Shikhandi's Marriage and the Dasharna King's Threat

Verse 1 (5.189.1)

चकार यत्नं द्रुपदः सुतायाः सर्वकर्मसु । ततो लेख्यादिषु तथा शिल्पेषु च परंतप ॥

cakāra yatnaṃ drupadaḥ sutāyāḥ sarvakarmasu | tato lekhyādiṣu tathā śilpeṣu ca paraṃtapa

Drupada took great pains over his daughter in every accomplishment; and then, scorcher of foes, in writing and the other arts and in the crafts,

Note on the text: The alignment found no match: the lines are the critical edition's 5.190.1a–d, which reads sarvasmin svajane mahat and paraṃ gatā (recension variants). Through verse 3 Wikisource's verse division runs half a verse out of step with the critical edition's.

Verse 2 (5.189.2)

इष्वस्त्रे चैव राजेन्द्र द्रोणशिष्यो बभूव ह । तस्य माता महाराज राजानं वरवर्णिनी ॥

iṣvastre caiva rājendra droṇaśiṣyo babhūva ha | tasya mātā mahārāja rājānaṃ varavarṇinī

and in archery too, king of kings, the child became Drona's pupil. Then, great king, the child's mother, the fair-complexioned queen,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.190.1ef; line 2 is 5.190.2ab (Wikisource's own division).

Verse 3 (5.189.3)

चोदयामास भार्यार्थं कन्यायाः पुत्रवत्तदा । ततस्तां पार्षतो दृष्ट्वा कन्यां संप्राप्तयौवनाम् । स्त्रियं मत्वा ततश्चिन्तां प्रपेदे सह भार्यया ॥

codayāmāsa bhāryārthaṃ kanyāyāḥ putravattadā | tatastāṃ pārṣato dṛṣṭvā kanyāṃ saṃprāptayauvanām | striyaṃ matvā tataścintāṃ prapede saha bhāryayā

urged the king to find a wife for the girl, as one would for a son. Then the son of Prishata, seeing that the girl had come of age and knowing her to be a woman, fell into anxiety together with his wife.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.190.2cd; lines 2–3 are 5.190.3 (Wikisource ततश्चिन्तां for tadā cintāṃ).

Verse 4 (5.189.4)

कन्या ममेयं संप्राप्ता यौवनं शोकवर्धिनी । मया प्रच्छादिता चेयं वचनाच्छूलपाणिनः ॥

kanyā mameyaṃ saṃprāptā yauvanaṃ śokavardhinī | mayā pracchāditā ceyaṃ vacanācchūlapāṇinaḥ

This daughter of mine has reached youth, and she only adds to my grief. I have kept her hidden on the word of the trident-bearing god.

Verse 5 (5.189.5)

न तन्मिथ्या महाराज भविष्यति कथंचन । त्रैलोक्यकर्ता कस्माद्धि वृथा वक्तुमिहार्हति ॥

na tanmithyā mahārāja bhaviṣyati kathaṃcana | trailokyakartā kasmāddhi vṛthā vaktumihārhati

That word will in no way prove false, great king. Why would the maker of the three worlds speak in vain?

Note on the text: Speaker as the page heads it (भार्योवाच before this verse). The critical edition gives this verse to Drupada (reading mahārājñi) and places the wife's heading before 5.190.6.

Verse 6 (5.189.6)

यदि ते रोचते राजन्वक्ष्यामि शृणु मे वचः । श्रुत्वेदानीं प्रपद्येथाः स्वां मतिं पृषतात्मज ॥

yadi te rocate rājanvakṣyāmi śṛṇu me vacaḥ | śrutvedānīṃ prapadyethāḥ svāṃ matiṃ pṛṣatātmaja

If it pleases you, king, I will tell you; listen to my words. When you have heard them, son of Prishata, settle on your own decision.

Note on the text: Corrected श्रृणु → शृणु (misprint in Wikisource; श्रृ for शृ, critical edition śṛṇu).

Verse 7 (5.189.7)

क्रियतामस्य यत्नेन विधिवद्दारसंग्रहः । भविता तद्वचः सत्यमिति मे निश्चिता मतिः ॥

kriyatāmasya yatnena vidhivaddārasaṃgrahaḥ | bhavitā tadvacaḥ satyamiti me niścitā matiḥ

Let a wife be taken for this child with care and by the proper rites. That word will come true; of this my mind is certain.

Verse 8 (5.189.8)

ततस्तौ निश्चयं कृत्वा तस्मिन्कार्येऽथ दंपती । वरयाञ्चक्रतुः कन्यां दशार्णाधिपतेः सुताम् ॥

tatastau niścayaṃ kṛtvā tasminkārye'tha daṃpatī | varayāñcakratuḥ kanyāṃ daśārṇādhipateḥ sutām

Then husband and wife, having made up their minds on the matter, chose as a bride the daughter of the lord of the Dasharnas.

Note on the text: Speaker corrected to Bhishma: the narration resumes here (the critical edition heads this verse भीष्म उवाच); Wikisource prints no heading and the input had carried the wife over.

