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.
आर्जवेनागतं दृष्ट्वा राजपुत्रं शिखण्डिनम् । सर्वमेव यथावृत्तमाचचक्षे शिखण्डिने
Seeing the prince Śikhaṇḍin come in sincerity, he recounted to Śikhaṇḍin everything exactly as it had happened.
शप्तो वैश्रवणेनाहं त्वत्कृते पार्थिवात्मज । गच्छेदानीं यथाकामं चर लोकान्यथासुखम्
'I have been cursed by Vaiśravaṇa for your sake, O prince; now go wherever you wish, and move through the worlds as you please.'
दिष्टमेतत्पुरा मन्ये न शक्यमतिवर्तितुम् । गमनं तव चेतो हि पौलस्त्यस्य च दर्शनम्
'This, I think, was destined before, and cannot be avoided; your departure and the sight of the son of Pulastya as well.'
एवमुक्तः शिखण्डी तु स्थूणयक्षेण भारत । प्रत्याजगाम नगरं हर्वेण महतावृतः
Thus addressed by Sthūṇa the Yakṣa, Śikhaṇḍin, O Bhārata, returned to the city, surrounded by a great retinue.
पूजयामास विविधैर्गन्धमाल्यैर्महाधनैः । द्विजातीन्देवताश्चैव चैत्यानथ चतुष्पथान्
He honored the foremost of twice-born, the gods, the shrines, and the crossroads with various perfumes, garlands, and great wealth.
द्रुपदः सह पुत्रेण सिद्धार्थेन शिखण्डिना । मुदं च परमां लेभे पाञ्चाल्यः सह बान्धवैः
Drupada, together with his son Siddhārtha and Śikhaṇḍin, and the Pāñcāla with his kinsmen, attained the highest joy.
शिष्यार्थं प्रददौ चाथ द्रोणाय कुरुपुङ्गव । शिखण्डिनं महाराज पुत्रं स्त्रीपूर्विणं तथा
Then, for the sake of his disciple, the best of the Kurus gave Śikhaṇḍin, the son of Drupada—who was formerly female—to Droṇa, O great king.
प्रतिपेदे चतुष्पादं धनुर्वेदं नृपात्मजः। शिखण्डी सह युष्माभिर्धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः
The prince, along with you all and Dhṛṣṭadyumna the son of Pāṛṣata, mastered the fourfold science of archery together with Śikhaṇḍin.
मम त्वेतच्चरास्तात यथावत्प्रत्यवेदयन् । जडान्धबधिराकारा ये मुक्ता द्रपदे मया
But my spies, O father, reported to me exactly how those whom I had released at Drupada’s place, appearing as dull, blind, or deaf, truly were.
एवमेष महाराज स्त्री पुमान्द्रुपदात्मजः । स संभूतः कुरुश्रेष्ठ शिखण्डी रथसत्तमः
Thus, O great king, this Śikhaṇḍin, son of Drupada, is both woman and man; he was born so, O best of Kurus, and is a foremost chariot-warrior.
ज्येष्ठा काशिपतेः कन्या अम्बा नामेति विश्रुता । द्रुपदस्य कुले जाता शिखण्डी भरतर्षभ
The eldest daughter of the king of Kāśī, renowned as Ambā, was born in the house of Drupada as Śikhaṇḍin, O bull among the Bharatas.
नाहमेनं धनुष्पाणिं युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम् । मुहूर्तमपि पश्येयं प्रहरेयं न चाप्युत
I could not bear to look, even for a moment, upon this wielder of the bow, ready for battle; nor, indeed, could I strike him.
व्रतमेतन्मम सदा पृथिव्यामपि विश्रुतम् । स्त्रियां स्त्रीपूर्वके चैव स्त्रीनाम्नि स्त्रीसरूपिणि
This is my vow, well-known throughout the earth: against a woman, one who was formerly a woman, one named as a woman, or one appearing as a woman—
न मुञ्चेयमहं बाणमिति कौरवनन्दन । न हन्यामहमेतेन कारणेन शिखण्डिनम्
I would not release an arrow, O joy of the Kurus; for this reason, I would not slay Śikhaṇḍin.
एतत्तत्त्वमहं वेद जन्म तात शिखण्डिनः । ततो नैनं हनिष्यामि समरेष्वाततायिनम्
I know this truth, O father, regarding the birth of Śikhaṇḍin; therefore, even if he attacks me in battle, I will not kill him.
यदि भीष्मः स्त्रियं हन्यात्सन्तः कुर्युर्विगर्हणम् । नैनं तस्माद्धनिष्यामि दृष्ट्वापि समरे स्थितम्
If Bhīṣma were to kill a woman, the virtuous would censure him; therefore, even seeing him standing in battle, I will not slay him.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु करव्यो राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा। मुहूर्तमिव स ध्यात्वा भीष्मे युक्तममन्यत
Hearing this, King Duryodhana then, after pondering for a moment, considered Bhīṣma’s words to be appropriate.
प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां पुनरेव सुतस्तव। मध्ये सर्वस्य सैन्यस्य पितामहमपृच्छत
When night had passed and morning came, your son again, in the midst of the entire army, questioned the grandsire.
पाण्डवेयस्य गाङ्गेय यदेतत्सैन्यमुद्यतम्। प्रभूतनरनागाश्वं महारथसमाकुलम्
O son of Ganga, this army of the Pāṇḍavas, vast with men, elephants, and horses, and crowded with great chariot-warriors, is arrayed for battle.
भीमार्जुनप्रभृतिभिर्महेष्वासैर्महाबलैः । लोकपालसमैर्गुप्तं धृष्टद्युम्नपुरोगमैः
It is protected by mighty archers like Bhīma and Arjuna, equal to the guardians of the world, with Dhṛṣṭadyumna at their head.