Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Shakuni included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana�).
Story of ŚܲԾ
The notorious uncle of Duryodhana. Son of King Subala of Ի and brother of Իī. ŚܲԾ, staying at Ჹپܰ, pulled the strings for all the evil actions of Duryodhana. It was ŚܲԾ’s hands, which worked in the background in driving the ṇḍ out of the kingdom and in denuding ñī of her clothes. It was also his evil tactics, which tore asunder all chances of conciliation with the ṇḍ on their return from the forest and thus led to the great war that lasted for eighteen days. At last he was killed by Sahadeva during the war. (Śⲹ Parva, Chapter 28, Verse 61). A resume of the part played by ŚܲԾ in the ٲ story is given below:
(1) It was with his help that Duryodhana defeated Dharmaputra in the foul game of dice. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 61, Verse 50).
(2) He was born, due to the anger of the Devas, to destroy righteousness. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 63, Verse 111).
(3) He was ٱ貹 re-born. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 67, Verse 78).
(4) It was he who took the initiative in marrying Իī to Dhṛṭarāṣṭra. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 109 Verse 15).
(5) He was present at the wedding of ٰܱ貹ī. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 185, Verse 2)
(6) He once advised Duryodhana to annihilate the ṇḍ, root and branch. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 199).
(7) He was present at the Rājasūya ⲹñ performed by ۳ܻṣṭ. ( Parva, Chapter 45, Verse 66).
(8) Even after the ⲹñ was over and everyone had departed, he remained there for some time more with Duryodhana. ( Parva, Chapter 45, Verse 68).
(9) It was he who first discussed with ٳṛtṣṭ the question of inviting Dharmaputra for a game of dice so that the wealth of the ṇḍ might be extracted from them. ( Parva, Chapter 49).
(10) By foul play he defeated Dharmaputra in the game of dice. ( Parva, Chapter 60, Verse 61).
(11) It was he who cooperated with Duryodhana to invite Dharmaputra again for a game of dice fixing the bets and in defeating him in the game. ( Parva, Chapter 76, Verse 9).
(12) He once prophesied that the ṇḍ would not return after their life in forest. (Vana Parva, Chapter 7, Verse 7).
(13) While the ṇḍ were living in the Dvaita forest ŚܲԾ suggested the need for leading a procession to them. (Vana Parva, Chapter 238, Verse 21).
(14) ŚܲԾ and Duryodhana led the procession. In the forest he got wounded in fighting with the Gandharvas and he returned home. (Vana Parva, Chapter 241, Verse 17).
(15) Afterwards he once advised Duryodhana to restore the kingdom to the ṇḍ. (Vana Parva, Chapter 251, Verse 1).
(16) He too participated in the great war and on the first day of the war he fought a duel with Prativindhya. (īṣm Parva, Chapter 45, Verse 63).
(17) In the battle that followed, 屹 killed five brothers of ŚܲԾ. (īṣm Parva, Chapter 90, Verse 25).
(18) He then fought with ۳ܻṣṭ, Nakula and Sahadeva and got defeated. (īṣm Parva, Chapter 105, Verse 8).
(19) He fought with Sahadeva. (ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 14, Verse 22).
(20) Then ŚܲԾ resorted to certain magical tricks. Arjuna successfully faced the tricks and ŚܲԾ ran away from the battlefield. (ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 30, Verse 15).
(21) He fought with Abhimanyu. (ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 37, Verse 5).
(22) He fought with Nakula and Sahadeva. (ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 96, Verse 21).
(23) He fought with ٲⲹ쾱. (ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 120, Verse 11).
(24) īԲ killed the seven mahārathis and five brothers of ŚܲԾ. (Drona Parva, Chapter 157, Verse 22).
(25) Nakula defeated ŚܲԾ. (ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 269, Verse 16).
(26) He attacked the ṇḍ army at the instance of Duryodhana. (ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 170, Verse 66)
(27) Arjuna defeated ŚܲԾ. (ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 161, Verse 25).
(28) On the death of ٰṇācⲹ ŚܲԾ ran away from the battlefield in great fear. (ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 193, Verse 9).
(29) In the fight that followed he defeated ŚܳٲԲ (ṇa Parva, Chapter 25, Verse 40).
(30) ŚܲԾ was defeated in the fighting with ٲⲹ쾱. (ṇa Parva, Chapter 61, Verse 48).
(31) In the fight with ī he fell down. (Karna Parva, Chapter 77, Verse 66).
(32) In the next fight he killed the Kalinda prince. (ṇa Parva, Chapter 85, Verse 7).
(33) Cavalry of the ṇḍ attacked ŚܲԾ and he got wounded. (Śⲹ Parva, Chapter 23, Verse 41).
(34) In the battle that followed Sahadeva killed ŚܲԾ. (Śⲹ Parva, Chapter 28, Verse 61).
(35) After the war was over ղ summoned the souls of those killed in the war to the surface of Ҳṅg and ŚܲԾ’s soul was present among them. (Āśramavāsika Parva, Chapter 32, Verse 9).
(36) After his death he joined ٱ貹. (Svargārohaṇa Parva, Chapter 5, Verse 21).
(37) Synonyms of ŚܲԾ used in Ѳٲ: Իpati, Իrāja, Իrājaputra, Իrājasuta, Kitava, ʲīⲹ, Saubala, Saubalaka, Saubaleya, Subalaja and Subalaputra.