE Mahabharata. Multiple Authors. Link.
Author’s Note – I’m a huge fan of happy endings, and I hated how the story of Yudhishthira and the dice game had ended! I really wanted to remake this story and give it a happy ending, because I really felt Draupadi deserved that much. In the original story, Yudhishthira was playing the dice game against Shakuni, and since Shakuni had special dice, Shakuni won every time. Shakuni ended up winning Yudhishthira’s wealth, possessions, ownership of the Pandava brothers, and then his wife, Draupadi. I really disliked that Draupadi was won by Shakuni, and how he and the Kauravas tried to dishonor her by having her disrobe in front of everyone. I wanted to remake the story so that she wasn’t won and also include more of Yudhishthira’s thoughts. When I researched the story to refresh my memory of it, I found out that the dice game that they were playing was a particular game that kshatriyas (which Yudhishthira was) could not refuse if they were offered a chance or asked to play. This really clarified things for me, since I was originally very irritated at Yudhishthira for continuing to play this stupid game after he kept losing, not understanding that he had to do so because he was of the caste kshatriya.
Author’s Note – I’m a huge fan of happy endings, and I hated how the story of Yudhishthira and the dice game had ended! I really wanted to remake this story and give it a happy ending, because I really felt Draupadi deserved that much. In the original story, Yudhishthira was playing the dice game against Shakuni, and since Shakuni had special dice, Shakuni won every time. Shakuni ended up winning Yudhishthira’s wealth, possessions, ownership of the Pandava brothers, and then his wife, Draupadi. I really disliked that Draupadi was won by Shakuni, and how he and the Kauravas tried to dishonor her by having her disrobe in front of everyone. I wanted to remake the story so that she wasn’t won and also include more of Yudhishthira’s thoughts. When I researched the story to refresh my memory of it, I found out that the dice game that they were playing was a particular game that kshatriyas (which Yudhishthira was) could not refuse if they were offered a chance or asked to play. This really clarified things for me, since I was originally very irritated at Yudhishthira for continuing to play this stupid game after he kept losing, not understanding that he had to do so because he was of the caste kshatriya.
An innocuous pair of dice [source]
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