Shakuni

Indian mythology · schemer · dice, manipulation

Prince of Gandhara and Duryodhana's uncle, whose loaded dice won the rigged game that exiled the Pandavas. The epic's master manipulator, feeding his nephew's envy toward mutual ruin.

Stories

The Dice Game

Shakuni's loaded dice strip Yudhishthira of kingdom, brothers, himself, and at last Draupadi. Dragged into the assembly, she is saved from disrobing by Krishna's grace while Bhishma and Vidura sit in shamed silence and Dushasana pulls at her robe; her unbound hair becomes the war's standing oath.