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Playing Dice (Dyta) on Invitation-A Kshatriya Dharma

Both Yudhishthira and Nala played dice and suffered due to that.
But Yudhishthira, the epitome of Dharma, says that he will not spurn Suyodhanas invitation to
play although he knows its bad consequences.
Moreover, both Arjuna and Draupadi support his decision as Dharma in the Kurusabha.
The practical skill and knowledge acquired by learning Aksha-Hdaya Vidy from tupara
destroy so thoroughly Nalas sins that caused Kali (personification of Disharmony and
Compulsive Conflict) to overpower him till then, that Kali got forcibly expelled out of Nalas
body (which he has been occupying so far in spite of Nalas opposing good nature). Kali
initially could overpower Nala in spite of his many good qualities because of his readiness to
play dice without mastering the Aksha-Hdaya Vidy which is a must for Kshatriyas. This was
his sin. Once he acquired the practical skill and knowledge of Aksha-Hdaya Vidy from
tupara, it destroyed Nalas earlier sin of omission so thoroughly that Kali was forcibly
expelled out of Nalas body (which he has been occupying so far in spite of Nalas opposing
good nature).
What is the rationale for these apparently strange positions? And which are the sins in Nala that are so
effectively countered and eliminated totally by this Aksha-Hdaya Vidy?
A good Kshatriya ought not only to be orderly and act with enlightened self-interest pro-actively
identifying and preferring win-win solutions to all issues (Daiv Sampat) but also should be able to keep
under control (Dama) the suric (random and disorderly) and Daitya (selfish and greedy) forces in his
kingdom and neighborhood by being smart enough to outwit them. This is particularly relevant and
applicable when these suric persons challenge a Dhrmic Kshatriya for a duel in dice play surreptitiously or cunningly. The preferred way of challenging among Kshatriyas is always by inviting for a
Dharma Yuddha and Dyta (dice play) is an unpreferred way that is resorted to by mean (Ncha) and
Dushta (bad) leaders. But how a Dhrmic Kshatriya has to deal with such bad elements bent upon
grabbing wealth and power even by foul Adhrmic means? The stra says that he should not shy away
when invited to face a duel in dealing with even random and chance events also. That is the rationale
of the straic injunction that it is the duty of a Dhrmic Kshatriya to accept a challenge even in dice
play from another Kshatriya. But inviting in such a way is termed Nikti (deceipt) since, this is
resorted to by a Kshatriya who cannot face and win in a straightforward manner of Dharma Yuddha.
It is to counter such challenges that the Dhrmic Kshatriya leader should acquire the needed expertise by
(i) learning the laws governing random and chance-events in life and nature and (ii) systematic training
in applying this knowledge in practice. Playing dice is such a practical means and learning AkshaHdaya (the heart or principles of statistical chance/randomness) its theoretical science-aspect
(stra).
On the other hand, elimination by physical force of Adhrmic persons that try to exploit straic
provisions (by their misinterpretation), is the last resort to be employed only in select cases that defy

