Śikhaṇḍī
Sign in to saveAlso known as Śikhaṇḍinī
Shikhandi (), whose natal female identity is rendered Shikhandini, is a character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Born as the daughter of Drupada, the King of Panchala, Shikhandini becomes male after agreeing to a sex exchange with a yaksha. He is the brother of Draupadi, who is the common wife of the Pandavas.
Key facts
- Character.info hdr
- Information
- Character.image
- Shikhandi.png
- Character.alt
- Shikhandi
- Character.caption
- An illustration of Shikhandi before her sex-change, c. 1916
- Character.family
- Drupada (father)Prishati (mother)Dhristadyumna (brother)Draupadi (sister)
- Character.spouse
- Unnamed princess of Dasarna
- Character.children
- Kshatradeva
- Character.name
- Shikhandi
- Character.gender
- Woman, later Man
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Kripa and shikhandi.jpg
Show 1 more fact
- Commons category
- Shikhandi
Sources (3)
via Wikidata · CC0
~8 min read
Article
6 sectionsContents
- Legend
- Previous birth
- Sex exchange
- Kurukshetra War
- References
- External links
Shikhandi (), whose natal female identity is rendered Shikhandini, is a character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Born as the daughter of Drupada, the King of Panchala, Shikhandini becomes male after agreeing to a sex exchange with a yaksha. He is the brother of Draupadi, who is the common wife of the Pandavas.
Shikhandi is the reincarnation of Amba, a princess who was abducted by Bhishma at a svayamvara and later spurned by him. The prince fights in the Kurukshetra War on the side of his brothers-in-law, the Pandavas, and is instrumental in causing the death of Bhishma. He also engages in combat with great warriors like Ashwatthama, Kripa, and Kritavarma.