Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v2.c13.93

v2.c13.93

At this time the childless King Drupada was practising a dreadful asceticism that he might have a son. But Çiva granted him only a daughter, but told the discontented king that she would become a man. And the queen then later bore a lovely girl. The parents gave out that it was a boy, kept the matter a secret from all, had all the rites laid down for a boy carried out on the child, and named it Çikhaṇḍin. Bhīshma alone learned of the whole matter through a spy, the divine Ṛishi Nārada, as also of the discourse between Çiva and Ambā. When the girl had come to marriageable years, her father was in great distress as to how he should marry her, and he took counsel with his wife. But she spoke confidently : " Çiva's words will soon be fulfilled; the maker of the three worlds cannot lie. Therefore do thou get her a wife according to the law." Drupada after long inquiries decided for the family of Hiraṇyavarman, the ruler of the Daçārṇas, and sought the hand of his daughter. But the poor bride found herself sorely undeceived after the wedding, and full of shame told her girl-friends and nurses that her husband was a woman. Her intimates sent word of this at once to her father, who, blazing with anger, sent a messenger to Drupada. The envoy took the evil-doer on one side and gave him the message in secret that Hiraṇyavarman because of this disgraceful fraud would destroy him, and his people and ministers. Drupada stood before the messenger like a thief caught, and not a word came from his lips. He sent back word to the bride's angry father that the report was utterly untrue. But as the latter knew better, he gathered his army and vassals together, and these spoke : " If it is so, if Çikhaṇḍin is a maiden, then we will kill Drupada together with Çikhaṇḍin, and make another one as king among the Pañcālas." So a fresh message went off to the sinner : " I am going to make away with thee ; pluck up thy courage." His wife put heart into the frightened king, telling him to do honour to all the gods and worshipful persons and make sacrifice in the fires, but also to have the city fittingly defended ; for fate and manly staunchness, when joined together, was what brought good fortune. While the two were anxiously speaking with one another, their daughter came up to them and seeing how because of her such ill-hap had come on them, she resolved to kill herself. So he went forth into the thick forest, where a Yaksha, Sthūṇākarṇa by name, dwelt, whom folk avoided out of fear of the monster. Here she meant to starve herself to death. But the Yaksha came to her, and asked : " What is the object of this deed of thine? I will accomplish the business.