Shakuni: Difference between revisions

| family  = '''Parents''' {{ubl|[[Subala]] (father)}} '''Siblings''' {{bulleted list|[[Gandhari (Mahabharata)|Gandhari]] (sister)|Achala (brother)|Vrishaka (brother) and other brothers}}<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tz2FHQcx_M8C&q=Achala|title=The Mahabharata: Volume 2|date=2015-06-01|publisher=Penguin UK|isbn=978-81-8475-403-2|language=en}}</ref>

'''Shakuni''' ({{lang-sa|शकुनि}}, {{IAST3|Śakuni}}, {{lit|bird}}) is one of the principal characters in the Hindu epic ''[[Mahabharata]]''. He was the prince of the kingdom of [[Gandhara]] when introduced, later becoming its king after the death of his father, [[Subala]]. He was the brother of [[Gandhari (Mahabharata)|Gandhari]] and the maternal uncle of the [[Kauravas]].

Portrayed as intelligent, crafty and devious, Shakuni supported his nephews, particularly the eldest, [[Duryodhana]], in plotting against their cousins{{mdash}}the [[Pandavas]]. It was Shakuni who played the game of dice, one of the seminal events in the epic. During the [[Kurukshetra War]], Shakuni was killed by the youngest Pandava, [[Sahadeva]].

The Sanskrit word "Shakuni" means 'a large bird'. In the epic, Shakuni has been referred to by many names. Shakuni shares his name with some other figures, including a [[Nāga|divine-serpent]], a [[rishi]], a son of King [[Ikshvaku]], and an [[asura]] son of [[Hiranyaksha]] who was the father of Vrikasura.<ref name = "Mani" /><ref name="Gandhi">{{Cite book|last=Gandhi|first=Maneka|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QZ94y_-jChMC&q=%C5%9Aakuni|title=The Penguin Book of Hindu Names for Boys|date=2004|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=978-0-14-303168-0|language=en}}</ref>

"Saubala" is a prominent name of Shakuni, derived from Subala, the name of Shakuni's father. Other patryomics include Subalaputra, Subalraja, and Saubaleya. As Shakuni belonged to the royal family of Gandhara, he was also referred to as Gāndara, Gandharnaresh, Gandhararaja and Gandharapati. Parvatiya ('he who is from the mountains') and Kitava ('gambler') are also epithets of Shakuni.<ref name = "Mani"/><ref name = "Gandhi" />

According to the ''[[Mahabharata]]'', Shakuni was an incarnation of ''[[Dvapara Yuga]]'', the personified third [[yuga|epoch]] in [[Hindu cosmology]]. He was the son of Subala, the king of [[Gandhara Kingdom|Gandhara]] (in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent, its capital [[Takshashila]] being in the vicinity of the modern city of [[Islamabad]]). Shakuni had a sister named [[Gandhari (Mahabharata)|Gandhari]], and many brothers among whom Achala and Vrishaka were the most prominent.<ref name="Mani">{{Cite book|last=Mani|first=Vettam|url=https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/670/mode/1up|title=Puranic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature|date=1975|publisher=Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass|others=Robarts - University of Toronto|page=670|author-link=Vettam Mani}}</ref><ref name="Tanni">{{Cite book|last=Moitra|first=Tanni|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MiBBDwAAQBAJ&dq=%C5%9Bakuni+acala+g%C4%81ndhara&pg=PT162|title=Buddhism and Gandhara: An Archaeology of Museum Collections|date=2017-12-01|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-351-25274-4|editor-last=Ray|editor-first=Himanshu Prabha|language=en|chapter=Region through texts: representation of Gandhāra in the Mahābhārata}}</ref> Shakuni's wife is unnamed, but some modern retelling name her [[Arsh]]i.<ref>For example: {{Cite book|last=Chatterjee|first=Mallar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x0jhDwAAQBAJ&q=Shakuni+arshi&pg=PA93|title=Shakuni & The Dice of Doom|publisher=Readomania|language=en}}</ref> [[Uluka]] was his son and he served as a messenger during the [[Kurukshetra War]].<ref>Mani 1975, p. [https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/805/mode/1up 805]</ref> The epic's ''[[Ashvamedhika Parva]]'' mentions a descendant of Shakuni who ruled Gandhara after the battle of Kurukshetra.<ref name = "Tanni" />

