Shakuni (, , ) is one of the antagonists of 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 and the maternal uncle of the Kauravas.
Portrayed as crafty and devious, Shakuni supported his nephews, particularly the eldest, Duryodhana, in plotting against their cousinsthe Pandavas. It was Shakuni who played the game of dice against Yudhishthira, one of the seminal events in the epic. Using his skills of manipulation and foul play, he won the game twice, causing the exile of the Pandavas and the consolidation of the power of the Kauravas. During the Kurukshetra War between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, Shakuni was killed by the youngest Pandava, Sahadeva.
Etymology and epithets
The Sanskrit word Śakuni means 'a large bird', often used for denoting a vulture. Other figures with the same name include a serpent, a rishi, a son of King Ikshvaku, and an asura son of Hiranyaksha who was the father of Vrikasura. Various patronymics include Saubala, Saubalaka, Saubaleya, Subalaja and Subalaputra. Due to his origin from Gandhara, Shakuni was also referred to as Gāndhārapati, Gāndhārarāja, Gāndhārarājaputra, Gāndhārarājasuta. Parvatīya ('he who is from the mountains') and Kitava ('gambler') are also prominent epithets of Shakuni. Uluka was his son and he served as a messenger during the Kurukshetra War. The epic's Ashvamedhika Parva mentions another son of Shakuni who survives the battle of Kurukshetra and becomes the king of Gandhara. During Arjuna's military expedition for Ashvamedha, he fights and loses to Arjuna, before being saved from death by Shakuni's widowed queen. Shakuni accompanied his sister to Hastinapura, the capital of the Kurus. After the marriage, Shakuni returned to Gandhara.
Influence on Kuru
Shakuni often visited Hastinapura and stayed there to look after his sister, who blindfolded herself out of devotion for her blind husband, and her children, the Kauravas. 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 her children. Based on such examples, scholars note the importance and influences of the maternal families in the shaping the narrative of the Mahabharata.
Despite Vidura's warnings, Yudhishthira agrees to the proposed gambling match, and arrives in Hastinapura accompanied by his brothers and their wife, Draupadi. Shakuni, as Duryodhana's proxy, engages in a game of 20 throws with Yudhisthira. Each time, Yudhisthira loses, leading to the gradual loss of his wealth, servants, and even his brothers. Shakuni, unapologetic about using trickery, justifies his tactics as necessary for a worthy contestant. He dismisses Yudhisthira's plea to avoid crooked means and proceeds with the game, using his expertise in giving theft the appearance of skillful play. During the game, Shakuni's skill in presenting foul play as fair entertains Duryodhana and the Kaurava elders. Dhritarashtra, blinded by excitement, eagerly asks if Shakuni has won after each throw. Ultimately, Yudhisthira stakes himself and loses. Afterwards, he looses Draupadi resulting in her humiliation by Duryodhana and his allies.
Draupadi questions Yudhishthira’s accountability for staking her after losing himself in the game and manages to reclaim their possessions from Dhritarashtra. Following the dice game, Sahadeva, the youngest of the Pandavas, vowed to slay Shakuni in a fit of anger.
Shakuni after the Dice Game
Following the conclusion of the dice game, which resulted in the exile of the Pandavas, Shakuni continued to play an active role in the Kaurava court. His involvement during the period between the dice game and the outbreak of the Kurukshetra War is documented in several episodes in the Mahabharata.
Uluka then intensified his assault in an effort to defend his father, discharging seven arrows at Bhima and seventy at Sahadeva. Bhima retaliated by striking both Uluka and Shakuni with a flurry of arrows, including sixty-four directed at Shakuni. Sahadeva soon recovered and, with a well-aimed broad-headed arrow, decapitated Ulūka on the battlefield. Shakuni, witnessing the death of his son, was overcome with grief. Recalling the admonitions of Vidura, he became enraged and launched a final, solitary attack against Sahadeva, wielding a lance adorned with gold. Sahadeva responded with a carefully aimed broad-headed arrows, forged of hard iron and tipped with golden wings. The arrow struck with precision, severing Shakuni’s head from his body. The Pandava army, joined by Krishna, responded with audible celebration, blowing conches.
Aftermath
Following the conclusion of the Kurukshetra War, the Ashramavasika Parva records that the sage Vyasa summoned the souls of those who had perished during the conflict. Among those present was the soul of Shakuni. However, these narratives contradict the narrative attested in the Mahabharata; Subala and his sons attended Yudhishthira’s Rajasuya yajna, while Shakuni’s brothers fought in the great war at Kurukshetra and five of them were killed during the conflict.