Mahabharata Tales: Why Was Shakuni’s Wife Shrouded In Mystery?

Last Updated:May 29, 2025, 15:46 IST

Shakuni’s wife was named Arshi, and she lived in Gandhara. After Shakuni left to Hastinapur, she is believed to have stayed there, managing the kingdom’s affairs with their 3 sons

If asked who Shakuni was, most people would recognise him as the cunning uncle from the Mahabharata. However, his wife, her name, their children, or whether she survived the war remains less known.

Shakuni was originally the prince of Gandhara and later its king. He left his kingdom to stay in Hastinapur after his sister Gandhari’s marriage. The reasons for this choice remain a mystery.

To support his sister, Shakuni chose to remain in Hastinapur, where he had a close relationship with his nephew, Duryodhana. The Mahabharata states that Shakuni vowed to destroy the Kuru dynasty. He sowed conspiracies among the Kauravas from their childhood, creating rifts with the Pandavas. Most troubles faced by the Pandavas were due to Shakuni’s plotting, often instigating King Dhritarashtra. The great war of Mahabharata was the tragic outcome of these conspiracies.

Shakuni’s Wife

Shakuni’s wife was named Arshi, and she lived in Gandhara. They had three sons: Uluk, Vrikasur, and Viprachitti. Uluk died during the Mahabharata war. The original Mahabharata gives very little information about her life or her fate.

Since Shakuni left Gandhara, it is assumed that Arshi stayed there, managing the kingdom’s affairs alongside their sons. It is likely she never went to Hastinapur. Unlike Shakuni, her relations with the Kauravas were distant. Her life must have been difficult, raising three sons without her husband nearby.

After the death of King Subala, Shakuni’s father, Shakuni became king of Gandhara but often travelled between Gandhara and Hastinapur. Some sources say Arshi ruled Gandhara alongside one of her sons during Shakuni’s absences.

Many versions of the Mahabharata suggest Shakuni held a deep grudge against the Kuru clan for the suffering inflicted on his family. This resentment partly explains why he stayed in Hastinapur and plotted their downfall. It is also said that Shakuni was entrusted by his dying father to care for Gandhari and her sons, justifying his long stay there.

Meaning Of Shakuni

The name ‘Shakuni’ comes from the Sanskrit word ‘shakuna‘, meaning an omen or sign predicting the future. Shakuni was famous for his cunning and sly nature, often shown as a master of deceit and strategy. He was also a master of the dice game, with legends saying his dice always rolled numbers he desired. Folklore even claims his dice were made from the bones of his father, Subala, and had mystical powers. Shakuni was killed on the 17th day of the Kurukshetra war by Sahadeva, the youngest Pandava brother.

Gandhari Cursed Shakuni

Gandhari often warned her brother to stop provoking Duryodhana and turning him against the Pandavas. She was angry with Shakuni for his manipulations, but he ignored her pleas. When the war ended with the destruction of the Kauravas and loss of the kingdom, Gandhari cursed Shakuni.

She declared that just as Shakuni spread hatred and turmoil in Hastinapur, he would face destruction. He would die in the war, and his kingdom Gandhara would never find peace. Civil strife and war would continue, and prosperity would be absent.

Gandhari blamed two people more than the Pandavas for her sons’ deaths, one being Shakuni. Over time, Shakuni’s family was destroyed. Gandhara was captured by enemy kingdoms, and none survived. According to popular belief, the effects of Gandhari’s curse are still visible in the Gandhara region, which corresponds to parts of modern Afghanistan.

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