The ''[[Adi Parva]]'' of the ''Mahabharata'' says that [[Bhishma]], then the guardian of the Kuru kingdom, went to Gandhara to arrange the marriage of its princess, Gandhari, to [[Dhritarashtra]], the elder son of Vichitravirya, who was blind by birth. Subala was initially reluctant due to Dhritarashtra's blindness, but later agreed after considering the high reputation of the Kuru royal family.<ref name = "Subala">Mani 1975, [https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/745/mode/1up 745]</ref> Shakuni accompanied his sister to [[Hastinapura]], the capital of the Kurus. After the marriage, Shakuni returned to Gandhara.<ref name = "Mani" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CX|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01111.htm|access-date=2020-09-01|website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref>  

Much later, in some post-Mahabharata literature, Shakuni was portrayed as a victim, who sought revenge on the Kurus.<ref name="VP">{{Cite web|date=2017-01-07|title=Epics as Novels|url=https://devdutt.com/articles/epics-as-novels/|access-date=2021-07-06|website=Devdutt|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Viswanathan|first=Priya|date=2015-01-16|title=Shakuni - A Villian or a Victim of Circumstance?|url=https://www.dollsofindia.com/library/shakuni/|access-date=2020-09-01|website=Dolls of India|language=en}}</ref> Mythologist [[Devdutt Pattanaik]] speculated that these narratives were created to remind us all not to judge people without learning of their story. According to him, {{quote|"Even the worst of villains has a story that perhaps explain their actions, without conditioning that."<ref name = "Devdutt" />}}

A legend in the eighth century [[Jain]] text the [[Harivamsa Purana]] says that at Gandhari's birth astrologers predicted that her husband would have a short life. Fearing this, Subala and his sons get Gandhari "married" to a goat prior to her marriage to Dhritarashtra, and sacrificed the goat in order to nullify the defect. After Gandhari's marriage, Bhishma discovers this and becomes enraged at Subala for letting a "widow" become a bride of his family and decides to punish Subala and his family. Subala and his sons are captured and put in prison. Only one grain of rice is given to each captive. Knowing that Shakuni is the wisest among them and most able to take revenge, the prisoners give all their food to Shakuni so that he can survive. Eventually, Subala and his other sons die, while Shakuni survives and is released.<ref name = "Devdutt">{{Cite book|last=Pattanaik|first=Devdutt|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gzN2_fu0mIYC&q=jaya+an+illustrated+retelling+of+the+mahabharata+shakuni|title=Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata|date=2010|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=978-0-14-310425-4|pages=141|language=en}}</ref> '''This story is not found in the original ''Mahabharata''<ref name="Scr">{{Cite web|title=The Story of Shakuni {{!}} Vaishnava Texts {{!}} 1st Millennium Bc Books|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/24475744/The-Story-of-Shakuni|access-date=2021-07-07|website=Scribd|language=en}}</ref> and is strongly reminiscent of a similar tale told about the fall of the [[Nanda dynasty]] in the ''[[Kathāsaritsāgara]]''.'''

Yet another tale says that Bhishma imprisoned Shakuni's family as they refused to give Gandhari in marriage to the blind Dhritarashtra. Some other narratives replace Bhishma with Duryodhana as the one who captured and killed Subala and his other sons.<ref name = "Devdutt" /> In another story, Shakuni plotted against the Kurus because he was unhappy with the marriage of his beloved sister to a blind person, which he thought an insult to his family.<ref name = "Scr" />

In all of these stories, Shakuni swears to avenge this by slowly destroying Hastinapura. He achieves this by poisoning the mind of his volatile nephew Duryodhana into instigating the war with the [[Pandavas]], which destroyed the [[Kuru Kingdom|Kuru]] line. Some versions of the story describe Shakuni using the bones of his dead family members to create dice that will never lose in a game, as Shakuni's father's soul enters the dice to make it roll to whatever number Shakuni wanted.<ref name ="Devdutt"/>

'''None of these tales are mentioned in the Mahabharata. In the ''Mahabharata'', Subala and his sons attended the [[Rajasuya]] yajna of [[Yudhishthira]], Shakuni's brothers fought in the great war at [[Kurukshetra]], and they were killed during the conflict.<ref name="Mani" />'''<ref name = "Subala" />

