कथं शिखण्डी गाङ्गेय कन्यां भूत्वा पुरा तदा। पुरुषोऽभूद्युधिश्रेष्ठ तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
How did Shikhandi, having once been a maiden, become a man, O best of warriors? Tell me this, grandfather.
भार्या तु तस्य राजेन्द्र द्रुपदस्य महीपतेः। महिषी दयिता ह्यासीदपुत्रा च विशांपते
The wife of King Drupada, O lord of kings, was his beloved queen, but she was childless, O ruler of men.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु द्रुपदो वै महीपतिः। अपत्यार्थे महाराज तोषयामास शङ्करम्
At that time, King Drupada, desiring offspring, sought to please Shankara, O great king.
अस्माद्वधार्थं निश्चित्य तपो घोरं समास्थितः। ऋते कन्यां महादेव पुत्रो मेस्यादिति ब्रुवन्
Resolving upon the destruction of his enemy, he undertook severe austerities, saying, 'Except for a daughter, may I have a son, O Mahadeva.'
भगवन्पुत्रमिच्छामि भीष्मं प्रतिचिकीर्षया । इत्युक्तो देवदेवेन स्त्रीपुमांस्ते भविष्यति
O blessed one, desiring to act against Bhishma, he said, 'Lord, I wish for a son,' and the god of gods replied, 'A daughter who will become a man.'
निवर्तस्व महीपाल नैतञ्जात्वन्यथा भवेत् । स तु गत्वा च नगरं भार्यामिदमुवाच ह
'Return, O king; it cannot be otherwise,' said the god. Then, going back to the city, he spoke to his wife.
कृतो यत्नो महादेवस्तपसाऽऽराधितो मया । कन्या भूत्वा पुमान्भावी इति चोक्तोस्मि शंभुना
'I have made great effort and worshipped Mahadeva with austerities; Shambhu has told me that a daughter will be born who will later become a man.'
पुनः पुनर्याच्यमानो दिष्टमित्यब्रवीच्छिवः । नतदन्यच्च भविता भवितव्यं हि तत्तथा
Though repeatedly entreated, Shiva declared, 'It is destined; nothing else will happen. What must be, will be so.'
ततः सा नियता भूत्वा ऋतुकाले मनस्विनी । पत्नी द्रुपदराजस्य द्रुपदं प्रविवेश ह
Then she, steadfast and wise, at the proper season, joined with King Drupada as his wife.
लेभे गर्भं यथाकालं विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा । पार्षतस्य महीपाल यथा मां नारदोऽब्रवीत्
In due time, by the prescribed rites, she conceived, O king, just as Narada had told me, O ruler of the Kurus.
ततो दधार सा देवी गर्भं राजीवलोचना । तां स राजा प्रियां भार्यां द्रुपदः कुरुनन्दन
Then that lotus-eyed queen bore the child, and King Drupada attended devotedly to his beloved wife, O joy of the Kurus.
पुत्रस्नेहान्महाबाहुः मुखं पर्यचरत्तदा । सर्वानभिप्रायकृतान्भार्याऽलभत कौरव
Out of affection for a son, the mighty-armed king cared for her face, and the queen received all her wishes, O Kaurava.
अपुत्रस्य सतो राज्ञो द्रुपदस्य महीपतेः । यथाकालं तु सा देवी महिषी द्रुपदस्य ह
When King Drupada was without a son, his queen, at the proper time, gave birth to a child.
कन्यां प्रवररूपां तु प्राजायत नराधिप । अपुत्रस्य तु राज्ञः सा द्रुपदस्य मनस्विनी
A daughter of excellent form was born to the king, who had no son; she was intelligent and belonged to Drupada.
ख्यापयामास राजेन्द्र पुत्रो ह्येष ममेति वै। ततः स राजा द्रुपद प्रच्छन्नाया नराधिप
The queen declared, 'This is my son,' O king; thus King Drupada kept the child's identity concealed.
