Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.3189

c9.3189

One night he saw the idols in the Mahākāla temple twinkling. He jumped up and challenged the idols for a game of dice. The idols stood mute and Thiṇṭhākarāla taking their silence to be consent according to the rules of gambling fixed a wager and played. He won and then he said addressing the idols "I have defeated you. Give me the money due to me." The idols stood silent and he, therefore, wrestled with them. Still the idols stood dumb. Then Thiṇṭhākarāla took his sword. Instantly the devas gave him the money due to him. Early morning he went away and there and spent the money lavishly. At night he came back again and challenged the idols for gambling as before. This became a daily routine and the devas felt themselves harassed. They, therefore, approached the goddess Cāmuṇḍī and she advised them to refrain from playing as there was no loss of honour if one refused to take a challenge to gamble.