Hiraṇyavarman

Hiraṇyavarman was the king of Daśārṇa. He is also called Kāñcanavarman or Hemāvarman in some verses. His daughter was married to Śikhaṇḍī, whom Drupada presented as his son, though Śikhaṇḍī had been born female. When Hiraṇyavarman learned the truth, he threatened war against Drupada. This threat drove Śikhaṇḍī to the yaksha Sthūṇakarṇa, whose grace made Śikhaṇḍī a man.

The king of Daśārṇa

Hiraṇyavarman ruled Daśārṇa, a realm of central Bhāratavarsha that appears in several places in the Mahābhārata. He wore golden armour. He was a powerful and proud king of high standing.

Drupada arranged the marriage of his “son” Śikhaṇḍī to Hiraṇyavarman’s daughter. Hiraṇyavarman agreed in good faith. He did not know that Śikhaṇḍī had been born female. Śikhaṇḍī had been raised as a son because of the divine promise that Drupada would have a son who would bring about the death of Bhīshma.

The truth comes out

After the marriage, Hiraṇyavarman’s daughter found out that her husband was female by birth, and she told her father. Hiraṇyavarman felt deeply deceived and shamed. He saw the giving of his daughter to a false husband as an insult to himself and a wrong against dharma. He sent word to Drupada. He called him a deceiver and a man of bad intelligence, and he threatened to come with his army and destroy the kingdom of Pāñcāla.

In the court of Pāñcāla, Drupada and his queen were full of grief and fear. The queen told Drupada the whole truth that she had kept hidden. Śikhaṇḍī had been born female, and she had declared the child to be a boy out of fear of staying childless and losing her position.

Śikhaṇḍī’s change and the end of the quarrel

By the grace of the yaksha Sthūṇakarṇa, Śikhaṇḍī was changed into a fully male form. Śikhaṇḍī then returned to the palace. Drupada sent word to Hiraṇyavarman: come and see for yourself that my son is a man.

Hiraṇyavarman was doubtful, but he sent women to check. They confirmed without doubt that Śikhaṇḍī was male. Hiraṇyavarman then came himself. He was satisfied, took gifts from Drupada, and went home in goodwill. The alliance was restored, and the threatened war did not happen.

Śikhaṇḍī and Bhīshma

Hiraṇyavarman’s threat of invasion is what sent Śikhaṇḍī into the forest to Sthūṇakarṇa, where the change took place. The male Śikhaṇḍī who came out of these events is the one who faced Bhīshma at Kurukshetra.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Udyoga Parva, Ambopākhyāna Parva, Chapters 188–192