Махабхараттың қаһарманы Шакуни

Antagonist in the Mahabharata

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 intelligent, 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.

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 a descendant of Shakuni who ruled Gandhara after the battle of Kurukshetra. Shakuni accompanied his sister to Hastinapura, the capital of the Kurus. After the marriage, Shakuni returned to Gandhara.

Shakuni often visited Hastinapura and stayed there to looked 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 and loses Draupadi, resulting in a disastrous situation for the Pandavas.

Shakuni, actively participated in the Kurukshetra War from the side of the Kauravas, where he showcased a mix of skill, trickery, and, strategy. On the first day of the war, Shakuni engaged in a duel with Prativindhya (Bhishma Parva, Chapter 45, Verse 63). As the war progressed, he had confrontation with Iravan, who managed to slay five of Shakuni's brothers in the battle (Bhishma Parva, Chapter 90, Verse 25). Subsequently, Shakuni faced Yudhishthira, Nakula, and Sahadeva, experiencing defeat at their hands (Bhishma Parva, Chapter 105, Verse 8). However, these narratives are contradicted by the Mahabharata, as 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.