Shikhandin
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (Retd.) |
Shikhandin (शिखंडिन्) is a place name mentioned by Panini under Suvastvadi (सुवास्त्वादि) (4.2.77) group. [1] Shikhandin (शिखण्डिन) is a character in the Mahabharata. List of Shiva's thousand names includes Shikhandi (शिखण्डी).
Origin
Variants of name
Jat clan
- Sheokhand (श्योखण्ड)
Mention by Panini
Shikhandin (शिखंडिन्) is a place name mentioned by Panini under Suvastvadi (सुवास्त्वादि) (4.2.77) group. [2]
History
In Mahabharata
Shikhandin (शिखण्डिन) is mentioned in Mahabharata (I.61.87), (VI.112.58), (IX.44.90),
Shikhandi (Sanskrit: शिखण्डी, Śikhaṇḍī, lit. lock on the crown of the head) is a character in the Mahabharata. He was born as a girl child named 'Shikhandini' to Drupada (the king of Panchala) after much penance to Lord Shiva who promised that his child will attain sex change at a later stage. Shikhandi fought in the Kurukshetra war on the side of the Pandavas, along with his father Drupada and brother Dhristadyumna.
Adi Parva, Mahabharata/Book I Chapter 61 provides Genealogy of the Danavas, Asuras, Kauravas, Pandavas, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Rakshasas. Shikhandin is mentioned in verse (I.61.87) as incarnation of) a Rakshasa. ...."Know also, O monarch, that the mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna was a portion of Agni. And know also that Sikhandin, who was at first a female, was (the incarnation of) a Rakshasa." [3]
Bhisma Parva, Mahabharata/Book VI Chapter 112 mentions Shikhandin in verse (VI.112.58) ....The son of Kunti, meanwhile, urged Shikhandin, saying,--Proceed, proceed, towards Bhishma, and slay him!.. [4]
Shalya Parva, Mahabharata/Book IX Chapter 44 mentions the ceremony for investing Kartikeya with the status of generalissimo (सेनागणाध्यक्ष), the diverse gods, various clans who joined it. It mentions Shikhandin in verse (IX.44.90). [5]
References
- ↑ V. S. Agrawala: India as Known to Panini, 1953, p.508
- ↑ V. S. Agrawala: India as Known to Panini, 1953, p.508
- ↑ अग्नेर अंशं तु विद्धि तवं धृष्टद्युम्नं महारथम, शिखण्डिनम अथॊ राजन सत्रीपुंसं विद्धि राक्षसम (I.61.87)
- ↑ शिखण्डिनं च कौन्तेयॊ याहि याहीत्य अचॊथयत, भीष्मं परति महाराज जह्य एनम इति चाब्रवीत (VI.112.58)
- ↑ त्रिशिखा द्विशिखाश चैव तदा सप्त शिखाः परे, शिखण्डिनॊ मुकुटिनॊ मुण्डाश च जटिलास तदा (IX.44.90)