Shikhandini

Shikhandi
Mahabharata character
Kripa fights with Shikhandi (top right)
Information
Family	Drupada(father), Dhristadyumna, Draupadi (sibiling)

Shikhandi (Sanskrit: शिखण्डी, Śikhaṇḍī, lit. lock on the crown of the head) is a character in the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata. He was born as a girl child named 'Shikhandini' to Drupada after much penance to Lord Shiva who promised that his child will attain sex change at a later stage, the king of Panchala. Shikhandi fought in the Kurukshetra war on the side of the Pandavas, along with his father Drupada and brother Dhristadyumna.

In the majority of the versions of the Mahabharat, there is the story of Shikhandi being Amba in his previous birth.

Shikhandini or Shikhandi had been born in a previous lifetime as a woman named Amba. Amba was the eldest daughter of King of Kashi. Along with her sisters Ambika and Ambalika, she was taken by force by Bhishma from their Swayamvara; Bhishma deemed this as punishment to Kashi for not inviting Hastinapur to the wedding. Defeating several kings, including Salwa, the King of Saubala, Bhisma absconded with the princesses and presented them for marriage to Vichitravirya, the crown prince of Hastinapur.

Vichitravirya married only her sisters, because Amba told Bhishma that she had fallen in love with Salwa, and was not ready to marry anyone else. Hearing this from her, Bhishma sent Amba with grandeur to Saubala. But Salwa rejected her as well, in shame of losing the combat against Bhishma. Amba then returned to Bhishma and demanded that he marry her according to Kshatriya dharma, but Bhishma declined due to his vow celibacy. Enraged at her humiliation, she tried to persuade other kings to wage a war with Bhishma and compel him to wed her. None agreed for they were afraid of incurring the wrath of the great warrior. Amba managed to get Parashurama, Bhishma's guru, to champion her cause. However, not even Parashurama could defeat Bhishma.