Shakuni was the prince of Gandhara Kingdom, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the happening of Kurukshetra war. He is considered to be the main villain who manipulated Duryodhana. Gandhari was his sister and for that Duryodhana becoming his nephew.
8 Interesting facts about Shakuni
1. Shakuni never had any hatred against Pandavas
Shakuni’s main enmity was against Bhishma Pitamah. Bhishma invites Shakuni’s family to a meal and locks them up by giving them with a minimal amount of food. He does this upon knowing King Subala gave false horoscope when Gandhari was married to Dhritarashtra as a treachery. Astrologers predicted Gandhari’s first husband would die, so was married to a goat and the goat was sacrificed. Therefore Dhritarashtra was her second husband and was hid from Kuru family.
2. Shakuni’s dice was made of his father’s bone.
When all the family was locked up in a cellar with a minimal amount of food, King Subala decides that his one member of the family should live at any cost to take revenge against Bhishma and the Kuru family for this behavior of Bhishma. So Shakuni, who was the youngest and the cleverest son, was chosen by giving all other’s meal to survive. On the last breath, Subala stabs Shakuni’s leg and asks him to remember the pain and remember the vengeance against Kuru family. He also asks Shakuni to make a dice out of his thigh’s bone.
3. Shakuni was an illusionist
Shakuni was not only very clever and mastermind but was also an illusionist, talent of which he could bring to his advantage any time when playing a dice game. Yudhishthira was a big gambler who lost everything to Duryodhana in the dice game with the help of Shakuni. This became the main reason for the Kurukshetra war.
4. Shakuni was the 100th son of King Subala
Shakuni not only had 100 nephews but he was the 100th son of King Subala so was also given the name Saubala. He was the cleverest of all his brothers and therefore was chosen to survive when all the family was starved to death.
5. Shakuni had 2 sons – Uluka and Vrikasura
Shakuni’s son Uluka requested Shakuni to return to Gandhara and live in peace and harmony but Shakuni refuses to remember the promise to his father to destroy Bhishma and Kuru family at any cost.
6. Shakuni was killed by Sahadeva
Sahadeva killed Shakuni on the 18th day of Mahabharata war. Sahadeva who thought Shakuni of all the reason behind Draupadi’s misbehavior promises to kill Shakuni.
7. There is a temple dedicated to Shakuni.
There still exists a temple in Pavithreswaram in the Kollam district of Kerala, dedicated to Shakuni. The Kuravar community acknowledged the good qualities of Shakuni and preserved his shrine till date.
8. Ambhi Kumar, King of Takshila was the direct descendant of Shakuni
Ambhi Kumar who was the King of Takshila before deposed by Chandragupta Maurya is believed to be the direct descendant of Shakuni. Ambhi Kumar’s name is also found in Greek mythology of Alexander the Great who was given a huge amount of wealth as a submission and not to attack Takshila.