Shloka 1
Śikhaṇḍinī’s Marriage Arrangement and the Daśārṇa Envoy’s Accusation (शिखण्डिनी-विवाह-विप्रलम्भ-प्रसङ्गः)
ऑपनआक्रात बछ। अं क्ाज एकनवर्त्याधिकशततमो< ध्याय: ट्रुपदपत्नीका उत्तर, द्रुपदके द्वारा नगररक्षाकी व्यवस्था और देवाराधन तथा शिखण्डिनीका वनमें जाकर स्थूणाकर्ण नामक यक्षसे अपने दुःखनिवारणके लिये प्रार्थना करना भीष्म उवाच तत: शिखण्डिनो माता यथातत्त्वं नराधिप । आचचक्षे महाबाहो भरत्रें कन््यां शिखण्डिनीम्,भीष्मजी कहते हैं--महाबाहु नरेश्वर! तब शिखण्डीकी माताने अपने पतिसे यथार्थ रहस्य बताते हुए कहा--“यह पुत्र शिखण्डी नहीं, शिखण्डिनी नामवाली कन्या है
bhīṣma uvāca | tataḥ śikhaṇḍino mātā yathātattvaṃ narādhipa | ācacakṣe mahābāho bhartre kanyāṃ śikhaṇḍinīm ||
毗湿摩说道：“于是，国王啊，尸佉ṇḍī之母如实揭明其事。臂力雄伟的君主啊，她对丈夫说道：‘这并非名为尸佉ṇḍī的儿子；她乃名为尸佉ṇḍinī的女儿。’”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds yathātattva—speaking the truth as it is—especially within family and royal responsibility. Ethical clarity (truthful disclosure) is presented as necessary even when the truth is socially difficult, because hidden facts can later shape major dharmic and political outcomes.
Bhishma narrates that Śikhaṇḍi’s mother reveals to her husband the true situation: the child known publicly as Śikhaṇḍi is in fact a daughter named Śikhaṇḍinī. This disclosure sets up the subsequent events connected with Śikhaṇḍinī/Śikhaṇḍi’s transformation and role in the larger conflict.