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.
भार्या चोढा त्वया राजन्दशार्णाधिपतेः सुता। मया च प्रत्यभिहितं देववाक्यार्थदर्शनात्। कन्या भूत्वा पुमान्भावीत्येवं चैतदुपेक्षितम्
You, O king, married her to the daughter of the lord of Dasharna; and I, understanding the meaning of the divine words, declared that though born a girl, she would become a man, and thus this matter was overlooked.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा द्रुपदो यज्ञसेनः सर्वं तत्त्वं मन्त्रविद्भ्यो निवेद्य। मन्त्रं राजा मन्त्रयामास राजन् यथायुक्तं रक्षणे वै प्रजानाम्
Hearing this, Drupada, son of Yajnasena, informed the ministers of the whole truth, and the king deliberated with them, O king, on how best to protect the people.
संबन्धकं चैव समर्थ्य तस्मिन् दाशार्णके वै नृपतौ नरेन्द्र। स्वयं कृत्वा विप्रलम्भं यथाव- न्मन्त्र्यैकाग्रो निश्चयं वै जगाम
Having established the alliance with the king of Dasharna, and himself having carried out the deception as was fitting, the king, focused in counsel, reached a decision.
स्वभावगुप्तं नगरमापत्काले तु भारत। गोपयामास राजेन्द्र सर्वतः समलङ्कृतम्
At a time of crisis, O Bharata, the king protected the city, which was well-guarded and adorned on all sides, keeping its true nature concealed.
आर्तिं च परमां राजा जगाम सह भार्यया। दशार्णपतिना सार्धं विरोधे भरतर्षभ
The king, together with his wife, experienced great distress, O bull of the Bharatas, in conflict with the lord of Dasharna.
कथं संबन्धिना सार्धं न मे स्याद्विग्रहो महान्। इति संचिन्त्य मनसा देवतामर्चयत्तदा
Thinking, 'How might I avoid a great conflict with my ally?' he then worshipped the deities in his mind.
तं तु दृष्ट्वा तदा राजन्देवी देवपरं तदा। अर्चां प्रयुञ्जानमथो भार्या वचनमब्रवीत्
Seeing him thus engaged in worship, the queen, devoted to the gods, spoke these words to her husband.
देवानां प्रतिपत्तिश्च सत्यं साधुमता सताम् । किमु दुःस्वार्णवं प्राप्य तस्मादर्चयतां गुरून्
The attainment of the gods is true and beneficial for the virtuous; but what is the use of reaching a difficult ocean? Therefore, worship the revered ones.
दैवतानि च सर्वाणि पूज्यनां भूरिदक्षिणम् । अग्नयश्चापि हृयन्तां दाशार्णप्रतिषेधने
Let all the deities be worshipped with abundant gifts, and let the fires be kindled for the protection against the Dasharna king.
अयुद्धेन निवृत्तिं च मनसा चिन्तय प्रभो। देवतानां प्रसादेन सर्वमेतद्भविष्यति
Consider in your mind, O lord, how to bring about a resolution without war; by the favor of the gods, all this will come to pass.