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Volume I Volume II

The Gaming Table by Andrew Steinmetz

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GAMBLING AMONG THE ANCIENT HINDOOS.--A HINDOO LEGEND AND ITS MODERN PARALLEL

CHAPTER II. page 4

`And after they had done this, their mother and joint wife
entered the presence of Gandhari, and respectfully saluted her;
and the wives of the Kauravas came in and were made known to
Kunti and Draupadi. And the wives of the Kauravas were much
surprised when they beheld the beauty and fine raiment of
Draupadi; and they were very jealous of their kinswoman. And
when all their visits had been paid, the Pandavas retired with
their wife and mother to the quarters which had been prepared for
them, and when it was evening they received the visits of all
their friends who were dwelling at Hastinapur.

`Now, on the morrow the gambling match was to be played; so when
the morning had come, the Pandavas bathed and dressed, and left
Draupadi in the lodging which had been prepared for her, and went
their way to the palace. And the Pandavas again paid their
respects to their uncle the Maharaja, and were then conducted to
the pavilion where the play was to be; and Duryodhana went with
them, together with all his brethren, and all the chieftains of
the royal house. And when the assembly had all taken their
seats, Sakuni said to Yudhishthira:--"The ground here has all
been prepared, and the dice are all ready: Come now, I pray you,
and play a game." But Yudhishthira was disinclined, and
replied:--"I will not play excepting upon fair terms; but if you
will pledge yourself to throw without artifice or deceit, I will
accept your challenge." Sakuni said,--"If you are so fearful
of losing, you had better not play at all." At these words
Yudhishthira was wroth, and replied:--"I have no fear either in
play or war; but let me know with whom I am to play, and who is
to pay me if I win." So Duryodhana came forward and said:--"I
am the man with whom you are to play, and I shall lay any stakes
against your stakes; but my uncle Sakuni will throw the dice for
me." Then Yudhishthira said,--"What manner of game is this,
where one man throws and another lays the stakes?" Nevertheless
he accepted the challenge, and he and Sakuni began to play.

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