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circumscribed limiting of their operational domain. This is because, if left to their natural tendencies, on
an average, half the populace should be expected to be committed to selfishness. This ambience in the
society can be directed to move towards orderliness only by a sufficiently strong leader that can
influence it by setting an example by his exemplary self-practice. Hence an effective leader offers the
maximum scope and opportunity for the weaker sections of the populace to turn towards good by graded
punishment instead of total elimination.
This is what Yudhishthira did in the case of Kauravas. He initially tried to circumscribe Suyodhanas
operational domain by allowing him to opt for Hastinpura kingdom as his share. When they blatantly
exposed their Lobha and Mtsarya by resorting to Dyta, he allowed them maximum leeway before
taking up the last option of war by following the rule-book of Kshatriya Dharma even to its letter though
it is against its spirit. Draupadi and Arjuna knew this clearly and hence supported him in the KuruSabha. The spirit of the Kshatriya Dharma is to win by physical prowess. Bhshma, Drona and other
Kaurava elders like Bhlika and Bhrisravas present in the Sabha during the Dyta and its postreverborations had to pay for their lapses in not supporting the Dharmas spirit by their unenviable end.
Yudhishthira also learnt Aksha-Hdaya from Bhadava during his Araya Vsa so that he is truly fit to
be the Chakravarti subsequently.
Nala becomes a prey to the obsessive desire of risking all his wealth and kingdom in playing dice
continuously for more than ten months instead of gaining the expertise of Aksha-Hdaya to deal with
both the suric tendency that crept up within him as well as its external reflection in the form of
Pushkara, his challenger. This is the result of his slackening guard over his self-control that has been a
means of his continuous self-improvement by constant learning and spiritual practice. Once he loses
his entire kingdom as its result and is banished, there being nothing more to further feed his obsessive
self-defeating desire to win in the play of dice, he is forced to leave with his wife. On the way, to quench
his hunger, he tries to catch some birds with his upper garment and they fly away with it. These
incidents sap his self-confidence and self-esteem and he falls into the vicious trap of being overpowered
by Kali (inner disharmony and conflict) that clouds his intellects discerning ability and makes him feel
wretched. As a result, he leaves his helpless wife in the forest to her cruel fate and wanders away. This
wretchedness, that is the mother of all further worse tendencies, is the Kali-kalmasha that has been
thrown up and exposed from his latent Samskras by its attracting the external circumstances that feed
on it. Once he gets the True Experiential knowledge of Aksha-Hdaya Vidy, it immediately burns these
bad Samskra Bjas by eliminating this wretchedness that is their root-cause and Kali gets expelled out
of him instantaneously.
The ideal role model for this in the conduct of human society is the practice of gods that pervade the
whole of nature. As per Vishnus scheme of nature, the domain of Asuras and Daityas is limited to
working under the Over-lordship of Devas in the seven rdhvalokas from Bhloka to Satyaloka where
they (Asuras and Daityas) can have access to Sunlight. As by their nature, they cant perceive nature in a
holistic fashion, they tend to be miserly and grab natures wealth. Bhagavn Vishu utilizes this
natural tendency of them in protecting the nine natures wealths (Nava-Nidhis) from unwanted

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interference by all and sundry by assigning these Asuras, Ytudhnas and Rkshasas as subordinates to
Kubera. This Kubera is himself a Deva and is the Head of Yakshas, Guhyakas and Rkshasas. He is
assigned the post of Lord of Natures Treasury (Vittea) and thus the Lord of Nava-Nidhis also by
default. Thus, Kubera employs them under his supervision to guard over these Nava-Nidhis. He is
known as the Adhirja (overlord) of all Rjas (kings) in the human world that overpowers
psychologically and physically all other subduers, upto their roots. A human king can survive in that
post if and only if he acquires the Amas of all the eight Dikplas (Lords of Quarters) of which Kubera
is an important one. Thus, a human leader has to acquire the capability to subdue the Yaksha, Guhyaka
and Rkshasa tendencies (of manipulation, grabbing, secrecy, disorder, random behavior and titanic
physical strength) among his human subjects. Please note that human being is the Vhana for Kubera as
humans carry this burden of wealth due to their being naturally under the sway of Lobha (grabbing
nature).
Some more examples of Asuras working under the overlordship of other Devas are:
1. Those employed in the Srya-ratha along with Apsaras, Gandharva, Grmai. Srya sends one of
his assistant Rkshasas to protect Draupadi from Kchaka and this Rkshasa bestows superhuman strength to her jerk that throws down Kchaka in Virtas court.
2. The Rkshasas employed by Indra to protect Amta kalaa. Garuda conquers them before
accessing the nectar.
Those Asuras that are not prepared to work under the supervision of Devas are assigned the seven
Adholokas (netherworlds upto the center of the earth) from Atala to Ptla where they can revel in
sense-enjoyments although Sunlight is absent therein.