The gambling match 

Short Question Answer

Part (a)

Q1. - Who were the main participants in the gambling match?

A1. - The main participants in the gambling match were

Yudhishthira and Duryodhana.

 

Q2. - How was Sakuni able to defeat Yudhishthira every time in the game of dice?

A2. - The game of dice was conducted by Dur yodhana and Sakuni .Sakuni had loaded the dice in a cunning way. It’s one side was heavier than the others and he knew the secret of throwing them and won every time.

 

Q3. - What was Vidura’s advice to King Dhritrashtra?

A3. - Vidura advised King Dhritrashtra to stop the gambling match. He said that desire is the root cause of all problems. He advised him not to overlook the wickedness and greed of his son, Duryodhana. He also warned him to beware of Sakuni.

 

Q4. - How did the king react to Vidura’s advice?

A4. - The king hid his face in his hands and remained silent. He was ashamed on what was going on, yet he had not courage to speak out.

 

Q5. - List in order, the possessions staked and lost by Yudhishthira.

A5. - Yudhishthira staked and lost the following possessions:

1. A necklace of pearls

2. A thousand jars of gold

3. His car of gold drawn by eight horses

4. The one lakh singing girls of his palace with their rich robes and jewels

5. His men-servants, war-elephants, battle-cars, horses and all army

6. All the jewels he had with him

7. His vast wealth and all his estates with cattle and sheep upon them

8. His kingdom

9. Nakula

10. Sahadeva

11. Arjuna

12. Bhima

13. Queen Draupadi

 

Part (b)

Q1. - Why did Dhritrashtra not intervene in spite of Vidura’s request?

A1. - The blind king had blind in his intellect also. He loved his son Duryodhana very much. His over-indulgence had blinded him to the wickedness and greed of his son. That is why he turned a deaf ear to Vidura’s advice.

 

Q2.-Why did Yudhishthira not give up the game in spite of Vidura’s request?

A2. - Yudhishthira did not give up the game in spite of Vidura’s request because he did not want to leave the game in humiliation (ਅਪਮਾਨ) of defeat. So he went on playing with the hope of recovering what he had already lost. Unfortunately he lost and lost till he had nothing left to stake. Dhritrashtra and Vidura

 

Q3. - Why did Vidura leave the hall?

A3. - Vidura advised King Dhritrashtra to stop the gambling match. But he turned a deaf ear to Vidura’s advice. Duryodhana treated Vidura most insultingly. Yet the king remained silent. Seeing that he was unable to save the House of Bharata from ruin, Vidura left the hall.

 

Q4. - How did Duryodhana treat Vidura?

A4. - Duryodhana treated Vidura most insultingly. He charged him with favouring the Pandavas. He called him a serpent (ਸੱਪ) whom they had been giving food and shelter. Vidura

 

Q5. - How did Sakuni succeed in making Yudhishthira agree to stake (ਦਾਅ) Arjuna?

A5. - Yudhishthira father had two wives, Kunti and Madri. Yudhishthira, Bhima and Arjuna were Kunti’s sons. Nakula and Sahadeva were Madri’s sons. Yudhishthira lost Nakula and Sahadeva in the gambling match. Now Sakuni taunted him by saying that he won’t dare to risk his own real brothers Arjuna and Bhima. This taunt provoked Yudhishthira to stake Arjuna in the gambling match.

