An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s1.252

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about to break out with Hiraṇyavarman (V, 189). Drupada was not naturally courageous, and became filled with fear, and, in the presence of others, asked his queen about the truth (though he knew everything) (V, 190). The queen said that, childless as she was, when her daughter Ҫikhaṇḍinī was born she had, from fear of her co-wives, told Drupada that it was a son, remembering the words of Ҫiva. Drupada prepared for war, and, with the queen, prayed to the gods. Ҫikhaṇḍinī went to a forest, the haunt of the powerful Yaksha (Guhyaka, v. 7480) Sthūṇākarṇa, who was a follower of Kubera, resolved on putting an end to her own life. Repeatedly requested by Sthūṇākarṇa to ask a boon, she told him the matter, and wished to become a man, as long as Hiraṇyavarman had not left the city (V, 191). He gave her his manhood and took her womanhood for a certain period, i.e. till Hiraṇyavarman should have departed. Ҫikhaṇḍin went home and informed Drupada, who with his wife recollected the words of Ҫiva. Hiraṇyavarman sent a brahman as an envoy to Kāmpilya, threatening to exterminate Drupada with his counsellors, sons, etc. Drupada sent a brahman as his envoy to Hiraṇyavarman, maintaining that Ҫikhaṇḍin was a male; "let it be made clear by means of witnesses; somebody has spoken falsely to thee." Hiraṇyavarman despatched a number of young ladies for ascertaining it, and they attested that he was a male. Hiraṇyavarman then passed some days with Drupada in gladness, gave much wealth to Ҫikhaṇḍin, and then departed, having rebuked his daughter. Kubera, hearing the matter from the Yakshas, cursed Sthūṇākarṇa, saying that his femininity should remain as it was; as the Yakshas began to soften him, he set a limit to the curse, i.e. Ҫikhaṇḍin's death. When Ҫikhaṇḍin came to redeem his pledge, Sthūṇākarṇa related his curse and let him go. Drupada gave Ҫikhaṇḍin as a pupil to Droṇa, who taught him the fourfold (catushpādam) Dhanurveda, along with the Dhārtarāṣṭras and Dhrṣṭadyumna. It was Ambā who had been born as Ҫikhaṇḍin. Bhishma had made a vow not to shoot weapons against a woman, or one that had before been a woman, or one bearing a feminine name, or one whose form resembled that of a woman (V, 192). Duryodhana asked in what time Bhīma, etc. (a), could annihilate the hostile army. Bhishma said he could do it in a month; Droṇa said the same; Krpa mentioned two months; Aҫvatthāman, ten nights; Karṇa, five nights. Bhishma ridiculed Karṇa, saying that he will think otherwise when he had encountered Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa (V, 193). Having learnt from his spies, Yudhiṣṭhira asked Arjuna the same question. Arjuna said that with Kṛṣṇa as his ally he could exterminate the three worlds with the gods, etc., in the twinkling of an eye; the weapon given him by Paҫupati (i.e. Ҫiva) as a hunter (Pāҫupata-dvandvayuddhe), which Paҫupati used at the end of a kalpa for destroying created things, was not known to any (β); he enumerated Yudhiṣṭhira's allies (—) and he was himself competent to exterminate the enemy (V, 194). Next morning, under a cloud, the army marched (description) to the field. Aҫvatthāman, etc. (e), in the van, then Kṛtavarman, etc. (ζ), with the army. Duryodhana's encampment was near Hāstinapura (V, 195). Yudhiṣṭhira ordered out his army: Dhrṣṭadyumna, etc. (θ); then Bhīma, etc. (ι).