India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c8.s13.t1.37

c8.s13.t1.37

'The king played the losing throw and the Yakkha Puṇṇaka the winning throw.' (*Jāt.* Text, VI. 282; Trans. VI 138). It is stated there that the Yaksha was reshuffling with his miraculous powers such dice as were falling against him. The *bhassamāna pāsaka* (missing dice) of the *Jātaka* correspond to Pāṇini's *ekapari*, etc. It also appears that so long as a player was taking the *kṛita* throw he went on repeating his throws. But after the *kali* throw, the turn went to the other player. When once either Śakuni or Puṇṇaka begins to win deceitfully, he continues to throw the dice up to the end of the game.