WORD MEANING

1. Stake – gamble or risk money, one’s life etc.

2. Girdle- cord or belt

3. Obstinate- refusing to change one’s course of action

4. Furiously- with violent anger

5. Jackal of evil- a wild animal known for its treachery or disloyalty

6. Retort- make a quick, witty, angry reply

7. Humiliation- lowering of grace, insult

8. Sullenly – silently

9. Wager – stake money on the result of something, more formal term for bet

10. Weary- very tired

11. Peerless- unique

12. Tormentor- one who causes severe suffering

13. Gambling - take risky action in the hope of a desired result ਜੂਆ

14. Dice - a small cube with each side having a different number ranging from one to six, thrown and used in gambling

15. Possession - the state of having, owning, or controlling something ਕਬਜ਼ਾ

16. Rage - violent uncontrollable anger ਗੁੱਸਾ

17. Triumph - a great victory or achievement ਜਿੱਤ

18. Wickedness - the quality of being evil or morally wrong ਦੁਸ਼ਟਤਾ

19. Provoking - giving rise to the specified reaction or emotion ਨਿਰਧਾਰਤ ਪ੍ਰਤੀਕਰਮ ਜਾਂ ਭਾਵਨਾ ਨੂੰਜਨਮ ਦੇਣਾ

20. Indulgence - the action or fact of indulging ਭੋਗ

 

OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTION ANSWER

 

Q1.-Who was Sakuni?

A1.-Sakuni was Duryodhana’s uncle.

 

Q2.-From where this lesson has been taken?

A2.-This lesson has been taken from the great epic “The Mahabharta”.

Q3.-What message carried by “The Mahabharta”?

A3.-It gives us a message of universal significance and enduring value.

 

Q4.-Who translated “The Gambling Match “in English?

A4.-Marjorie Sykes.

 

Q5. - What does the lesson teach us?

A5.-The lesson teaches us that gambling is an evil that can lead to disastrous (serious damages) consequences (ਨਤੀਜੇ)

 

OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTION ANSWER

 

Q1.-Who did leave the hall?

A1. - Vidura left the hall.

 

Q2. - Who was the son of Dhritrashtra?

A2. - Duryodhana was the son of Dhritrashtra.

 

Q3. - ‘The Gambling Match’ is an episode from the great epic......................

A3. - “The Mahabharta”.

 

Q4.-Who had loaded the dice in a cunning way?

A4. - Sakuni had loaded the dice in a cunning way.

 

Q5. - List few things, the possessions staked and lost by Yudhishthira.

A5.-A necklace of pearls, a thousand jars of gold, his car of gold drawn by eight horses, the one lakh, horses and all army etc.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR-

Marjorie Sykes, one of the outstanding school teachers and educationalists in India. The daughter of a village schoolmaster, Marjorie Sykes was born in England on 11 May 1905. Marjorie Sykes was a British educator who went to live in India in the 1920 and joined the Indian independence movement .She wrote many books. She contributed to advancing new forms of education advocated by Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi. She died on August 17, 1995 in England .Sykes life and work has been the focus of books, chapters and newspaper articles. In 2005, after her death, a biographical article on her was published in ’The Hindu’.

 

SUMMARY THE GAMBLING MATCH - MARJORIE SYKES

 

‘The Gambling Match’ is an episode from that great epic “The Mahabharta”. This epic was translated by Marjorie Sykes in English. This episode depicts the scene of one day when a gambling match was organised by Duryodhana and Sakuni. It was between Yudhishthira and Duryodhana .Sakuni was Duryodhana’s cunning uncle, who laid a wonderful trap for Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira could have not escaped. Sakuni had loaded the dice in a cunning way. It’s one side was heavier than the others and he knew the secret of throwing them and won every time. The match began. Sakuni threw the dice for Duryodhana. Sakuni knew the secret, each throw resulted in a win for Duryodhana. Yudhishthira lost One after the other his many priceless possessions. He lost a necklace of pearls, a thousand jars of gold, his car of gold drawn by eight horses, the one lakh singing girls of his palace with their rich robes, and jewels, his men - servants, war-elephants, battle-cars, horses and all army, all the jewels he had with him. He sat back on his seat in silent rage. He was staring helplessly. But Duryodhana was smiling in his triumph. Yudhishthira did not give up the game inspite of Vidura’s request because he did not want to leave the game in humiliation (ਅਪਮਾਨ) of defeat. So he went on playing with the hope of recovering what he had already lost. Vidura was unable to endure the scene any longer. He advised King Dhritrashtra to stop the gambling match. He said that desire is the root cause of all problems. He advised him not to overlook the wickedness and greed of his son,