The Mahabharata states that Shakuni lived in Hastinapur and looked after his blindfolded sister and her children, the [[Kauravas]].<ref name="Yuganta">{{Cite book|last=Karve|first=Irawati|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uJz4ZWsRcsAC&q=Shakuni|title=Yuganta: The End of an Epoch|date=2006|publisher=Orient Longman|isbn=978-81-250-1424-9|language=en}}</ref> Similarly, [[Krishna]] (the maternal cousin of the [[Pandavas]]) helps the Pandava brothers throughout the epic. The family of [[Draupadi]] (the common wife of the Pandavas) also plays a major role in raising [[Upapandavas|her children]]. Based on such examples, many scholars theorise that during the "Mahabharata era", the maternal families might have played major roles in the family policies.<ref name = "Devdutt" /><ref name = "Yuganta" />

Shakuni had a close alliance with his eldest nephew, [[Duryodhana]] and wanted him to become the next Emperor of the Kuru Clan. Throughout the epic, he helps Duryodhana in his plans to take the throne from the Pandavas.<ref name="Mani"/>

In the epic, Shakuni's most dramatic part is during the gambling match between Duryodhana (represented by Shakuni) and [[Yudhishthira]] (the eldest Pandava brother). The event is one of the turning points in the epic, which leads to the [[Draupadi#Game of dice and humiliation|humiliation of Draupadi]] and the exile of the Pandavas.<ref name = "Mani"/><ref name = "Tanni" />

The ''[[Sabha Parva]]'' of the ''Mahabharata'' narrates the event. When a succession dispute between Duryodhana and Yudhishthira arises, Dhritarashtra divides the Kuru realm into two parts. The Pandavas found the city of [[Indraprastha]], which serves as the capital of their half of the ancestral domains. To achieve imperial status, Yudhishthira decides to perform the [[Rajasuya]] yajna and the royal families of different kingdoms are invited to the sacrifice. Shakuni also attends the event. After the yajna is completed, all the guests return to their kingdoms, but Shakuni and Duryodhana stay on and witness the wealth and prosperity of the Pandavas.<ref name = "Mani" />{{efn|The story continues with Duryodhana felling into a water pool at the palace and the Pandavas laughing at him. Humiliated by this, Duryodhana and his allies return to Hastinapur.}}

Duryodhana becomes jealous of the Pandavas, and he turns weak and pale due to sadness and anxiety. Shakuni consoles him and suggests that Dhritarashtra organise a game of dice, and invite Yudhishthira. He tells him that Yudhishthira is fond of the game and wouldn't decline the invitation. Shakuni also insists that they could snatch the wealth and prosperity of the Pandavas, since he is extremely talented in rolling dice and although Yudhishthira loves playing it, he is not skilled in it. Upon the repeated urging of Duryodhana and Shakuni, Dhritarashtra agrees.<ref name = "Mani" /> Yudhishthira agrees, and arrives in Hastinapur accompanied by his brothers and their wife. Duryodhana declares that Shakuni would represent him. As the stakes rise with each round, Shakuni wins [[Yudhishthira]]'s treasures, then his kingdom, and goads Yudhishthira into gambling away his brothers, [[Bhima]], [[Arjuna]], [[Nakula]], [[Sahadeva]] and finally Yudhishthira himself. In a final throw [[Draupadi]] too is lost.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Mahabharata, Book 2: Sabha Parva: Sisupala-badha Parva: Section LXIV|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m02/m02064.htm|access-date=2020-09-01|website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref> [[Dussasana|Dushasana]] on Duryodhana's orders tried to disrobe Draupadi, while her husbands look on helplessly, but [[Krishna]] saves her.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Chatterjee|first=Mallar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x0jhDwAAQBAJ&q=Draupadi&pg=PA93|title=Shakuni & The Dice of Doom|publisher=Readomania|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-03-25|title=Mahabharat Episode 31: The Game of Dice|url=https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/wisdom/article/mahabharat-dice-game|access-date=2020-09-01|website=Isha Sadhguru|language=en}}</ref>

On the 13th day, Shakuni and other Maharathis attacked and killed [[Abhimanyu]]. Many of them staged a sneak attack on Abhimanyu.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Mahabharata, Book 7: Drona Parva: Abhimanyu-badha Parva: Section XLVII|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07046.htm|access-date=2020-07-26|website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref> On 14th day, he fought with [[Nakula]] to save [[Jayadratha]] but was defeated. After Jayadratha's death, Shakuni planned a battle at midnight.

