Mahabharata's transgender warrior: SHIKHANDI

**Hindu philosophy is straightforward.** **Every individual is a manifestation of the eternal atman (spirit or soul). This is a well-known narrative of a princess who was reborn to take vengeance for the humiliation she suffered in her past life.**

shikandini transforming into SHIKHANDI. source: quora.com

One of the most famous examples of reincarnation is of Amba as Shikhandi. He/she was the sole transgender reborn in the Mahabharata chapter to exact revenge for Bhishma's humiliation in a former life.

Bhishma's death had been foreshadowed for decades by his acts, which had brought tremendous suffering to a princess he had stolen for marriage to his half-brother prince Vichitravirya.

It all started when Bhishma, the prince of Hastinapur, was a young boy, his widowed father, King Shantanu, wished to be a householder again. He vowed (Bhishma pratigya) not to marry any girl during his life and to die childless and live a life of celibacy before all the gods for his father's lover who wanted an assurance that Bhishma or his child in the future won't demand the Thorne.

His step-brother Vichitravirya, who was in poor health at the time, was later enthroned as the ruler of Hastinapura. Bhisma was worried about what would happen if his brother, the heir to the throne, died. So, because his brother was in poor health, Bhishma went to Kashi's court on the day of swayamwara and gained three princesses for his brother, Amba, Ambalika, and Ambika.

Amba, on the other hand, insisted on persuading him to let go because she and Salva, the Saubala ruler, were secretly in love, and Amba had vowed to place the varmala in his neck during the swaymwara, the rite in which the women choose their grooms from among those present.

When Amba declined to marry the Kuru (Kaurava) prince when they arrived in Hastinapur, Bhishma ultimately let her go.

When she returned to Saubalaking Salva, he refused to continue their relationship or marry her since she had been stolen by another guy and was now "dirtied."

Amba was enraged by Bhishma's interference, which she saw as the source of her problems. She went on to do terrible penance, heartbroken, ashamed, and depressed. She was furious that the elder Kuru prince, Bhishma, had ruined her life, and she sought vengeance.

The Gods, pleased with her penance, bestowed upon her a garland that, when worn, would enable anyone to kill Bhishma. But, at the time, Bhishma was so adored and feared that no one would agree to receive that garland. Amba couldn't utilize it because she couldn't summon Bhishma to a fight as a woman. She put the garland on a door of Kind Drupad's palace before dying devastated. The king had no children.

Through a Yagya, the king soon had three children. Shikhandi, the eldest, was Amba's reincarnation. Doctors and astrologers were unable to determine whether the newborn was a male or a girl. She was raised as a boy but could only claim adulthood after Shikhandi's marriage when a Yaksha lent her his male appearance.

Shikhandi (the last-born Amba) had two siblings, Draupadi and Dhrishtadhyumna, who were twins. Draupadi then married Arjuna, Ambalika's son Pandu's son. Shikhandi, meanwhile, had taken the garland she had placed on the threshold in her previous existence, allowing her to become Bhishma's killer. She was capable to carry out the task now since she possessed the manly aspect.

The unstoppable On the tenth day of the fight between the Pandavas and the Kauravas at Kurukshetra, Bhishma was proving to be too much of an enemy, and Lord Krishna (also Arjuna's charioteer) decided that Bhishma must die for Arjuna to make any headway in the war. But how can Arjun possibly aim for Bhishma if he refuses to lower his weapons?

They needed to think quickly. When Bhishma saw Arjuna hiding behind Shikhandi, he dropped his weapons so as not to strike a woman. As Bhishma lowered his bow and shot, Arjuna sensed an opening. He launched a barrage of arrows at Bhishma, killing him.

As a result, the goal of being reborn was accomplished.

Shikhandi taking her past life revenge. source: en.wikipedia.org