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.
यदाह मां भवान्ब्रह्मन्संबन्धिवचनाद्वचः । अस्योत्तरं प्रतिवचो दूतो राज्ञे वदिष्यति
When you, O Brahman, spoke to me words concerning the alliance, the envoy will deliver this reply to the king.
ततः संप्रेषयामास द्रुपदोऽपि महात्मने । हिरण्यवर्मणे दूतं ब्राह्मणं वेदपारगम्
Then Drupada also sent to the great-souled king Hiraṇyavarman a Brahmin messenger learned in the Vedas.
तमागम्य तु राजानं दशार्णाधिपतिं तदा। तद्वाक्यमाददे राजन्यदुक्तं द्रुपदेन ह
Upon arriving before the king, the lord of Daśārṇa, he conveyed to the royal one the message spoken by Drupada.
आगमः क्रियतां व्यक्तः कुमारोऽयं सुतो मम । मिथ्यैतदुक्तं केनापि तदश्रद्धेयमित्युत
Let the verification be made; this prince is indeed my son. What has been said otherwise by someone is false and not to be believed.
ततः स राजा द्रुपदस्य श्रुत्वा। विमर्शयुक्तो युवतीर्वरिष्ठाः। संप्रेषयामास सुचारुरूपाः शिखण्डिनं स्त्रीपुमान्वेति वेत्तुम्
Then that king, having heard Drupada’s words and reflecting, sent the most distinguished young women, beautiful in form, to determine whether Śikhaṇḍin is male or female.
ताः प्रेषितास्तत्त्वभावं विदित्वा प्रीत्या राज्ञे तच्छशंसुर्हि सर्वम् । शिखण्डिनं पुरुषं कौरवेन्द्र दाशार्णराजाय महानुभावम्
Those women, having been sent and ascertained the truth, joyfully reported everything to the king: 'Śikhaṇḍin is a man, O lord of the Kauravas, O great-souled king of Daśārṇa.'
ततः कृत्वा तु राजा स आगमं प्रीतिमानथ। संबन्धिना समागम्य हृष्टो वासमुवास ह
Then the king, having performed the verification and being pleased, joyfully dwelt together with his relative.
शिखण्डिने च मुदितः प्रादाद्वित्तं जनेश्वरः । हस्तिनोऽश्वांश्च गाश्चैव दासीर्बहुशतास्तथा । पूजितश्च प्रतिययौ निर्भर्त्स्य तनयां किल
Delighted with Śikhaṇḍin, the lord of men gave him wealth, elephants, horses, cows, and many hundreds of maidservants; and, having been honored, he departed, reproaching his daughter.
विनीतकिल्विषे प्रीते हेमवर्मणि पार्थिवे । प्रतियाते दशार्णे तु हृष्टरूपा शिखण्डिनी
When the king Hemavarman, purified of sin and pleased, had departed for Daśārṇa, Śikhaṇḍinī appeared joyful.
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य कुबेरो नरवाहनः । लोकयात्रां प्रकुर्वाणः स्थूणस्यागान्निवेशनम्
Then, after some time, Kubera, the lord of wealth, while conducting his worldly affairs, entered the dwelling of Sthūṇa.