In the Sabha Parva of the Mahabharata, Duryodhana envies the wealth of his cousin Yudhishthira. His maternal uncle Shakuni offers him a plan: “I promise to win all that wealth of his, and thou, O Duryodhana, shalt then enjoy the same.” He adds: “I will defeat him repeatedly at every throw by practising deception.”
Duryodhana takes the plan to his father, King Dhritarashtra, and presses him: “It behoveth thee to grant him permission to do so.” The game of dice follows.