Verse 9 (5.189.9)

ततो राजा द्रुपदो राजसिंहः । सर्वान्राज्ञः कुलतः सन्निशाम्य । दाशार्णकस्य नृपतेस्तनूजां । शिखण्डिने वरयामास दारान् ॥

tato rājā drupado rājasiṃhaḥ | sarvānrājñaḥ kulataḥ sanniśāmya | dāśārṇakasya nṛpatestanūjāṃ | śikhaṇḍine varayāmāsa dārān

Then King Drupada, a lion among kings, having weighed all the kings by their lineage, chose the daughter of the Dasharna king as a wife for Shikhandi.

Verse 10 (5.189.10)

हिरण्यवर्मेति नृपो योऽसौ दाशार्णकः स्मृतः । स च प्रादान्महीपालः कन्यां तस्मै शिखण्डिने ॥

hiraṇyavarmeti nṛpo yo'sau dāśārṇakaḥ smṛtaḥ | sa ca prādānmahīpālaḥ kanyāṃ tasmai śikhaṇḍine

The king of the Dasharnas, known as Hiranyavarman, a protector of the earth, gave his daughter to Shikhandi.

Verse 11 (5.189.11)

स च राजा दशार्णेषु महानासीत्सुदुर्जयः । हिरण्यवर्मा दुर्धर्षो महासेनो महामनाः ॥

sa ca rājā daśārṇeṣu mahānāsītsudurjayaḥ | hiraṇyavarmā durdharṣo mahāseno mahāmanāḥ

That king of the Dasharnas, Hiranyavarman, was great and very hard to conquer: unassailable, with a great army and a great spirit.

Verse 12 (5.189.12)

कृते विवाहे तु तदा सा कन्या राजसत्तम । यौवनं समनुप्राप्ता सा च कन्या शिखण्डिनी ॥

kṛte vivāhe tu tadā sā kanyā rājasattama | yauvanaṃ samanuprāptā sā ca kanyā śikhaṇḍinī

When the marriage had been made, best of kings, the bride reached full youth, and so did the girl Shikhandini.

Verse 13 (5.189.13)

कृतदारः शिखण्डी च काम्पिल्यं पुनरागमत् । न च सा वेद तां कन्यां कंचित्कालं स्त्रियं किल । यदा त्वेनामजानात्सा स्त्रियमेव नृपात्मजा ॥

kṛtadāraḥ śikhaṇḍī ca kāmpilyaṃ punarāgamat | na ca sā veda tāṃ kanyāṃ kaṃcitkālaṃ striyaṃ kila | yadā tvenāmajānātsā striyameva nṛpātmajā

Shikhandi, now married, came back to Kampilya. For some while the bride did not know that her husband was a woman; but when the princess learned that she was indeed a woman,

Note on the text: The alignment found no match because of the extra line: lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.190.13 (Wikisource च for tu); line 3 gives in other words the sense of 5.190.14ab (hiraṇyavarmaṇaḥ kanyā jñātvā tāṃ tu śikhaṇḍinīm).

Verse 14 (5.189.14)

धात्रीणां च सखीनां च व्रीडमाना न्यवेदयत् । कन्यां पाञ्चालराजस्य सुतां तां वै शिखण्डिनीम् ॥

dhātrīṇāṃ ca sakhīnāṃ ca vrīḍamānā nyavedayat | kanyāṃ pāñcālarājasya sutāṃ tāṃ vai śikhaṇḍinīm

she was ashamed, and told her nurses and her companions that Shikhandini, the child of the Panchala king, was a girl.

Note on the text: The lines are the critical edition's 5.190.14cd–ef. Corrected व्रीडयाना → व्रीडमाना (misprint in Wikisource; य for म, critical edition vrīḍamānā).

Verse 15 (5.189.15)

ततस्ता राजशार्दूल धात्र्यो दाशार्णिकास्तदा । जग्मुरार्तिं परां प्रेष्याः प्रेषयामासुरेव च ॥

tatastā rājaśārdūla dhātryo dāśārṇikāstadā | jagmurārtiṃ parāṃ preṣyāḥ preṣayāmāsureva ca

Then, tiger among kings, the nurses who had come from Dasharna were greatly distressed, and those servants sent word home.

Note on the text: Corrected जग्मुरार्ति → जग्मुरार्तिं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara, the accusative agreeing with परां is needed, critical edition ārtiṃ).

Verse 16 (5.189.16)

ततो दशार्णाधिपतेः प्रेष्याः सर्वा न्यवेदयन् । विप्रलम्भं यथावृत्तं स च चुक्रोध पार्थिवः ॥

tato daśārṇādhipateḥ preṣyāḥ sarvā nyavedayan | vipralambhaṃ yathāvṛttaṃ sa ca cukrodha pārthivaḥ

Then all the maids reported the deception to the lord of the Dasharnas just as it had happened, and the king grew angry.

Verse 17 (5.189.17)

शिखण्ड्यपि महाराज पुंवद्राजकुले तदा । विजहार मुदा युक्तः स्त्रीत्वं नैवातिरोचयन् ॥

śikhaṇḍyapi mahārāja puṃvadrājakule tadā | vijahāra mudā yuktaḥ strītvaṃ naivātirocayan

Shikhandi meanwhile, great king, went about the royal household like a man, cheerfully, taking no pleasure at all in being a woman.

