Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 20, 2025
That hath now come to me of which I had been thinking for a series of years, viz., the meeting of the Pandavas and the Kurus at the head of their respective troops. If protected he will slay the Pandavas, the Somakas, and the Srinjayas. That warrior of pure soul said, "I will not slay Sikhandin. It is heard that he was a female before. For this reason he should be renounced by me in battle."
"'Bhishma said, "That subjugator of hostile cities, Sikhandin, the son of the king of the Panchalas, is, O king, in my judgment, one of the foremost of Yudhishthira's Rathas. Having divested himself on his former sex, he will fight in battle and earn great fame, O Bharata, among thy troops! He hath a large number of troops, Panchalas and Prabhadrakas, to support him.
She, who, while living of yore as the daughter of the king of Kasi, had practised the austerest penances; she, who, O bull of the Bharata race, desiring even in a subsequent life to compass the destruction of Bhishma, took her birth as the daughter of Panchala, and accidentally became afterwards a male; who, O tiger among men, is conversant with the merits and demerits of both sexes; that invincible prince of the Panchala who encountered the Kalingas in battle, with that Sikhandin skilled in every weapon, will the Pandavas fight against you.
And then, O bull of Bharata's race, the highly wrathful son of Drona sent after Sikhandin in that battle many thousands of shafts. But Sikhandin, that foremost of mighty men, with his sharp sword cut that fierce shower of arrows coming towards him. Then the son of Drona cut into pieces that resplendent and beautiful shield decked with a hundred moons and then that sword also of Sikhandin.
Whether thou choosest to strike me or not, thou shall not escape me with life. O thou that art ever victorious, O Bhishma, look thy last on this world." Sanjaya continued, "Having said so, Sikhandin in that battle pierced Bhishma with five straight shafts, having already pierced him with his wordy shafts.
Thy son, Sikhandin, hath been suspected to be a daughter. Under this suspicion, Hiranyavarman with his allies and followed by his army wisheth to slay me thinking that he hath been deceived by me! O thou of beautiful hips, tell us now what is true or false in this, O beautiful lady! O blessed lady, hearing from thee first, I will settle how to act.
Those arrows, however, endued with wings of gold and whetted on stone, which the mighty car-warrior Sikhandin shot in that battle, scarcely caused Bhishma any pain. And then piercing Bhishma with ten arrows, he cut off the latter's standard with one. And striking Bhishma's chariot with ten arrows, Arjuna caused him to tremble. The son of Ganga then took up another bow that was stronger.
Bhishma said before that he would not slay Sikhandin. By the Creator had that one been made female, though through chance he subsequently became a male person. Thinking of this, viz., that Arjuna, excited with wrath, is about to fall upon the aged Kuru grandsire, my heart is exceedingly depressed.
Indeed, all this way represented unto me, O sire, by the spies, disguised as idiots and as persons without the senses of vision, and hearing whom I had set upon Drupada. It is thus, O king, that that best of Rathas, Sikhandin, the son of Drupada, having first been born a female, subsequently became a person of the other sex.
As yet Nakula, and Sahadeva, Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata's race, and Virata, and Sikhandin, and Sisupal's son, accoutred in mail and all well-versed in arms, do not penetrate thy ranks, like huge crocodiles penetrating the deep, and pour their arrowy showers, so let hostility cease. As yet fierce-winged shafts do not fall upon the delicate bodies of the assembled kings, so let hostility cease.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking