Bhagavad Gita · Mahabharata Codex

Shakuni

शकुनि · śakuni

Prince of Gandhara; Gandhari's brother; Duryodhana's uncle and adviser

He won an empire without drawing a weapon, with a pair of dice.

Shakuni is the brother of Queen Gandhari and lives at the Kuru court as Duryodhana's constant companion. He is the one who sees that the Pandavas cannot be beaten in war but can be beaten at dice, and he throws for Duryodhana in the game that costs them everything. He is not named in the Gita, but the exile, the grievance and the war all run back to his hand.