अक्षा॑स इ॑द् • अङ्कुशि॑नो नितोदि॑नः।
निकृ॑त्वानस् • त॑पनास्तापयिष्ण॑वः।
कुमार॑देष्णा • ज॑यतः पुनर्ह॑णः।
म॑ध्वा सं॑पृक्ताः • कितव॑स्य बर्ह॑णा॥
—ऋग्वेद॑ 10.34.7
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Translation: "Dice indeed are hooked, piercing, subduing, painful, seeking to cause pain, gifting like a child, (then) destroying in return the winner, endowed with honeyed power over the player."
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Word-by-word: अक्षा॑सस् < अक्ष॑ "die", इ॑द् "indeed", अङ्कुशि॑नस् < अङ्कुशि॑न् "hooked", नितोदि॑नस् < नितोदि॑न् "piercing", निकृ॑त्वानस् < निकृ॑त्वन् < नि॑ कृ "subdue", त॑पनास् < त॑पन "painful", तापयिष्ण॑वस् < तापयिष्णु॑ < तप् "cause pain", कुमार॑ "child", देष्णास् < देष्ण॑ "gift", ज॑यतस् < ज॑यन् < जि "win", पुनर् < पु॑नर् "in return", ह॑णस् < हन् "destroy", म॑ध्वा < म॑धु "honeyed", सं॑पृक्तास् < सं॑पृक्त < सं॑ पृच् "endow", कितव॑स्य < कितव॑ "player", बर्ह॑णा "power".
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Meter: ज॑गती (the only one in an otherwise त्रिष्टु॑भ् hymn)
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Interpretation: This verse is from the famous Gambler's Lament, a fascinating hymn narrated in the first person from the perspective of a gambling addict who has become destitute and alienated his wife, in-laws, parents, and siblings, but who still refuses to give up gambling.
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This verse describes the evils of the dice, which cause great unending pain to the player and those around him, giving only small, temporary pleasures (like a child's gifts) before destroying the "winner". But the player keeps playing anyway, because the dice have a power over him, a "sweet" allure.
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Unlike Islam, which prohibits alcohol and gambling entirely, Hinduism takes a more moderate view on such issues. The dangers of such activities are recognized and emphasized, but alcohol and gambling were certainly present in Vedic society. They were also incorporated in certain Vedic rituals: the राजसू॑य/coronation, for example, contains gambling.
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