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.
स नद्गृहस्योपरि वतमान आलोकयामास धनाधिगोप्ता। स्थूणस्य यक्षस्य विवेश वेश्म स्वलंकृतं माल्यगुणैर्विचित्रैः
He, the protector of wealth, hovering above the house, beheld the splendidly adorned mansion of the Yakṣa Sthūṇa, decorated with garlands of various kinds.
लाचैश्च गन्धैश्च तथा वितानै- रभ्यर्चितं धृनधृपितं च। ध्वजैः पताकाभिरलंकृतं च भक्ष्यान्नपेयामिपदत्तमोदम्
Adorned with powders, fragrances, and canopies, honored and splendid, decorated with banners and flags, and filled with delicious foods and drinks, it brought delight.
तत्स्थानं तस्य दृष्ट्वा तु सर्वतः समलंकृतम्। मणिरत्नसुवर्णानां मालाभिः परिपूरितम्
Seeing that place, adorned on all sides and filled with garlands of gems, jewels, and gold, he was amazed.
नानाकुसूमगन्धाढ्यं सिक्तसंमृष्टशोभितम् । अथाब्रवीद्यक्षपतिस्तान्यक्षाननुगांस्तदा
Rich with the scents of various flowers, shining from being sprinkled and polished, then the lord of the Yakṣas spoke to his attendants.
स्वलंकृतमिदं वेश्म स्थूणस्यामितविक्रमाः । नोपसर्पति मां चैव कस्मादद्य स मन्दधीः
'This mansion of Sthūṇa is splendidly adorned, O you of boundless might. Why does that dull-witted one not approach me today?'
यस्माज्जानन्स मन्दात्मा मामसौ नोपसर्पति । तस्मात्तस्मै महादण्डो धार्यः स्यादिति मे मतिः
'Because, knowing me, that slow-minded one does not approach, therefore a great punishment should be imposed on him—such is my decision.'
द्रुपदस्य सुता राजन्राज्ञो जाता शिखण्डिनी। तस्या निमित्ते कस्मिंश्चित्प्रादात्पुरुषलक्षणम्
O king, Drupada’s daughter, born as Śikhaṇḍinī, for her sake at one time received the marks of a man.
अग्रहील्लक्षणं स्त्रीणां स्त्रीभूता तिष्ठते गृहे। नोपसर्पति तेनासौ सव्रीडः स्त्रीसरूपवान्
He took on the marks of a woman and, having become a woman, remains in the house; out of shame, possessing a woman’s form, he does not approach.
एतस्मात्कारणाद्राजन्स्थूणो न त्वाऽद्य सर्पति। श्रुत्वा कुरु यथान्यायं विमानमिह तिष्ठताम्
For this reason, O King, Sthūṇa will not approach you today; having heard, act according to justice, and let the vimāna remain here.
आनीयतां स्थूण इति ततो यक्षाधिपोऽब्रवीत् । कर्तास्मि निग्रहं तस्य प्रत्युवाच पुनः पुनः
Then the lord of the Yakṣas said, 'Let Sthūṇa be brought here.' I shall restrain him—he spoke this again and again.
सोऽभ्यगच्छत यक्षेन्द्रमाहूतः पृथिवीपते। स्त्रीमरूपो महाराज तस्थौ व्रीडासमन्वितः
Thus summoned, Sthūṇa came before the lord of the Yakṣas, O King of the earth, and stood there in the form of a woman, filled with shame.
तं शशापाथ संक्रुद्धो धनदः कुरूनन्दन । एवमेव भवत्वद्य स्त्रीत्वं पापस्य गुह्यकाः
Then Dhanada, enraged, cursed him, O descendant of Kuru: 'So shall it be today—let the Guhyakas make you a woman, for your wickedness.'
ततोऽब्रवीद्यक्षपतिर्महात्मा यस्माददास्त्ववमन्येह यक्षान्। शिखण्डिनो लक्षणं पापबुद्धे स्त्रीलक्षणं चाग्रहीः पापकर्मन्
Then the great-souled lord of the Yakṣas said: 'Because you have given others here among the Yakṣas the marks of Śikhaṇḍin, and you, of evil mind, have taken on the marks of a woman, committing a wrongful act—'
अप्रवृत्तं सुदुर्बुद्धे यस्मादेतत्त्वया कृतम्। तस्मादद्य प्रभृत्येव स्त्री त्वं सा पुरुषस्तथा
'Because you, of exceedingly wicked mind, have done this unpermitted deed, therefore, from this day forward, you shall be a woman, and he shall be a man.'
ततः प्रसादयामासुर्यक्षा वैश्रवणं किल। स्थूणस्यार्थे कुरुष्वान्तं शापस्येति पुनः पुनः
Then the Yakṣas, it is said, began to entreat Vaiśravaṇa again and again, saying, 'Do make an end to Sthūṇa's curse.'
ततो महात्मा यक्षेन्द्रः प्रत्युवाचानुगामिनः । सर्वान्यक्षगणांस्तात शापस्यान्तचिकीर्षया
Then the great-souled lord of the Yakṣas addressed all the Yakṣa hosts who followed him, wishing to bring the curse to an end.
शिखण्डिनि हते यक्षाः स्वं रूपं प्रतिपत्स्यते । स्थूणो यक्षो निरुद्वेगो भवत्विति महामनाः
'When Śikhaṇḍin is slain, the Yakṣa will regain his own form; let Sthūṇa the Yakṣa be free from distress'—so spoke the great-minded one.
इत्युक्त्वा भगवान्देवो यक्षराजः सुपूजितः । प्रययौ सहितः सर्वैर्निमेषान्तरचारिभिः
Having spoken thus, the blessed god, the king of the Yakṣas, having been duly honored, departed together with all those who move in an instant.
स्थूणस्तु शापं संप्राप्य तत्रैव न्यवसत्तदा। समये चागमूत्तूर्णं शिखण्डी तं क्षपाचरम्
Sthūṇa, having received the curse, remained there at that time; and at the appointed time, Śikhaṇḍin approached that night-wanderer.
सोऽभिगम्याब्रवीद्वाक्यं प्राप्तोऽस्मि भगवन्निति। तमब्रवीत्ततः स्थूणः प्रीतोऽस्मीति पुनः पुनः
Having approached, he spoke these words: 'I have arrived, O blessed one.' Then Sthūṇa replied to him, 'I am pleased,' again and again.