दाशार्णराजो राजंस्त्वामिदं वचनमब्रवीत् । अभिष्गात्प्रकुपितो विप्रलब्धस्त्वयाऽनघ
The king of the Dasharnas speaks this message to you, O king: Deceived by you, I am enraged and have come here.
अवमन्यसे मां नृपते नूनं दुर्मन्त्रितं तव। यन्मे कन्यां स्वकन्यार्थे मोहाद्याचितवानसि
You surely scorn me, O king, your counsel is indeed faulty, for out of delusion you requested my daughter for your daughter.
तस्याद्य विप्रलम्भस्य फलं प्राप्नुहि दुर्मते । एष त्वं सजनामात्यमुद्धरामि स्थिरो भव
Now reap the fruit of that deception, O wicked-minded one; I will uproot you with your people and ministers—stand firm.
अवमत्य च वीर्यं मे कुलं चारित्रमेव च । विप्रलम्भस्त्वयापूर्वो मनुष्येषु प्रवर्तितः
Having disregarded my valor, my lineage, and my conduct, you have committed an unprecedented deception among men.
कुरु सर्वाणि कार्याणि भुङ्क्ष्व कभोगाननुत्तमान्। अभियास्यामि शीघ्रं त्वां समुद्धर्तुं सबान्धवम्
Do all your duties and enjoy the finest pleasures; I will soon come to destroy you along with your kinsmen.
एवमुक्तस्य दूतेन द्रुपदस्य तदा नृप। चोरस्येव गृहीतस्य न प्रावर्तत भारती
When the messenger had spoken thus to Drupada, O king, he was as silent as a thief who had been caught.
स यत्नमकरोत्तीव्रं संबन्धिन्युनुमानने । दूतैर्मधुरसंभाषैर्न तदस्तीति संदिशन्
He made great efforts to appease his relation, sending messengers with sweet words, indicating that it was not so.
स राजा भूय एवाथ ज्ञात्वा तत्त्वमथागमत् । कन्येति पाञ्चालसुतां त्वरमाणो विनिर्ययौ
But when that king learned the truth again, he hastily set out, thinking the Panchala princess was indeed a maiden.
ततः संप्रेषकयामास मित्रांणाममितौजसाम् । दुहितुर्विप्रलम्भं तं धात्रीणां वचनात्तदा
Then, by the words of the nurses, he sent messengers to those friends of immeasurable might, regarding the separation of his daughter.
ततः समुदयं कृत्वा बलानां राजसत्तमः । अभियाने मतिं चक्रे द्रुपदं प्रति भारत
Thereafter, having assembled his forces, the best of kings made up his mind, O Bharata, to march against Drupada.
ततः संमन्त्रयामास मन्त्रिभिः स महीपतिः । हिरण्यवर्मा राजेन्द्र पाञ्चाल्यं पार्थिवं प्रति
Then that king, Hiraṇyavarman, lord of men, consulted with his ministers concerning the Pāñcāla king.
तत्र वै निश्चितं तेषामभूद्राज्ञां महात्मनाम् । तथ्यं भवति चेदेतत्कन्या राजञ्शिखण्डिनी
There, among those great-souled kings, it was firmly resolved: 'If this is true, O King, that Śikhaṇḍinī is a girl—'
बद्ध्वा पाञ्चालराजानमानयिष्यामहे गृहम् । अन्यं राजानमाधाय पाञ्चालेषु नरेश्वरम्
'We shall bind the king of the Pāñcālas and bring him home, and set up another king over the Pāñcālas.'
घातयिष्याम नृपतिं पाञ्चालं सशिखण्डिनम्
'We shall slay the Pāñcāla king together with Śikhaṇḍin.'
स तदा द्रुतमाज्ञाय पुनर्दूतान्नराधिपः। प्रास्थापयत्पार्षतया निहन्मीति स्थिरो भव
Then, having quickly learned this, the lord of men again sent messengers with instructions: 'Be steadfast, I will slay him.'
स हि प्रकृत्या वै भीतः किल्बिषी च नराधिपः । भयं तीव्रमनुप्राप्तो द्रुपदः पृथिवीपतिः
For by nature, that king Drupada was fearful and sinful; the ruler of the earth was seized by intense fear.
