Shloka 18
Śikhaṇḍī-janma-nigūḍha-vṛtta (The concealed birth-account of Śikhaṇḍī) | शिखण्डी-जन्म-निगूढ-वृत्त
अहं हि संशयं प्राप्तो बाला चेयं शिखण्डिनी । त्वं च राज्ञि महत् कृच्छूं सम्प्राप्ता वरवर्णिनि
ahaṃ hi saṃśayaṃ prāpto bālā ceyaṃ śikhaṇḍinī | tvaṃ ca rājñi mahat kṛcchraṃ samprāptā varavarṇini ||
Bhishma said: “I have fallen into grave doubt: this Shikhandini is in truth still a young girl. And you too, O queen of fair complexion, have come into a great crisis.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical uncertainty (saṃśaya) when social roles and personal identity create a conflict of duty; it foregrounds the need for careful discernment before acting in situations that can cause harm or injustice.
Bhishma addresses a queen, stating that he is troubled by doubt because Shikhandini appears to be a girl, and he recognizes that the queen herself has been drawn into a serious predicament connected with this situation.