Bhishma said At length the Yaksha, hearing the words of Shikhandin, said, afflicted by destiny, after considering in his mind,

Truly, it was decreed to be so for my (Bhishma's) grief, O Kaurava. "O fair one I will accomplish your wish, but listen to a condition.

I will bestow upon you my own manhood, for a certain period. But, (after its lapse) you will have to come in (due) time. Now, speak the truth to me.

Master as I am, I have the power to do whatever I wish; I can range in the sky for I can roam about freely according to my will. Through my grace, save your city and your friends completely.

I will take on myself this your maidenhood, O daughter of a king. Pledge yourself to me (as to the condition) and I will do what is dear to you.

Shikhandin said O you of good vows, I will return to you your manhood, O God. Only for a certain period bear by womanhood, O night ranger.

On the departure of the Dashara king, who is known as the golden-armoured heroes, I will become a woman, and you will become a man.

Bhishma said Having spoken thus, they two made an agreement O king, and they transferred to each other their (respective) sexes.

The Yaksha Sthuna took upon himself (her) maidenhood, O Bharata, and Shikhandin obtained the blazing form of the Yaksha.

Thereupon Shikhandin, the Panchalya, having obtained manhood, O king, entered the city and went to his father with great joy.

And he related everything as it had fallen out to the king Drupada. Hearing this he became filled with exceeding joy.

And together with his wife, he recollected the words of Maheshvara. Then he sent words to the king of the Dasharna land, O king.

"This offspring is a male. May you believe this." At length the Dasharnaka king suddenly approached,

Drupada the king of the Panchalas, being filled with grief and sorrow. Thereupon having reaching Kampilya, the lord of Dasharna,

Sent a messenger, one of the best of those who know the Vedas, after having paid him (due) honors. Tell that most wretched king of the Panchalas according to my words,

That as you selected my daughter for your daughter, O wicked one, so you will see the fruit of that insult very soon, no doubt,

Thus addressed, that Brahmana messenger, dispatched by that Dasharna king, traveled towards the city, O best of kings.

That priest then arrived at the city of Drupada. And to him, the Panchala king paid all homage by offering a cow and the Arghya (a mixture of honey, milk &c paid as a homage on one's arrival at a house).

And (the Panchala king) went up to him along with Shikhandin, O great king. But he (the messenger) did not accept that homage, but said these words,

Which had been communicated by that warrior king, the golden-armored one. As I have been deceived, O you of vile conduct, by you daughter,

Receive, therefore, O wicked one, the (fruit) an account of the criminal act (of yours); give battle, O king, to me, on the field of battle, without delay.

I will forthwith slay your ministers, offspring and friends. The king having heard this, the result of that insult,

And being thus addressed by the king of Dasharna through his priest, in the presence of his ministers, Drupada assumed a tone of friendship, O best of Bharata's race.

What you have spoken, O Brahmana, according to the words of my kinsman (son's father-in-law) receive its reply, my messenger will give the answer to the king.

King Drupada then despatched a Brahmana messenger, versed in all the Vedas to the high-souled golden armored one.

Approaching the king, viz., the lord of the Dasharna land he gave the reply, O king, as it had been spoken, O king, by Drupada.

Make an enquiry and let this be made clear that this prince, is my son. You have been misinformation by some body; but this is surely unworthy of belief

Thereupon that king, hearing (the words) of the Drupada, became dejected, and sent some choice, youthful ladies of great beauty to Shikhandin to ascertain whether he was a man or a woman.

Those ladies, who had been despatched, having learnt the truth, praised all about Shikhandin who was a man of great strength, O best of Kuru's race, to the king of the Dasharna country.

Having made this test, the king gladdened at heart, going up to his kinsman (his daughter's father-in-law) lived with him (some time) with gladness.

And that lord of men gave away with joy to Shikhandin great wealth, and elephants, horses and cattle and slaves also in large numbers.

And he departed, being worshipped after having rebuked his daughter. After the gladdened king with the golden Armour, on being pacified,

Had made his departure, Shikhandin was filled with joy for some time. After the lapse of a certain period, Kubera, who had been for his bearers, making a journey through the earth, came to the abode of Sthuna.

Moving to and fro over his abode, the protector of all wealth observed that the mansion of the Yaksha Sthuna was beautifully adorned with devise sorts of garlands;

And with fragrant roots (of plants) and scented with the smoke of sweet incense, and ornamented with banners and well supplied with food and drink.

