In the Mahabharata, Sakuni was the brother of Queen Gandhari, and was son of King Subala of Gandhara. He accompanied his sister to Hastinapura for her wedding, and remained as a nobleman at the court there.

His activities at the court were concentrated on safeguarding the position of his sister's children; the Kaurava. Hence, he is seen as a scheming and evil person. He was responsible for arranging the dice game where Duryodhana, his nephew, cheated Yudhisthira of his part of the kingdom.