Recently I've been wondering, how did the ancient rulers of India view gambling? I've heard that the Mahabharata and other texts describe how princes and kings played dice and other games, but it's not quite clear - did they approve of it or did they consider it something bad? I even have a grandfather who told me that in some families gambling was almost mandatory entertainment for the nobility. Does anyone know if there were any official views or prohibitions on it?
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I saw this topic by chance - I always thought that the attitude to gambling in ancient cultures is very different from modern ones. I have a lot of friends from different countries, and everyone tells about their traditions. It's interesting how in India it's all intertwined with religion and ruling. Anyway, such topics always open up a lot of new things and give food for thought.
I recently read an article that describes in detail the attitude of ancient Indian rulers to gambling - here is a link to the material https://khelnow.com/tips/ancient-hindu-gambling-rituals-india. It says that gambling was not just entertainment, but was often seen as part of destiny and ritual. Many rulers gambled, and it was even linked to religious and cultural meanings. An acquaintance of mine studies Indian history and told me that for some rulers, gambling was a way to test luck and fate, as well as to show status. However, the games were played within strictly defined limits so as not to degenerate into madness.