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.
मन्त्रिभिर्मन्त्रितं सार्धं त्वया पृथुललोचन। पुरस्यास्याविनाशाय यच्च राजंस्तथा कुरु
Together with your ministers, O wide-eyed one, do what is necessary for the safety of this city, O king.
दैवं हि मानुषोपेतं भृशं सिद्ध्यति पार्थिव । परम्परविरोधाद्धि सिद्धिरस्ति न चैतयोः
For, O king, what is joined with human effort is greatly successful; but success does not come from mere opposition or tradition.
तस्माद्विधाय नगरे विधानं सचिवैः सह। अर्चयस्व यथाकामं दैवतानि विशांपते
Therefore, establish proper measures in the city with your counselors, and worship the deities as you desire, O lord of the people.
एवं संभाषमाणौ तु दृष्ट्वा शोकपरायणौ। शिखण्डिनी तदा कन्या व्रीडितेव तपस्विनी
While the two were thus conversing, seeing them overwhelmed by sorrow, Shikhandini, the maiden, then stood by, ashamed, as if engaged in austerity.
ततः सा चिन्तयामास मन्कृते दुःखितावुभौ । इमाविति ततश्चक्रे मतिं प्राणविनाशने
Then she began to reflect, seeing both her parents distressed because of her, and so she resolved to end her own life.
एवं सा निश्चयं कृत्वा भृशं शोकपरायणा। निर्जगाम गृहं त्यक्त्वा गहनं निर्जनं वनम्
Having made this decision, overwhelmed by grief, she left her home and went out into a dense and deserted forest.
यक्षेणर्द्धिमता राजन्स्थूणाकर्णेन पालितम् । तद्भयादेव च जनो विसर्जयति तद्वनम्
That forest, O King, was guarded by the powerful yaksha Sthunakarna, and because of fear of him, people avoided that place.
तत्र च स्थूणभवनं सुधामृत्तिकलेपनम् । लाजोल्लापिकधूमाढ्यमुच्चप्राकारतोरणम्
There stood the dwelling of Sthuna, plastered with lime and clay, filled with the smoke of parched grain, and adorned with high walls and gateways.
तन्प्रविश्य शिखण्डी सा द्रुपदस्यात्मजा नृप । अनश्नाना बहुतिथं शरीरमुदशोपयत्
Entering there, Shikhandi, the child of Drupada, spent many days without eating, tormenting her body.
दर्शयामास तां यक्षः स्थूणो मार्दवसंयुतः । किमर्थोऽयं तवारम्भः करिष्ये ब्रूहि माचिरम्
The yaksha Sthuna, gentle in nature, appeared before her and said: 'For what purpose have you come here? Tell me quickly what you wish to do, and I will accomplish it.'