तत्र स्थूणस्य भवनं सुधामृत्तिकलेपनम् ॥
लाजोल्लापिकधूमाढ्यम् उच्चप्राकारतोरणम् ॥
तत् प्रविश्य शिखण्डी सा द्रुपदस्यात्मजा नृप ॥
अनश्नती बहुतिथं शरीरम् उपशोषयत् ॥
दर्शयाम् आस तां यक्षः स्थूणो मध्वक्षसंयुतः ॥
किमर्थो ऽयं तवारम्भः करिष्ये ब्रूहि माचिरम् ॥
अशक्यम् इति सा यक्षं पुनः पुनर् उवाच ह ॥
करिष्यामीति चैनां स प्रत्युवाचाथ गुह्यकः ॥
धनेश्वरस्यानुचरो वरदो ऽस्मि नृपात्मजे ॥
अदेयम् अपि दास्यामि ब्रूहि यत् ते विवक्षितम् ॥
tatra sthūṇasya bhavanaṃ sudhāmṛttikalepanam ||
lājollāpikadhūmāḍhyam uccaprākāratoraṇam ||
tat praviśya śikhaṇḍī sā drupadasyātmajā nṛpa ||
anaśnatī bahutithaṃ śarīram upaśoṣayat ||
darśayām āsa tāṃ yakṣaḥ sthūṇo madhvakṣasaṃyutaḥ ||
kimartho 'yaṃ tavārambhaḥ kariṣye brūhi māciram ||
aśakyam iti sā yakṣaṃ punaḥ punar uvāca ha ||
kariṣyāmīti caināṃ sa pratyuvācātha guhyakaḥ ||
dhaneśvarasyānucaro varado 'smi nṛpātmaje ||
adeyam api dāsyāmi brūhi yat te vivakṣitam ||
There stood the dwelling of Sthuna, plastered with lime and clay, rich with the smoke of offerings, with high walls and gateways. Entering it, Shikhandin, the daughter of Drupada, O king, went without food for many days, wasting away her body. Then the yaksha Sthuna, honey-eyed, appeared before her and said, 'To what end is this undertaking of yours? Speak without delay — I will grant it.' 'It cannot be done,' she said to the yaksha, again and again. But the guhyaka answered her, 'I will do it. I am a servant of the lord of wealth and a granter of boons, O king's daughter. Even what is hard to give, I will give. Tell me what you desire.'
68609c2d1196 · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:41:26 AM UTC
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This chapter turns Shikhandin's secret from a palace anxiety into a personal feat. The mother reveals the truth to Drupada: the lie arose from the fear of childlessness and rival wives, but it held only because of faith in Shiva's word. Drupada tries to join two levels of action — the human defense of the city and worship of the gods. Shikhandini, for her part, takes her parents' suffering upon herself and goes into the forest, where the possibility of a change of sex arises through a yaksha's grace. Amba's fate here becomes not an abstract curse but a concrete movement of compassion, shame, vow, and superhuman help.