Śakuni's Training

Śakuni's Training

A Nano Tale

"Śakuni taught Citrasena to cheat," Vikarṇa confided. "Winning never satisfies Citrasena. Always doubts his skill."

Canonical basis: Sabhāparvan 52.13

Vidura uvāca

Gāndhāra-rājaḥ Śakunir viśāṃ pate

rājā'ti-devī kṛta-hasto mat'ākṣaḥ

Viviṃśatiś Citrasenaś ca rājā

Satyavrataḥ Purumitro Jayaś ca

Canonical basis: Sabhāparvan 61.18-24

uktvā tathā'sakṛt sarvān Vikarṇaḥ pṛthivī-patīn

pāṇiṃ pāṇau viniṣpiṣya niḥśvasann idam abravīt

vibrūta pṛthivī-pālā vākyaṃ mā vā kathaṃ cana

manye nyāyyaṃ yad atr'āhaṃ tad dhi vakṣyāmi Kauravāḥ

catvāry āhur nara-śreṣṭhā vyasanāni mahī-kṣitām

mṛgayāṃ pānam akṣāṃś ca grāmye c'aiv'āti-saktatām

eteṣu hi naraḥ sakto dharmam utsṛjya vartate

tathā-yuktena ca kṛtāṃ kriyāṃ loko na manyate

tad ayaṃ Pāṇḍu-putreṇa vyasane vartatā bhṛśam

samāhūtena kitavair āsthito Draupadī-paṇaḥ

sādhāraṇī ca sarveṣāṃ Pāṇḍavānām aninditā

jitena pūrvaṃ c'ānena Pāṇḍavena kṛtaḥ paṇaḥ

iyaṃ ca kīrtitā Kṛṣṇā Saubalena paṇ'ārthinā

etat sarvaṃ vicāry'āhaṃ manye na vijitām imām

Canonical basis: Udyogaparvan 30.18

nikartane devane yo'dvitīyaś

chann'opadhaḥ sādhu-devī mat'ākṣaḥ

yo durjayo devitavyena saṃkhye

sa Citrasenaḥ kuśalaṃ tāta vācyaḥ

Canonical basis: Strīparvan 1.24

tava Duḥśāsano mantrī Rādheyaś ca durātmavān

Śakuniś c'aiva duṣṭ'ātmā Citrasenaś ca durmatiḥ

Śalyaś ca yena vai sarvaṃ śalya-bhūtaṃ kṛtaṃ jagat