If a mistake committed in an assembly is duly censured, the leader is absolved of any sin and the entire pāpam of the act attaches to the one who commits the mistake. In this case, not to Dhṛtarāṣṭra but to Duryodhana.

When Yagnaseni posed this question to a stunned assembly, Bhīṣma said it was a very tricky question which involved subtleties and intricacies of Dharma. When a strong man calls something as 'moral' it is regarded as such by others even if it may not be so. But what a weak man calls morality is scarcely regarded as such even if it be the highest morality.

Bhīma said because of his reverence to his elder brother, and repeatedly urged by Arjuna to remain silent, he did not do anything terrible. Otherwise he would slay these wicked sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, like a lion killing a number of little animals.

The ever-wise Vidura recalled that the Kauravas all belonged to the great lineage of Pradeepa. Draupadī was unconquerable as Yudhiṣṭhira had lost himself first. He also warned the Kauravas not to be carried away by the words of Śakuni.

After Vidura spoke his mind and told that Draupadī was unconquerable, Duryodhana asked the younger brothers of Yudhiṣṭhira to tell the Sabhā whether their master was Yudhiṣṭhira or not. Just then a jackal from the Yajnasala began to howl fiercely. Asses began to bray birds began to shriek. All of these portended misery and impending doom.

Distressed at the bad omens and Vidura's words on impending doom to the Kuru clan, he granted a boon to Draupadī. She asked for Yudhiṣṭhira to be freed. Granting this, the king asked her to seek another boon and she requested that the other brothers to be freed too, Granting this too Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked her to seek a third boon. At this, Draupadī said, it was not correct for a Kṣatriya woman to ask for more than 2 boons. Greed will ruin Dharma. A Vaiśya can seek One boon, Kṣatriya male can ask for 3 and Brāhmaṇa can seek a 100 boons.

When Duryodhana, Karṇa and Śakuni learnt that the Pāṇḍavas have left for their capital with all their wealth, they went to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and through pleasing words told him that the enemies (Pāṇḍavas) must be won by any means. To achieve this, they wanted to play another round of dice, defeat the Pāṇḍavas and send them into exile. Gāndhārī, Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Vidura, Yuyutsu were against another round of Dyūta.

Yudhiṣṭhira knew fully well that the consequences of the game would be disastrous. Yet he could not refuse due the same reasons that made him play the first round with high stakes. To draw a parallel, sage Vaiśampāyana cites the incident where Sri Rāma went after the golden deer, even though He knew fully well that a deer made of gold was an impossibility.

The stakes were set for the losing side to dress themselves in tree barks and go into exile for 12 years, after which they had to live in a place without being recognised by anyone. If recognised in the 13th year, they had to go into exile for another 12 years.

Duryodhana imitated the Leonine walk of Bhīma, Duḥśāsana called him a 'Cow'. Filled with rage Bhīma said that he would slay Duryodhana, Arjuna would kill Karṇa, and Sahadeva will slay Śakuni the gambler.