पुत्रवत्पुत्रकार्याणि सर्वाणि समकारयत् । रक्षणं चैव मन्त्रस्य महिषी द्रुपदस्य सा
She performed all duties for the child as if for a son, and guarded the secret with utmost care, being the queen of Drupada.
चकार सर्वयत्नेन ब्रुवणा पुत्र इत्युत । न च तां वेदक नगरे कश्चिदन्यत्र पार्षतात्
With all effort, she called the child 'son,' but in the city, none except Parshata knew the truth.
श्रद्दधानो हि तद्वाक्यं देवस्याच्युततेजसः। छादयामास तां कन्यां पुमानिति च सोब्रवीत्
Trusting the words of the divine, endowed with unerring brilliance, she concealed the daughter and declared her to be a boy.
जातकर्माणि सर्वाणि कारयामास पार्थिवः। पुंवद्विधानयुक्तानि शिखण्डीति च तां विदुः
The king performed all birth rites for the child as for a son; she was known as Shikhandi.
अहमेकस्तु चारेण वचनान्नारदस्य च। ज्ञातवान्देववाक्येन अम्बायास्तपसा तथा
I alone learned the truth by means of spies, by Narada's words, by the divine utterance, and by Amba's austerity.
चकार यत्नं द्रुपदः सुतायाः सर्वकर्मसु। ततो लेख्यादिषु तथा शिल्पेषु च परंतप
Drupada made every effort for his child in all tasks; thus, in writing and arts, O scorcher of foes.
इष्वस्त्रे चैव राजेन्द्र द्रोणशिष्यो बभूव ह। तस्य माता महाराज राजानं वरवर्णिनी
In archery as well, O king, he became a disciple of Drona; his mother, of noble appearance, urged the king for her daughter's marriage.
चोदयामास भार्यार्थं कन्यायाः पुत्रवत्तदा । ततस्तां पार्षतो दृष्ट्वा कन्यां संप्राप्तयौवनाम् । स्त्रियं मत्वा ततश्चिन्तां प्रपेदे सह भार्यया
She pressed for marriage for the daughter, treating her as a son; then Parshata, seeing the maiden come of age, regarded her as a woman and entered into concern with his wife.
कन्या ममेयं संप्राप्ता यौवनं शोकवर्धिनी । मया प्रच्छादिता चेयं वचनाच्छूलपाणिनः
This daughter of mine has reached youth, increasing my sorrow; I have concealed her on the word of Shulapani.
न तन्मिथ्या महाराज भविष्यति कथंचन । त्रैलोक्यकर्ता कस्माद्धि वृथा वक्तुमिहार्हति
O king, that will never be false; why would the creator of the three worlds speak in vain here?
यदि ते रोचते राजन्वक्ष्यामि श्रृणु मे वचः। श्रुत्वेदानीं प्रपद्येथाः स्वां मतिं पृषतात्मज
If it pleases you, O king, I will speak; listen to my words. Having heard, you may then follow your own judgment, O son of Prishata.
क्रियतामस्य यत्नेन विधिवद्दारसंग्रहः । भविता तद्वचः सत्यमिति मे निश्चिता मतिः
Let the marriage be arranged for her with effort, according to proper rites; my mind is certain that the divine word will come true.
ततस्तौ निश्चयं कृत्वा तस्मिन्कार्येऽथ दंपती । वरयाञ्चक्रतुः कन्यां दशार्णाधिपतेः सुताम्
Then, having resolved together in that matter, the couple chose the daughter of the king of Dasharna as bride.
ततो राजा द्रुपदो राजसिंहः सर्वान्राज्ञः कुलतः सन्निशाम्य। दाशार्णकस्य नृपतेस्तनूजां शिखण्डिने वरयामास दारान्
Then King Drupada, lion among kings, after considering all royal families, chose the daughter of the Dasharna king as wife for Shikhandi.
हिरण्यवर्मेति नृपो योऽसौ दाशार्णकः स्मृतः। स च प्रादान्महीपालः कन्यां तस्मै शिखण्डिने
The king known as Dasharna, called Hiranayavarman, gave his daughter to Shikhandi, O ruler of the earth.