Ulūka (Uluka) is the son of Śakuni (Sakuni), king of Gāndhāra (Gandhara). We see him present for the first time in the svayamvara sabhā (swayamvara sabha; an assembley where a princess chooses her own husband) of Draupadī (Draupadi). It is to be noted that a player of dice was often referred to as Kitava. A dice-player means ‘Kitava’. And Śakuni, as the best of dice-players, got the entitlement of ‘Kitava’. Being the son of the shrew and cunning Śakuni, Ulūka came to be known as ‘Kaitava’. Thus he had to bear the characteristic identity of his father, throughout his life.