विसृज्य दूतान्दाशार्णे द्रुपदः शोकमूर्च्छितः । समेत्य भार्यां रहिते वाक्यमाह नराधिपः
Dismissing the messengers from Daśārṇa, Drupada, overwhelmed by grief, went to his wife in private and spoke these words.
भयेन महताऽऽविष्टो हृदि शोकेन चाहतः । पाञ्चालराजो दयितां मातरं वै शिखण्डिनः
Afflicted by great fear and struck in his heart by sorrow, the king of the Pāñcālas addressed his beloved, the mother of Śikhaṇḍin.
अभियास्यति मां कोपात्संबन्धी सुमहाबलः । हिरण्यवर्मा नृपतिः कर्षमाणो वरूथिनीम्
'Hiraṇyavarman, the king, my powerful relative, will come against me in anger, leading his army.'
किमिदानीं करिष्यावो मूढौ कन्यामिमां प्रति। शिखण्डी किल पुत्रस्ते कन्येति परिशङ्कितः
'What shall we do now, confused as we are, regarding this daughter? They suspect that your son Śikhaṇḍin is indeed a girl.'
इति संचिन्त्य यत्नेन समित्रः सबलानुगः । वञ्चितोऽस्मीति मन्वानो मां किलोद्धर्तुमिच्छति
Thus reflecting with effort, accompanied by friends and troops, he thought, 'I have been deceived; he surely wishes to destroy me.'
किमत्र तथ्यं सुश्रोणि मिथ्या किं ब्रूहि शोभने । श्रुत्वा त्वत्तः शुभं वाक्यं संविधास्याम्यहं तथा
'What is the truth here, O lovely-hipped one, and what is false? Tell me, O beautiful one. Having heard auspicious words from you, I shall act accordingly.'
अहं हि संशयप्राप्तो बाला चेयं शिखण्डिनी । त्वं च राज्ञि महत्कृच्छ्रं संप्राप्ता वरवर्णिनि
'For I am beset by doubt, and this Śikhaṇḍinī is a child; and you, O queen of noble complexion, have come into great distress.'
सा त्वं सर्वविमोक्षाय तत्त्वमाख्याहि पृच्छतः। तथा विदध्यां सुश्रोणि कृत्यमाशु शुचिस्मिते
'Therefore, for the release of all, tell me the truth as I ask, so that, O lovely-hipped and bright-smiling one, I may quickly do what must be done.'
शिखण्डिनि च मा भैस्त्वं विधास्ये तत्र तत्त्वतः । कृपयाहं वरारोहे वञ्चितः पुत्रधर्मतः
'And you, Śikhaṇḍinī, do not be afraid; I will arrange everything truthfully. Out of compassion, O beautiful one, I have been deceived regarding the duty of a son.'
मया दाशार्णको राजा वञ्चितः स महीपतिः । तदाचक्ष्व महाभागे विधास्ये तत्र यद्धितम्
'By me, the king of Daśārṇa has been deceived, that lord of men. Therefore, O noble lady, tell me, and I will do what is right in this matter.'
जनाता ह नरेन्द्रेण ख्यापनार्थं परस्य वै । प्रकाशं चोदिता देवी प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम्
Then, at the command of the king, so that all might know and the truth be made clear, the queen spoke openly to the monarch.
ततः शिखण्डिनो माता यथातत्त्वं नराधिप। आचचक्षे महाबाहो भर्त्र कन्यां शिखण्डिनीम्
Thereupon, the mother of Shikhandin, O ruler of men, truthfully revealed to the mighty-armed king that her daughter Shikhandini was given as a bride.
अपुत्रया मया राजन्सपत्नीनां भयादिदम् । कन्या शिखण्डिनी जाता पुरुषो वै निवेदिता
O king, being without a son and out of fear of my co-wives, I declared my daughter Shikhandini, who was born a girl, to be a boy.
त्वया चैव नरश्रेष्ठ तन्मे प्रीत्याऽनुमोदितम् । पुत्रकर्म कृतं चैव कन्यायाः पार्थिवर्षभ
And you, best of men, out of affection, approved this for me; the rites for a son were performed for the girl, O bull among kings.