अशक्ययिति सा यक्षं पुनः पुनरुवाच ह। करिष्यामीति वै क्षिप्रं प्रत्युवाचाथ गुह्यकः
She repeatedly told the yaksha, 'It is impossible,' but the guhyaka replied at once, 'I will do it.'
धनेश्वरस्यानुचरो वरदोऽस्मि नृपात्मजे। अदेयमपि दास्यादि ब्रूहि यत्ते विवक्षितम्
I am an attendant of the Lord of Wealth, O princess, a granter of boons; even what is difficult to give, I will grant—tell me what you desire.
ततः शिखण्डी तत्सर्वमखिलेन न्यवेदयत्। तस्मै यक्षप्रधानाय स्थूणाकर्णाय भारत
Then Shikhandi related everything in full to the chief of the yakshas, Sthunakarna, O Bharata.
आपन्नो मे पिता यक्ष न चिरान्नाशमेष्यति। अभियास्यति सक्रोधो दशार्णाधिपतिर्हि तम्
My father is in distress, O yaksha, and will not survive long; the king of the Dasharnas, filled with wrath, will soon come against him.
मन्निमित्तं महोत्साहः सहेमकवचो नृपः । तस्माद्रक्षस्व मां यक्ष मातरं पितरं च मे
That king, mighty and armored in gold, is coming because of me; therefore, yaksha, protect me, my mother, and my father.
प्रतिज्ञातो हि भवता दुःखप्रतिशमो मम । भवेयं पुरुषो यक्ष त्वत्प्रसादादनिन्दितः
You have promised to remove my suffering; by your favor, yaksha, let me become a man, blameless.
यावदेव स राजा वै नोपयाति पुरं मम । तावदेव महायक्ष प्रसादं कुरु गुह्यक
Until that king enters my city, O great yaksha, grant me your favor, O guhyaka.
शिखण्डिवाक्यं श्रुत्वाऽथ स यक्षो भरतर्षभ । प्रोवाच मनसा चिन्त्य दैवेनोपनिपीडितः
Hearing Shikhandi's words, the yaksha, troubled by fate, pondered in his mind and spoke, O bull among the Bharatas.
भवितव्यं तथा तद्धि मम दुःखाय कौरव। भद्रे कामं करिष्यामि समयं तु निबोध मे
So it must be, Kaurava, though it brings me sorrow; noble one, I will do as you wish, but listen to my condition.
स्वं ते पुंस्त्वं प्रदास्यामि स्त्रीत्वं धारयिताऽस्मि ते' किंचित्कालं तु ते दास्ये पुल्लिङ्गं स्वमिदं तव। आगन्तव्यं त्वया काले सत्यं चैव वदस्व मे
I will give you my manhood and take your womanhood for a time; for a while you shall have my male form, but you must return it at the proper time—swear to me truly.
प्रभुः संकल्पसिद्धोऽस्मि कामचारी विहंगमः । मत्प्रसादात्पुरं चैव त्राहि बन्धूंश्च केवलम्
I am a master, able to fulfill my will, moving as I please; by my favor, you shall save your city and your kin.
स्त्रीलिङ्गं धारयिष्यामि तवेदं पार्थिवात्मजे। सत्यं मे प्रतिजानीहि करिष्यामि प्रियं तव
I will take on your feminine form, O princess, and this is my promise—swear to me truly, and I will do what pleases you.
प्रतिदास्यामि भगवन्पुलिङ्गं तव सुव्रत। किंचित्कालान्तरं स्त्रीत्वं धारयस्व निशाचर
O virtuous one, I shall return your male form to you; for a little while, O night-wanderer, you must bear the form of a woman.
प्रतियाते दशार्णे तु पार्थिवे हेमवर्मणि । कन्यैव हि भविष्यामि पुरुषस्त्वं भविष्यसि
When King Hemavarman of Dasharna has departed, I shall become a maiden again, and you shall regain your male form.
इत्युक्त्वा समयं तत्र चक्राते तावुभौ नृप । अन्योन्यस्यानभिद्रोहे तौ संक्रामयतां ततः
Having spoken thus, the two made an agreement there, O king, that neither would deceive the other, and then they exchanged forms.
