Mahabharata · Book 5 · Udyoga Parva
Mahabharata, Book 5, Section CXCउद्योगपर्व
Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 5.190.
Sanskrit
एवमुक्तस्य दूतेन द्रुपदस्य तदा नृप।
चोरस्येव गृहीतस्य न प्रावर्तत भारती ।।
स यत्नमकरोत्तीव्रं संबन्धिन्युनुमानने ।
दूतैर्मधुरसंभाषैर्न तदस्तीति संदिशन् ।।
स राजा भूय एवाथ ज्ञात्वा तत्त्वमथागमत् ।
कन्येति पाञ्चालसुतां त्वरमाणो विनिर्ययौ ।।
ततः संप्रेषकयामास मित्रांणाममितौजसाम् ।
दुहितुर्विप्रलम्भं तं धात्रीणां वचनात्तदा ।।
ततः समुदयं कृत्वा बलानां राजसत्तमः ।
अभियाने मतिं चक्रे द्रुपदं प्रति भारत ।।
ततः संमन्त्रयामास मन्त्रिभिः स महीपतिः ।
हिरण्यवर्मा राजेन्द्र पाञ्चाल्यं पार्थिवं प्रति ।।
तत्र वै निश्चितं तेषामभूद्राज्ञां महात्मनाम् ।
तथ्यं भवति चेदेतत्कन्या राजञ्शिखण्डिनी ।।
बद्ध्वा पाञ्चालराजानमानयिष्यामहे गृहम् ।
अन्यं राजानमाधाय पाञ्चालेषु नरेश्वरम् ।।
घातयिष्याम नृपतिं पाञ्चालं सशिखण्डिनम् ।।
स तदा द्रुतमाज्ञाय पुनर्दूतान्नराधिपः।
प्रास्थापयत्पार्षतया निहन्मीति स्थिरो भव ।।
भीष्म उवाच।
स हि प्रकृत्या वै भीतः किल्बिषी च नराधिपः ।
भयं तीव्रमनुप्राप्तो द्रुपदः पृथिवीपतिः ।।
विसृज्य दूतान्दाशार्णे द्रुपदः शोकमूर्च्छितः ।
समेत्य भार्यां रहिते वाक्यमाह नराधिपः ।।
भयेन महताऽऽविष्टो हृदि शोकेन चाहतः ।
पाञ्चालराजो दयितां मातरं वै शिखण्डिनः ।।
अभियास्यति मां कोपात्संबन्धी सुमहाबलः ।
हिरण्यवर्मा नृपतिः कर्षमाणो वरूथिनीम् ।।
किमिदानीं करिष्यावो मूढौ कन्यामिमां प्रति।
शिखण्डी किल पुत्रस्ते कन्येति परिशङ्कितः ।।
इति संचिन्त्य यत्नेन समित्रः सबलानुगः ।
वञ्चितोऽस्मीति मन्वानो मां किलोद्धर्तुमिच्छति।।
किमत्र तथ्यं सुश्रोणि मिथ्या किं ब्रूहि शोभने ।
श्रुत्वा त्वत्तः शुभं वाक्यं संविधास्याम्यहं तथा ।।
अहं हि संशयप्राप्तो बाला चेयं शिखण्डिनी ।
त्वं च राज्ञि महत्कृच्छ्रं संप्राप्ता वरवर्णिनि ।।
सा त्वं सर्वविमोक्षाय तत्त्वमाख्याहि पृच्छतः।
तथा विदध्यां सुश्रोणि कृत्यमाशु शुचिस्मिते ।।
शिखण्डिनि च मा भैस्त्वं विधास्ये तत्र तत्त्वतः ।
कृपयाहं वरारोहे वञ्चितः पुत्रधर्मतः ।।
मया दाशार्णको राजा वञ्चितः स महीपतिः ।
तदाचक्ष्व महाभागे विधास्ये तत्र यद्धितम् ।।
जनाता ह नरेन्द्रेण ख्यापनार्थं परस्य वै ।
प्रकाशं चोदिता देवी प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम् ।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते
उद्योगपर्वणि अम्बोपाख्यानपर्वणि
नवत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः ।।
English Ganguli
“‘Bhishma said, “Then all those ascetics (that dwell in Vatsabhumi), beholding the princess of Kasi firmly resolved on ascetic austerities, dissuaded her and enquired of her, saying, ‘What is thy business?’ Thus addressed, the maiden answered those ascetics, old in ascetic penances, saying, ‘Expelled I have been by Bhishma, prevented by him from the virtue that would have been mine by living with a husband! My observance of this vow is for his destruction and not for the sake of regions of bliss, ye that are endued with wealth of asceticism! Having compassed the death of Bhishma, peace will be mine. Even this is my resolve. He for whom mine hath been this state of continuous grief, he for whom I have been deprived of the region that would have been mine if I could obtain a husband, he for whom I have become neither woman nor man, without slaying in battle that son of Ganga I will not desist, ye that are endued with wealth of asceticism. Even this that I have said is the purpose that is in my heart. As a woman, I have no longer any desire. I am, however, resolved to obtain manhood, for I will be revenged upon Bhishma. I should not, therefore, be dissuaded by you.’ Unto them she said these words repeatedly. Soon, the divine lord of Uma, bearing the trident, showed himself in his own form unto that female ascetic in the midst of those great Rishis. Being asked to solicit the boon she wished, she begged of the deity my defeat. ‘Thou shalt slay him,’—were the words the god said unto that lady of great force of mind. Thus assured, the maiden, however, once more said unto Rudra, ‘How can it happen, O god, that being a woman I shall yet be able to achieve victory in battle. O lord of Uma, as a woman, my heart is quite stilled. Thou hast, however, promised me, O lord of creatures, the defeat of Bhishma. O lord, having the bull for thy mount, act in such a way that promise of thine may become true, that encountering Bhishma, the son of Santanu, in battle I may be able to slay him.’ The god of gods, having the bull for his symbol, then said unto that maiden, ‘The words I have uttered cannot be false. O blessed lady, true they will be. Thou shalt slay Bhishma, and even obtain manhood. Thou shalt also remember all the incidents (of this life) even when thou shalt obtain a new body. Born in the race of Drupada, thou shalt become a Maharatha. Quick in the use of weapons and a fierce warrior, thou shalt be well-skilled in battle. O blessed lady, all that I have said will be true. Thou shalt become a man at the expiration of sometime (from thy birth)!’ Having said so, the god of gods, called also Kapardin, having the bull for his symbol, disappeared then and there, in the very sight of those Brahmanas. Upon this, that faultless maiden of the fairest complexion, the eldest daughter of the king of Kasi, procuring wood from that forest in the very sight of those great Rishis, made a large funeral pyre on the banks of the Yamuna, and having set fire to it herself, entered that blazing fire, O great king, with a heart burning with wrath, and uttering, O king, the words,—‘(I do so) for Bhishma’s destruction!’”’"