05.189
दुर्योधन उवाच॥
Duryodhana said:
कथं शिखण्डी गाङ्गेय कन्या भूत्वा सती तदा। पुरुषोऽभवद्युधि श्रेष्ठ तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥५-१८९-१॥
Grandfather, please tell me how Śikhaṇḍī, who was once the daughter of Ganga and a chaste woman, became a man and excelled in battle.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said:
भार्या तु तस्य राजेन्द्र द्रुपदस्य महीपतेः। महिषी दयिता ह्यासीदपुत्रा च विशां पते ॥५-१८९-२॥
The wife of King Drupada, O great king, was a beloved queen, but she was childless, O lord of the people.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु द्रुपदो वै महीपतिः। अपत्यार्थं महाराज तोषयामास शङ्करम् ॥५-१८९-३॥
At this very time, King Drupada, indeed, sought to please Lord Shankara for the purpose of obtaining a child, O great king.
अस्मद्वधार्थं निश्चित्य तपो घोरं समास्थितः। लेभे कन्यां महादेवात्पुत्रो मे स्यादिति ब्रुवन् ॥५-१८९-४॥
He decided to destroy us and undertook severe penance. He obtained a daughter from Mahadeva, saying, "May my son be."
भगवन्पुत्रमिच्छामि भीष्मं प्रतिचिकीर्षया। इत्युक्तो देवदेवेन स्त्रीपुमांस्ते भविष्यति ॥५-१८९-५॥
O Lord, I wish for a son, Bhishma, with the intention to act. Thus addressed by the god of gods, they will become both male and female.
निवर्तस्व महीपाल नैतज्जात्वन्यथा भवेत्। स तु गत्वा च नगरं भार्यामिदमुवाच ह ॥५-१८९-६॥
Return, O king, this situation will never change. But he went to the city and indeed said this to his wife.
कृतो यत्नो मया देवि पुत्रार्थे तपसा महान्। कन्या भूत्वा पुमान्भावी इति चोक्तोऽस्मि शम्भुना ॥५-१८९-७॥
O goddess, I have made a great effort with penance for the sake of having a son. I have been told by Śambhu that after being born as a girl, I will become a man.
पुनः पुनर्याच्यमानो दिष्टमित्यब्रवीच्छिवः। न तदन्यद्धि भविता भवितव्यं हि तत्तथा ॥५-१८९-८॥
Shiva, when repeatedly requested, said, "It is destiny." Indeed, what is meant to happen will happen as it is destined.
ततः सा नियता भूत्वा ऋतुकाले मनस्विनी। पत्नी द्रुपदराजस्य द्रुपदं संविवेश ह ॥५-१८९-९॥
Then, at the right time, she, the disciplined and wise wife of King Drupada, entered Drupada.
लेभे गर्भं यथाकालं विधिदृष्टेन हेतुना। पार्षतात्सा महीपाल यथा मां नारदोऽब्रवीत् ॥५-१८९-१०॥
She conceived at the right time due to the destined cause from Pārṣata, O king, just as Nārada had told me.
ततो दधार तं गर्भं देवी राजीवलोचना। तां स राजा प्रियां भार्यां द्रुपदः कुरुनन्दन ॥ पुत्रस्नेहान्महाबाहुः सुखं पर्यचरत्तदा ॥५-१८९-११॥
Then the lotus-eyed goddess conceived. King Drupada, the descendant of Kuru, lovingly attended to his beloved wife, motivated by his affection for their son.
अपुत्रस्य ततो राज्ञो द्रुपदस्य महीपतेः। कन्यां प्रवररूपां तां प्राजायत नराधिप ॥५-१८९-१२॥
Then, O king, a daughter of exceptional beauty was born to the sonless King Drupada, the lord of the earth.
अपुत्रस्य तु राज्ञः सा द्रुपदस्य यशस्विनी। ख्यापयामास राजेन्द्र पुत्रो जातो ममेति वै ॥५-१८९-१३॥
The glorious queen of the sonless King Drupada announced, "O king, I have indeed given birth to a son."
ततः स राजा द्रुपदः प्रच्छन्नाया नराधिप। पुत्रवत्पुत्रकार्याणि सर्वाणि समकारयत् ॥५-१८९-१४॥
Then King Drupada, the lord of men, secretly ensured that all duties of a son were performed as if he were his own son.
रक्षणं चैव मन्त्रस्य महिषी द्रुपदस्य सा। चकार सर्वयत्नेन ब्रुवाणा पुत्र इत्युत ॥ न हि तां वेद नगरे कश्चिदन्यत्र पार्षतात् ॥५-१८९-१५॥
The queen of Drupada took great care to protect the mantra, always referring to him as 'son'. Indeed, no one in the city knew her except those from Pārṣata.
श्रद्दधानो हि तद्वाक्यं देवस्याद्भुततेजसः। छादयामास तां कन्यां पुमानिति च सोऽब्रवीत् ॥५-१८९-१६॥
The faithful one, indeed, covered that girl with the words of the god of wonderful splendor, saying she was a 'man'.
जातकर्माणि सर्वाणि कारयामास पार्थिवः। पुंवद्विधानयुक्तानि शिखण्डीति च तां विदुः ॥५-१८९-१७॥
The king conducted all the birth ceremonies for her as if she were a male, and she was known as Shikhandi.
अहमेकस्तु चारेण वचनान्नारदस्य च। ज्ञातवान्देववाक्येन अम्बायास्तपसा तथा ॥५-१८९-१८॥
I alone, however, learned through the spy and the words of Nārada, as well as through the divine words and the penance of Ambā.