Duryodhana. He also warned him to beware of Sakuni. But he turned a deaf ear to Vidura’s advice. Duryodhana treated Vidura most insultingly. Yet the king remained silent. Seeing that he was unable to save the House of Bharata from ruin, Vidura left the hall. After Vidura’s left, the gambling match started again. The same thing happened as before. Sakuni threw the dice and each time there was a win for Duryodhana

Sakuni kept provoking Yudhishthira to play on and on. Yudhishthira lost everything that was left with him and even his kingdom. When Vidura heard this, he came back into the hall .He once again requested Dhritrashtra to stop the match. But the king turned his face saying, ’Do not interfere.’

Yudhishthira had now nothing left to stake except his brothers. He lost Nakula, Sahadeva, Arjuna, Bhima, one after another. Then he staked himself and lost this time, too. All the five Pandavas were now Duryodhana’s slaves. Vidura and Dhritrashtra

But the next part of the story was most shameful. Sakuni’s cruelty was not yet satisfied. He provoked Yudhishthira to stake his queen Draupadi. Yudhishthira staked Draupadi. There was a loud cries of ‘Shame!’ from all corners of the hall. The old Bhishama hid his face in his hands. Dhritrashtra still remained silent. Sakuni threw the dice first- a three and a five. Then Yudhishthira threw and all the dice fell six and one. Draupadi was also a slave now.

Pen-Portrait of Duryodhana

Duryodhana was the son of Dhritrashtra. He organised a gambling match between him and Yudhishthira. He was very wicked and greedy. He wanted to deny everything to the Pandavas. His father was blind to the faults of his son. Vidura read his intentions and nature of Duryodhana. He advised him not to overlook the wickedness and greed of his son. The game of dice was conducted by Duryodhana and Sakuni. Vidura advised King Dhritrashtra to stop the gambling match. But he turned a deaf ear to Vidura’s advice. Duryodhana treated Vidura most insultingly. Yet the king remained silent. Duryodhana charged Vidura with favouring the Pandavas. He called him a serpent (ਸੱਪ) whom they had been giving food and shelter. Thus Duryodhana’s greed was responsible for the battle of Mahabharata, the greatest battle in the history of India.

 

Q.VI- COMPOSITION- Imagine you are Yudhishthira. Many years......

I started the game with a rope of lovely pearls from my neck staked against a jewelled girdle of great beauty. I threw the dice- it fell a five and a four, but Sakuni won with four and a six. I was angry but I did not give up. I lost at each throw. In fact, Sakuni had tempered with the dice and I didn’t know of it. Thus he managed to win at each throw. I lost all my possessions one after the other. I was disappointed but Duryodhana was smiling in his triumph. Vidura was unable to do anything. He advised Dhritrashtra to stop the gambling match. But he turned a deaf ear to Vidura’s advice. Duryodhana treated Vidura most insultingly. Yet the king remained silent. Vidura left the hall. The gambling match started again. I lost everything.

Sakuni kept provoking me to play on and on. Now I started staking my brothers. I had hope to win. But every throw resulted in a win for Sakuni. I lost all my brothers and even myself in quick succession. Then I did the most shameful act. I staked my wife Draupadi. She too was lost. Now we were Duryodhana’s slave. I was feeling so embarrassed.

 

GAMBLING AS A SOCIAL EVIL

 

Gambling is one of those social evils which are secretly eating our society like termites. It has caused to destroy thousands of families and individuals. Most of the gamblers start gambling with little amount of money. They consider it as a fun but as the time passes they get addicted to this evil. Then it becomes difficult for them to leave. In gambling, a man loses most of his precious things. It is also the result of man’s desire to make quick money. Gambling affects the functioning of family and intimate relationships. It has rightly been said that gambling is the child of greed and the father of mischief. We can see people gambling on road side, in parks, hotels, clubs and in even trains. Finally we can say gambling often lead to crime. Theft, crimes of violence have sprung from gambling. Chatfield says,” There is but on good throw upon the dice, which is to throw them away.”