SECTION CXCV
"Bhishma said, 'Hearing, O bull of Bharata's race, those words of
Sikhandini, afflicted by destiny, that Yaksha, said after reflecting in
his mind, these words, 'Indeed, it was ordained to be so, and, O Kaurava,
it was ordained for my grief!' The Yaksha said, 'O Blessed lady, I will
certainly do what you wishest! Listen, however, to the condition I make.
For a certain period I will give you my manhood. Thou must, however,
come back to me in due time. Pledge thyself to do so! Possessed of
immense power, I am a ranger of the skies, wandering at my pleasure, and
capable of accomplishing whatever I intend. Through my grace, save the
city and your kinsmen wholly! I will bear your womanhood, O princess!
Pledge your truth to me, I will do what is agreeable to thee!' Thus
addressed, Sikhandini said unto him, 'O holy one of excellent vows, I
will give you back your manhood! O wanderer of the night, bear you my
womanhood for a short time! After the ruler of the Dasarnakas who is
cased in a golden mail will have departed (from my city) I will once more
become a maiden and you wilt become a man!'
"Bhishma continued, 'Having said this (unto each other), they both. O
king, made a covenant, and imparted unto each other's body their sexes.
And the Yaksha Sthuna, O Bharata, became a female, while Sikhandini
obtained the blazing form of the Yaksha. Then, O king, Sikhandini of
Panchala's race, having obtained manhood, entered his city in great joy
and approached his father. And he represented unto Drupada everything
that had happened. And Drupada, bearing it all became highly glad. And
along with his wife the king recollected the words of Maheswara. And he
forthwith sent, O king, messenger unto the ruler of the Dasarnakas,
saying, 'This my child is a male. Let it be believed by thee!' The king
of the Dasarnakas meanwhile, filled with sorrow and grief, suddenly
approached Drupada, the ruler of the Panchalas. And arrived at Kampilya,
the Dasarnaka king despatched, after paying him proper honours, an envoy
who was one of the foremost of those conversant with the Vedas. And he
addressed the envoy, saying, 'Instructed by me, O messenger, say unto
that worst of kings the ruler of the Panchalas, these words,--viz., O
thou of wicked understanding, having selected my daughter as a wife for
one who is your daughter, you shalt today, without doubt, behold the
fruit of that act of deception.' Thus addressed and despatched by him, O
best of kings, the Brahmana set out for Drupada's city as Dasarnaka's
envoy. And having arrived at the city, the priest went unto Drupada's
presence. The king of the Panchalas then, with Sikhandin, offered the
envoy, O king, a cow and honey. The Brahmana, however, without accepting
that worship, said unto him these words that had been communicated
through him by the brave ruler of the Dasarnakas who was cased in a
golden mail. And he said, 'O you of vile behaviours, I have been
deceived by you through your daughter (as the means)! I will exterminate
thee with your counsellors and sons and kinsmen!' Having, in the midst of
his counsellors, been made by that priest to hear those words fraught
with censure and uttered by the ruler of the Dasarnakas, king Drupada
then, O chief of Bharata's race, assuming a mild behaviour from motives
of friendship, 'said, The reply to these words of my brother that thou
hast said unto me, O Brahmana, will be carried to that monarch by my
envoy!' And king Drupada then, sent unto the high-souled Hiranyavarman a
Brahmana learned in the Vedas as his envoy. And that envoy, going unto
king Hiranyavarman, the ruler of the Dasarnakas, said unto him, 'O
monarch, the word that Drupada had entrusted him with.' And he said,
'This my child is really a male. Let it be made clear by means of
witness! Somebody has spoken falsely to thee. That should not be
believed!' Then the king of the Dasarnakas, having heard the words of
Drupada, was filled with sorrow and despatched a number of young ladies
of great beauty for ascertaining whether Sikhandin was a male or female.
Despatched by him, those ladies, having ascertained (the truth) joyfully
told the king of the Dasarnakas everything, viz., that Sikhandin, O chief
of the Kurus, was a powerful person of the masculine sex. Hearing that
testimony, the ruler of the Dasarnakas was filled with great joy, and
wending then unto his brother Drupada, passed a few days with him in joy.
And the king, rejoiced as he was, gave unto Sikhandin much wealth, many
elephants and steeds and kine. And worshipped by Drupada (as long as he
stayed), the Dasarnaka king then departed, having rebuked his daughter.
And after king Hiranyavarman, the ruler of the Dasarnakas had departed in
joy and with his anger quelled, Sikhandin began to rejoice exceedingly.
