Shikhandi's story

Shikhandi: Bhishma's Nemesis

as retold by B.V. Mahayogi

"Drupada pledged friendship but swore revenge against his rival, Drona..."

Bhishma continued, "Drupada began worshipping Shankara, the Lord of destruction, praying for my destruction and the destruction of all those in my line. He began practicing severe penances and austerities. His wife had no child and Drupada prayed for a son who would be my destruction, for after all, I had allowed Droṇa to enter the court of Hastinapura. After a time, Shiva blessed him saying, ‘You shall have a child who will be both son and daughter. It is destiny.’

"Shiva blessed him..."

“All this I learned later through my spies,” said the dying Bhishma as continued.

" Drupada’s queen also treated the child as a boy, so that none in the kingdom knew the secret. In this way the child was named Sikhandi.

"The child was named Shikhandi..."

 "I learned the truth from my spies among the court of the queen, for many of the queen’s ladies in waiting were favorable to me.

Bhishma said, “ I alone knew that finally Amba had been born again as the child of Drona’s rival, Drupada, who had sworn to kill me. In this manner they sowed the seeds of revenge which would later be my destruction to finally leave me here, pierced with arrows from head to toe as you now see me.

“Drupada was a great teacher and taught his daughter writing, painting and all the arts. Later she was sent, dressed as a young prince to learn the art of war from Droṇa himself, who fancied himself a great friend of the man who burned for revenge against him. Finally when Sikhandi was of age, other kings and princes began to think of giving their daughter in marriage, perceiving Sikhandi to be a handsome and qualified young man.

"Princes began to think of giving their daughter in marriage..."

Drupada often wondered at the words of Shiva. He was perplexed and told his wife, “Now our daughter is at the age of marriage. We must marry Sikhandi. Lord Shiva prophesied that our child though born female would later become a man. I don’t understand. Would Shiva lie to us? Why hasn’t Sikhandi become a man? If we marry Sikhandi to the daughter of another king, there will be a great scandal when they discover Shikhandi’s true nature.”

The Queen reassured him, “Shiva never lies. Sikhandi must become a man. We can go ahead with the marriage. I’m sure the transformation will take place before the wedding night. We must trust Shiva.” Drupada relented on hearing his wifes words.

“They entered into the marriage negotiations with the king of the Dasarnakas, Hiranyavarman, who offered his daughter to be Shikhandi’s wife. And the wedding took place, but still Sikhandi had not been transformed.

"The wedding bed has no secrets..."

So it was that Shikhandi’s wife came to understand that Sikhandi was a woman, for the wedding bed has no secrets. Shocked and scandalized, she returned to her father, the king of the Dasarnakas. She was very shy to complain about Shikhandi’s true nature, but her mother and all the ladies of the court soon discovered the truth and complained to the king.

"She discovered the truth and complained to the king...."

“The king was filled with wrath that his daughter had married an imposter and decided to make war on Drupada. He sent private messengers to Drupada to make him explain this insult. Drupada sent messengers to the King saying that there was some misunderstanding, that it was impossible to trust the word of so young a girl, that perhaps some joke was being played by King Hiryanyavarman’s daughter.  Hiranyavarman still prepared his troops for war. He was determined to know the truth about Sikhandi. If Drupada had lied to him he was determined to march against him, drag him from his city and install another king over the Panchalas; after executing Drupada for being a liar and Sikhandi for being a fraud.

"I was ready to enter an alliance with Hiranyavarman..."

"I, of course, was ready to enter as an ally with Hiranyavarman, knowing that Sikhandi would be my downfall if not stopped.

“Now King Drupada was not naturally courageous and at this time he was filled with great fear. He went to the queen and asked her counsel. The queen said, “Take shelter of the gods. There is no other remedy.”

 With this, Sikhandi herself, said, “This is all my fault. It’s my fault that you are suffering so much. Forgive me.” So saying, Sikhandi ran away into the forest, determined to end her life and all the misery she had caused her father.

Sikhandi entered a dark and solitary forest called Sthunakarma which has haunted by a powerful forest spirit called Sthuna, a Yaksha. Out of fear of that Yaksha no one ever went into the forest. Deep within the forest was a mysterious castle with high walls and an iron gate.

Yaksha

“As night fell, and finding no other shelter in the dark woods, Sikhandi reached that gloomy castle. She opened the gate and entered within the castle walls, finding no one. It was abandoned. She passed some days there, fasting, drinking no water and hoping to disappear from this world by starving herself to death. She was in deep despair.

Yakshas

“Thereupon Sthuna the Yaksha who haunted the castle finally appeared to her. Seeing her sad condition he took pity on her saying, “Why are you starving yourself? Why have you come to this dark castle in these dangerous woods to die?” The girl said, “There is nothing you can do for me. My situation is so desperate.” At which the Yaksha replied, “No situation is too desperate for me. There must be some way I can help you. My magic is powerful and I have great treasures. I can grant boons. Ask and you shall receive.” Finally, the distraught daughter of Drupada told her story, finally saying, “They will now kill me and destroy my father. Oh, what can I do? Help me if you can O spirit of the forest.”

Sthuna the Yaksha, realizing that the words of Shiva must come true said, “So be it. It is my destiny. Listen to me. I can help you but there is a one condition. For a short time I will give you my manhood and take your womanhood. I will be transformed into a young lady and you will be transformed into a young man, just as Shiva has prophesied. Know this, that you must return here after some time and give me back my manhood.”

Sikhandi said, “If this is true, I shall do as you wish. Take my womanhood and give me your manhood and I shall do what is agreeable to you. O wanderer of the night. Allow me then to demonstrate my manhood for the daughter of the King of the Dasarnakas, for the complete satisfaction of that girl. Let her give the news to her father and then pacify the cruel king who wants to slay my father. When he returns to his city, I shall once more become a maiden and you will once more become a man.”

Bhishma continued, “Saying this Sthuna the Yaksha and Sikhandi made a pact and by the mystic power of the forest spirit they changed. Sikhandi was transformed into a young man, losing her womanhood, and the spirit of the forest left his manhood. Sikhandi promised to return to the forest when the danger had passed and they parted ways.

This is how Sikhandi of the race of Panchala, returned from the forest having obtained manhood. When he entered the city, all rejoiced for they thought he had gone to meditate and offer oblations to Shiva in preparation for the war to defend his father’s honor. When he arrived in the court of the king of Panchala he told the king of what had happened. The king was greatly pleased for Hiranyavarman had just arrived ready to take the king’s head from his shoulders for being a fraud.

The mighty Hiranyavarman dressed in gold chain mail and poised ready to strike Drupada’s head from his shoulders arrived in the court, shaking with wrath.

“O most foul of deceivers.” He said, “Prepare to meet thy doom.” He withdrew his sword.