Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v2.c13.94

v2.c13.94

Speak without hesitation.” “Impossible!” she kept on saying to the Yaksha. “I will do it,” the Yaksha quickly answered. “I am a servant to Kubera; I am a bestower of boons, O king’s daughter. I grant even that which cannot be granted.” Then the princess disclosed to him the plight in which she found herself; and as the forest-spirit had given his promise so solemnly and sacredly, he had, indeed, to fulfil it. He spoke: “I will give thee my man’s sex¹ for a time, and take thy woman’s sex. Then thou must come hither at the proper time again. Swear it to me.” Çikhaṇḍinī swore that she would become a maiden again, and give the Yaksha his manhood back again, so soon as the king of the Daçārṇas had gone away. “So the two in this plight came to a solemn agreement with one another, and then made the exchange.² The woman’s mark of sex was borne now by the Yaksha Sthūṇākarṇa, and Çikhaṇḍinī got the Yaksha’s shining mark of sex.”³ Greatly rejoicing the new man now went back to his father, who at once sent off a message to Hiraṇyavarman that his son was indeed a man, and after long negotiations the ruler of the Daçārṇas, who was still bent on destroying the deceiver, agreed to an examination; he sent “the most excellent, very fair-formed women” that they might personally convince themselves whether it was a man. Their report was to everyone’s joy an affirmative one, the father-in-law came with glad heart to the city, gave very rich gifts to his son-in-law, and parted from his daughter with stern rebukes. But about this time the lord of the Yakshas, Kubera, happened to make a visit to Sthūṇākarṇa, and as his servant, who was deeply ashamed of his new sex, did not come to meet him, but kept hidden, the god gave notice to his following of a heavy punishment for the offender. They told him why the poor wretch was not doing his duty. Angrily the god of wealth had the thus transformed man brought to him, and condemned him for his wicked change of sex, which was an insult to all Yakshas, to remain a woman always. But on the intercession of the Yakshas he ordained that Sthūṇākarṇa on Ҫikhaṇḍin’s death was to have his original sex back again. When Ҫikhaṇḍin later appeared, true to his promise, to hand over to the helping spirit his manhood again, the latter was greatly gladdened by his honesty, and told him of what had happened. High rejoicings now held sway in Drupada’s house, the prince was handed over to learn the art of arms, and came to be a distinguished warrior-hero. Later he did indeed bring about Bhīshma’s death in battle, for Bhīshma had sworn not to make use of his weapons against any woman, or against anyone that had ever been a woman, and knew full well, as did everyone, how the matter really stood.¹