Note on the text: Corrected म्रुदा → मुदा (misprint in Wikisource; stray र, critical edition mudā).

Verse 18 (5.189.18)

ततः कतिपयाहस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा भरतर्षभ । हिरण्यवर्मा राजेन्द्र रोषादार्तिं जगाम ह ॥

tataḥ katipayāhasya tacchrutvā bharatarṣabha | hiraṇyavarmā rājendra roṣādārtiṃ jagāma ha

A few days after he heard of it, bull of the Bharatas, Hiranyavarman, king of kings, was seized by anguish born of anger.

Note on the text: Corrected रोषादर्तिं → रोषादार्तिं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ā sign, critical edition roṣād ārtiṃ).

Verse 19 (5.189.19)

ततो दाशार्णको राजा तीव्रकोपसमन्वितः । दूतं प्रस्थापयामास द्रुपदस्य निवेशनम् ॥

tato dāśārṇako rājā tīvrakopasamanvitaḥ | dūtaṃ prasthāpayāmāsa drupadasya niveśanam

Then the king of the Dasharnas, filled with fierce rage, sent a messenger to Drupada's palace.

Verse 20 (5.189.20)

ततो द्रुपदमासाद्य दूतः काञ्चनवर्मणः । एक एकान्तमुत्सार्य रहो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

tato drupadamāsādya dūtaḥ kāñcanavarmaṇaḥ | eka ekāntamutsārya raho vacanamabravīt

Reaching Drupada, the messenger of Kanchanavarman (Hiranyavarman) took him aside, alone, and spoke to him in private.

Note on the text: Corrected एकान्तसुत्सार्य → एकान्तमुत्सार्य (misprint in Wikisource; स for म, critical edition ekāntam utsārya).

Verse 21 (5.189.21)

दाशार्णराजो राजंस्त्वामिदं वचनमब्रवीत् । अभिषङ्गात्प्रकुपितो विप्रलब्धस्त्वयाऽनघ ॥

dāśārṇarājo rājaṃstvāmidaṃ vacanamabravīt | abhiṣaṅgātprakupito vipralabdhastvayā'nagha

King, the king of the Dasharnas, angered by the insult, sends you these words, for you have deceived him, sinless one:

Note on the text: Speaker set to the Messenger: his message (verses 21–25) has no printed heading, but verse 20 introduces it; the input had carried the wife over. Corrected अभिष्गात् → अभिषङ्गात् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ङ, the page's own gloss reads अभिषङ्गात्, critical edition abhiṣaṅgāt).

Verse 22 (5.189.22)

अवमन्यसे मां नृपते नूनं दुर्मन्त्रितं तव । यन्मे कन्यां स्वकन्यार्थे मोहाद्याचितवानसि ॥

avamanyase māṃ nṛpate nūnaṃ durmantritaṃ tava | yanme kanyāṃ svakanyārthe mohādyācitavānasi

Surely you hold me in contempt, king; it was ill counsel on your part that in your folly you asked for my daughter for your own daughter.

Verse 23 (5.189.23)

तस्याद्य विप्रलम्भस्य फलं प्राप्नुहि दुर्मते । एष त्वां सजनामात्यमुद्धरामि स्थिरो भव ॥

tasyādya vipralambhasya phalaṃ prāpnuhi durmate | eṣa tvāṃ sajanāmātyamuddharāmi sthiro bhava

Now reap the fruit of that deception, you fool. Here I come to uproot you with your people and your ministers; stand firm!

Note on the text: Corrected त्वं → त्वां (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ā sign, the object of उद्धरामि must be accusative, critical edition tvāṃ).

Verse 24 (5.189.24)

अवमत्य च वीर्यं मे कुलं चारित्रमेव च । विप्रलम्भस्त्वयापूर्वो मनुष्येषु प्रवर्तितः ॥

avamatya ca vīryaṃ me kulaṃ cāritrameva ca | vipralambhastvayāpūrvo manuṣyeṣu pravartitaḥ

Scorning my valour, my lineage and my conduct, you have set going among men a deception never practised before.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as star passage 5.190.23d*0586, lines 1–2.

Verse 25 (5.189.25)

कुरु सर्वाणि कार्याणि भुङ्क्ष्व भोगाननुत्तमान् । अभियास्यामि शीघ्रं त्वां समुद्धर्तुं सबान्धवम् ॥

kuru sarvāṇi kāryāṇi bhuṅkṣva bhogānanuttamān | abhiyāsyāmi śīghraṃ tvāṃ samuddhartuṃ sabāndhavam

Do whatever you have to do and enjoy the finest pleasures while you can; I shall march against you swiftly to uproot you with all your kin.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as star passage 5.190.23d*0586, lines 3–4. Corrected कभोगाननुत्तमान् → भोगाननुत्तमान् (misprint in Wikisource; stray क, *0586 reads bhuṅkṣva bhogān anuttamān).