स्त्रीलिङ्गं धारयामास स्थूणो यक्षोऽथ भारत । यक्षरूपं च तद्दीप्तं शिखण्डी प्रत्यपद्यत
Then the Yaksha Sthuna assumed the female form, O Bharata, and Shikhandi took on that brilliant Yaksha form.
ततः शिखण्डी पाञ्चाल्यः पुंस्त्वमासाद्य पार्थिव । विवेश नगरं हृष्टः पितरं च समासदत्
Thereafter, Shikhandi, the son of Drupada, having attained manhood, joyfully entered the city and approached his father.
यथावृत्तं तु तत्सर्वमाचख्यौ द्रुपदस्य तत्। `मातुश्च रहिते राजन्प्रसादं यक्षजं तदा।' द्रुपदस्तस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा हर्षमाहारयत्परम्
He recounted everything that had happened to Drupada, O king, and in private, told his mother about the Yaksha's favor; hearing this, Drupada felt the utmost joy.
सभार्यस्तच्च सस्मार महेश्वरवचस्तदा । ततः संप्रेषयामास दशार्णाधिपतेर्नृपः
With his wife, he remembered the words of great Shiva at that time, and then the king sent a message to the lord of Dasharna.
पुरुषोऽयं मम सुतः श्रद्धत्तां मे भवानिति । अथ दाशार्णको राजा सहसाभ्यागमत्तदा
"This son of mine is a man—let Your Majesty believe me." Then the king of Dasharna came at once.
पाञ्चालराजं द्रुपदं दुःखशोकसमन्वितः। ततः काम्पिल्यमासाद्य दशार्णाधिपतिस्ततः
The king of Dasharna, filled with sorrow and grief, came to Kampilya and approached King Drupada.
प्रेषयामास सत्कृत्य दूतं ब्रह्मविदां वरम्। ब्रूहि मद्वचनाद्दूत पाञ्चाल्यं तं नृपाधमम्
He respectfully sent as his envoy a foremost knower of the Vedas, saying, "O messenger, speak these words of mine to that lowest of kings, the Panchala ruler."
यन्मे कन्यां स्वकन्यार्थे वृतवानसि दुर्मते। फलं तस्यावलेपस्य द्रक्ष्यस्यद्य न संशयः
"Because you, wicked-minded one, have given your daughter in marriage for the sake of your own daughter, today you shall surely see the result of your arrogance."
एवमुक्तश्च तेनासौ ब्राह्मणो राजसत्तम। दूतः प्रयातो नगरं दाशार्णनृपचोदितः
Thus addressed by him, the best of kings, the Brahmin envoy, sent by the king of Dasharna, set out for the city.
ततः आसादयामास पुरोधा द्रुपदं पुरे। तस्मै पाञ्चालको राजा गामर्घ्यं च सुसत्कृतम्
Thereupon, the priest met Drupada in the city; the Panchala king honored him greatly, offering him the customary gifts along with Shikhandi.
प्रापयामास राजेन्द्र सह तेन शिखण्डिना । तां पूजां नाभ्यनन्दत्स वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह
But the priest did not accept that honor, and spoke these words:
यदुक्तं तेन वीरेण राज्ञा काञ्चनवर्मणा । यत्तेऽहमधमाचार दुहित्राऽस्म्यभिवञ्चितः
"What was said by that hero, King Kanchanavarman, and how I, through your daughter's misconduct, have been deceived—"
तस्य पापस्य करणात्फलं प्राप्नुहि दुर्मते । देहि युद्धं नरपते ममाद्य रणमूर्धनि
"Because of that sinful act, you shall reap its fruit, wicked-minded one; give me battle today, O king, on the field of war!"
उद्धरिष्यामि ते सद्यः सामात्यसुतबान्धवम् । तदुपालम्भसंयुक्तं श्रावितः किल पार्थिवः
"I shall at once destroy you, along with your ministers, sons, and kinsmen!" Thus, the king was made to hear these words filled with reproach.
दशार्णपतिना चोक्तो मन्त्रिमध्ये पुरोधसा। अभवद्भरतश्रेष्ठ द्रुपदः प्रणयानतः
And in the midst of his counselors, the priest of the lord of Dasharna spoke; then Drupada, best of the Bharatas, bowed with respect.