Seeing that spot of his, ornamented in every way, and (everywhere filled with garlands of gems and precious stones and gold,

And breathing with the fragrance of various sorts of flowers, and looking beautiful being well-swept and watered, the lord of all Yakshas at length spoke to his attendant Yakshas.

This mansion of Sthuna is well-adorned, O you (followers) of immeasurable powers. Why does not this fool, however, approach me?

As this fool does not approach me, though knowing (that I am here), therefore he should be inflicted on a severe punishment. This is what I think.

The Yakshas said Oking, a daughter was born to king Drupada, by name Shikhandin. For her sake, on some account, he has given away his manhood.

Having taken her womanhood (on himself) he remains in this abode, being a woman. He does not approach (you), bashful on account of her holding the form of a woman.

It is for this reason, O king, that Sthuna does not approach you today. Having (now) heard (this) do as it seems proper. “Let the car be stopped here."

"Let Sthuna be brought, I shall inflict punishment on him." Said thus the lord of the Yakshas again and again.

Being summoned, O lord of the earth, he came before the king of the Yakshas; and O great king, having the form of a female, he stood bashfully.

Then the giver of wealth crushed him in his anger, O descendant of Kuru's race, “even never thus let the womanhood of this sinful one remain, O Guhyakas!"

And then that high-souled lord of Yakshas (again) said, “As you have humiliated all Yakshas by giving away your own sex of Shikhandin, O you of sinful understanding and by taking her female sex, O you of sinful deeds,"

As you have perpetrated this, you of evil understanding, which had been attempted by any one (before this), so from this day forth you shall remain a woman, and she a man.

The Yakshas then began to appease (the anger of) Vaishravana, for the sake of Sthuna Karna, (saying) "set a limit to your course" again and again.

Then that high-souled lord of the Yakshas, o son, answered his followers, all those Yakshas, with the desire of setting a limit to (his) curse.

On the death of Shikhandin 0 you Yakshas of high minds, he shall regain his own form. Therefore let the Yaksha Sthuna be free from anxiety.

Having thus spoken, that mighty god, king of the Yakshas, departed well honored, with all those followers, who traveled (a great distance) in a moment.

Sthuna, having received this curse, he stayed there. In due time Shikhandin came to that Rakshasa.

Approaching him, he said these words” I am come to you) O god. “Thereupon Sthuna said to him again and again, I am pleased (with you).”

Seeing that prince Shikhandin come to him without guile, he related to Shikhandin everything as it had happened.

The Yaksha said It is not your fault, O princess, that I have (thus) been crushed by Vaishravana (but of my own destiny). Depart now according to your pleasure, and live with all happiness on this earth.

It is my belief that it was ordained before hand, and is incapable of being altered, viz., his coming here and my seeing Paulastya (the god of wealth).

Bhishma said Thus addressed by the Yaksha Sthuna o Bharata, Shikhandin went back to the city filled with great joy.

he And worshipped with great sumptuousness and with scents and garlands of all sorts, all those of the twice-born, and the gods and the (sacred) trees and cross-ways.

And Drupada, the king of Panchalas, became exceedingly joyful, with his son Shikhandin who had obtained his desire and as well as with his friends.

And then he gave away to Drona as a disciple, O best of the race, his son Shikhandin, who had been before (this) a daughter, O king.

And the king's son, Shikhandin, obtained (the knowledge) of the science of arms with its four divisions (receiving, holding, using, and baffling weapons), as also yourselves and Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata's race.

To me however, my spies who had been set on Drupada by me, (in the guise of) being idiots, who were blind and deaf, related all things as they happened, O son.

In this way it is, O great king, that the son of Drupada is both a man and woman, and he was born as Shikhandin, O best of Kurus, and as the best of car-warriors.

(Thus it happened), 0 best among Bharata's race, that the eldest daughter of the king of Kashi, known by the name of Amba, is born in the family of Drupada as Shikhandin.

I will not look for a single moment nor even strike, though appearing before me with his bow in his hand with the desire of

This is the vow which I have taken for all time, and it is known to all the earth, that on women, or on those who had been women before, on those whose names were those of women, or even those whose appearance resembles that of a woman,

I will not let go my weapons, O son of Kuru's race, I will not, for this reason, slay this Shikhandin.

I know this truth about the birth of Shikhandin, O son, and therefore I will not slay him in any battle, through with weapon in his hand.

If Bhishma slays a woman, all rightminded men will censure him and therefore I will not slay him, even if I see him standing on the battle field.

Vaishampayana said On hearing this, king Duryodhana, a descendant of Kuru's race, having reflected for a moment, considered this to be fitting in Bhishma.