Meanwhile, sometime after (the exchange of sexes had taken place) Kuvera,
who was always borne on the shoulders of human beings, in course of a
journey (through the earth), came to the abode of Sthuna. Staying (in the
welkin) above that mansion, the protector of all the treasures saw that
the excellent abode of the Yaksha Sthuna was well-adorned with beautiful
garland of flowers, and perfumed with fragrant roots of grass and many
sweet scents. And it was decked with canopies, and scented incense. And
it was also beautiful with standards and banners. And it was filled with
edibles and drink of every kind. And beholding that beautiful abode of
the Yaksha decked all over, and filled also with garlands of jewels and
gems and perfumed with the fragrance of diverse kinds of flowers, and
well-watered, and well-swept, the lord of the Yakshas addressed the
Yakshas that followed him, saying, 'Ye that are endued with immeasurable
prowess, this mansion of Sthuna is well-adorned! Why, however, doth not
that wight of wicked understanding come to me? And since that
wicked-souled one, knowing I am here, approacheth me not, therefore, some
severe punishment should be inflicted on him! Even this is my intention!'
Hearing these words of his, the Yakshas said, 'O king, the royal Drupada
had a daughter born unto him, of the name of Sikhandini! Unto her, for
some reason, Sthuna had given his own manhood, and having taken her
womanhood upon him, he stayeth within his abode having become a woman!
Bearing as he doth a feminine form, he doth not, therefore, approach thee
in shame! It is for this reason, O king, that Sthuna cometh not to thee!
Hearing all this, do what may be proper!' Let the car be stopped here!
Let Sthuna be brought to me,--were the words that the lord of the Yakshas
uttered, and repeatedly said,--I will punish him!--Summoned then by the
Lord of Yakshas, Sthuna bearing a feminine form came thither, O king, and
stood before him in shame. Then, O you of Kuru's race, the giver of
wealth cursed him in anger, saying, 'Ye Guhyakas, let the femininity of
the wretch remain as it is!' And the high-souled lord of the Yakshas also
said, 'Since humiliating all the Yakshas, you hast, O you of sinful
deeds, given away your own sex to Sikhandini and taken from her, O you of
wicked understanding, her femininity,--since, O wicked wretch, you hast
done what hath never been done by anybody,--therefore from this day, thou
shalt remain a woman and she shall remain a man!' At these words of his,
all the Yakshas began to soften Vaisravana for the sake of Sthunakarna
repeatedly saying, 'Set a limit to your curse!' The high-souled lord of
the Yakshas then said unto all these Yakshas that followed him, from
desire of setting a limit to his curse, these words, viz.,--After
Sikhandin's death, the Yakshas, this one will regain his own form!
Therefore, let this high-souled Yaksha Sthuna be freed from his anxiety!
Having said this, the illustrious and divine king of the Yakshas,
receiving due worship, departed with all his followers who were capable
of traversing a great distance within the shortest space of time. And
Sthuna, with that curse pronounced on him, continued to live there. And
when the time came, Sikhandin without losing a moment came unto that
wanderer of the night. And approaching his presence he said, It have come
to thee, O holy one!' Sthuna then repeatedly said unto him, 'I am pleased
with thee!' Indeed, beholding that prince return to him without guile,
Sthuna told Sikhandin everything that had happened. Indeed, the Yaksha
said, 'O son of a king, for you I have been cursed by Vaisravana. Go
now, and live happily amongst men as you choosest. Thy coming here and
the arrival of Pulastya's son were, I think, both ordained from
beforehand. All this was incapable of being prevented!'
"Bhishma continued, 'Thus addressed by the Kaksha, Sthuna, Sikhandin, O
Bharata, came to his city, filled with great joy. And he worshipped with
diverse scents and garlands of flower and costly presents persons of the
regenerate class, deities, big trees and crossways. And Drupada, the
ruler of the Panchalas, along with his son Sikhandin whose wishes had
been crowned with success, and with also his kinsmen, became exceedingly
glad. And the king then, O bull of Kuru's race, gave his son, Sikhandin,
who had been a woman, as a pupil, O monarch, to Drona. An prince
Sikhandin obtained, along with yourselves, the whole science of arms with
its four divisions. And (his brother) Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata's race
also obtained the same. Indeed, all this way represented unto me, O sire,
by the spies, disguised as idiots and as persons without the senses of
vision, and hearing whom I had set upon Drupada. It is thus, O king, that
that best of Rathas. Sikhandin, the son of Drupada, having first been
born a female, subsequently became a person of the other sex. And it was
the eldest daughter of the ruler of Kasi, celebrated by the name of Amva,
who was, O bull of Bharata's race, born in Drupada's line as Sikhandin.
If he approacheth me bow in hand and desirous of fight, I will not look
at him even for a moment nor smite him, O you of unfading glory!
Even--this is my vow, known over all the world, viz., that I will not, O
son of Kuru's race, shoot weapons upon a woman, or one that was a woman
before or one bearing a feminine name, or one whose form resembleth a
woman's. I will not, for this reason, slay Sikhandin. Even this, O sire,
is the story that I have ascertained of Sikhandin's birth. I will not,
therefore, slay him in battle even if he approacheth me weapon in hand.
If Bhishma slayeth a woman the righteous will all speak ill of him. I
will not, therefore, slay him even if I behold him waiting for battle!'
"Sanjaya continued, 'Hearing these words of Bhishma, king Duryodhana of
Kuru's race, reflecting for a moment, thought even that behaviour was
proper for Bhishma.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 5 : UPA-PARVA 195 ---------------------