On the 18th day of the Mahabharata war, the [[Pandavas]] attacked Shakuni, [[Uluka]] and their army. As [[Duryodhana]] and his other brothers rushed to protect their uncle, [[Bhima]] stepped in, fought the remaining [[Kauravas]] and killed many of them (except [[Duryodhana]]). Meanwhile, Nakula killed many prominent Gandharan warriors and the bodyguards of [[Uluka]]. [[Sahadeva]] fought Shakuni and [[Uluka]] and not long afterwards, killed [[Uluka]]. Shakuni became furious and attacked [[Sahadeva]]. He broke his chariot and bow, but [[Sahadeva]] ascended another chariot and fought Shakuni ferociously. After many attacks and tackles, both of them descended from their chariots to settle things in a duel. [[Sahadeva]] then pierced his axe in chest of Shakuni and killed him, fulfilling his oath.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Chatterjee|first=Mallar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x0jhDwAAQBAJ&q=Sahadeva&pg=PA93|title=Shakuni & The Dice of Doom|publisher=Readomania|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-06-27|title=18 Days of The Mahabharata War - Summary of the War|url=https://vedicfeed.com/18-days-of-the-mahabharata-war-summary-of-the-war/|access-date=2020-09-01|website=VedicFeed|language=en-US}}</ref>

The one and only temple in the world dedicated to Shakuni, called Malanada Maladeva (Shakuni) Temple, is situated in a small village called Pavithreswaram of Kottarakkara Taluk in Kollam district of [[Kerala]], India. Here, a granite stone under a huge ''Kanjira'' (Strychnos nux vomica) tree is worshipped as the seat of Shakuni where he is seen in a posture meditating Lord Shiva, one of the Trimurtis of Hinduism.

*In Bhagwati Prasad Mishra's Hindi film ''[[Draupadi (1931 film)|Draupadi]]'' (1931), Hadi portrayed Shakuni.

*In [[B. R. Chopra|BR Copra]]'s classic series [[Mahabharat (1988 TV series)|Mahabharat]] (1988) and [[Mahabharat Katha]], [[Gufi Paintal]] portrayed Shakuni. (Paintal had injured his foot before shooting began, causing him to limp during filming, which went on to become a facet of the character in later recreations.)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-05-21|title=Gufi Paintal on Mahabharat: People loved to hate me because of my character|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/gufi-paintal-mahabharat-shakuni-mama-colors-6420423/|access-date=2020-09-04|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

*In [[Ek Aur Mahabharat]], [[Prakash Dwivedi]] played Shakuni.

*In [[Ekta Kapoor]]'s series [[Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki]], [[Kali Prasad Mukherjee]] played Shakuni.

*[[Vinay Apte]]'s character Babulal in [[Prakash Jha]]'s [[Raajneeti]] was loosely inspired by Shakuni.

*[[Praneet Bhat]] portrayed Shakuni in [[Star Plus]]'s series [[Mahabharat (2013 TV series)|Mahabharat]] (2013).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Shakuni's role in Mahabharat once in a lifetime: Praneet Bhatt - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/Praneet-Bhatt-who-will-now-be-seen-playing-one-of-the-most-challenging-character-from-Mahabharat-says-Shakunis-role-is-once-in-a-lifetime-/articleshow/22090292.cms|access-date=2020-09-04|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

*In [[Suryaputra Karn]]a, Ajay Jayram played Shakuni.

*Ajay Kumar Nain played Shakuni in [[Karn Sangini|Karna Sangini]].

*Sai Ballal portrayed Shakuni in [[Star Bharat]]'s popular series [[RadhaKrishn]].

 

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*{{cite web |last = Dutt |first =Romesh|title=Maha-Bharata, The Epic of Ancient India|year =1899|url=https://archive.org/stream/cu31924023015542#page/n9/mode/2up}}