Destined (Mahabharat)

Chapter 39:

The crystal arches palace glows in the morning sunshine.
The beautiful engraved diamonds and gold plated pieces shone every corner.

In the middle of the palace was a big pavilion. The pavilion was decorated with puffed seats on the two sides and there was a gambling board in the middle. The elegant chess pieces are made of gold and silver making it more auspicious.

As soon the pandavas enter in the palace hall , they were greeted with Bhisma, guru Dronacharya and other.

Worshipping all those that deserved to be worshipped, and saluting others as each deserved according to age, they seated themselves on seats that were clean and furnished with costly carpets.

After everyone seated , shakuni smiled and argued Yudhishthira to play chess with him.

"O king, the assembly is full. All had been waiting for you. Let, therefore, the dice be cast and the rules of play be fixed, O Yudhishthira."

Yudhishthira said,—

'That best of Munis, Devala, the son of Asita, who always instructs us about all those acts that may lead to heaven, hell, or the other regions, has said, that it is sinful to play deceitfully with a gamester.
To obtain victory in battle without cunning or stratagem is the best sport.
Gambling, however, as a sport, is not so. Those that are respectable never use the language of the Mleccas, nor do they adopt deceitfulness in their behaviour. War carried on without crookedness and cunning, this is the act of men that are honest."

(TL: I have already defined Mleccas)

Sakuni said,—

"O Yudhishthira, it is from a desire of winning, which is not a very honest motive, that one high-born person approaches another (in a contest of race superiority).

S

o also, O Yudhishthira, a person skilled at dice approaches one that is not so skilled from a desire of vanquishing him. One also who is conversant with the truths of science approaches another that is not from desire of victory, which is scarcely an honest motive. But (as I have already said) such a motive is not really dishonest.
The motive is victory, O Yudhishthira. If, therefore, you, in approaching me, regardest me to be actuated by motives that are dishonest, if you are under any fear, desist then from play."

Yudhishthira said,—

"summoned, I do not withdraw. This is my established vow. And, O king, Fate is all powerful. We all are under the control of Destiny. With whom in this assembly am I to play? Who is there that can stake equally with me? Let the play begin."

Duryodhana said,—

"O monarch, I shall supply jewels and gems and every kind of wealth. And it is for me that this Sakuni, my uncle, will play."

Yudhishthira said,—

"Gambling for one’s sake by the agency of another seems to me to be contrary to rule. You also, O learned one, will admit this. If, however, you are still bent on it, let the play begin."

That mansion looked resplendent with those assembled kings like heaven itself with a conclave of the celestials of great good fortune. And they were all conversant with the Vedas and brave and of resplendent countenances.

Just like this the history of real mahabharat began..........

For the first , Yudhishthira decides to gamble on his excellent wealth of pearls of great value, procured from the ocean by churning it (of old), so beautiful and decked with pure gold.
Duryodhan too stakes his wealth.