Shikhandi- Hindu HeroHero"Slayer of Bhishma"

Amba's Vow

Shikhandi's story begins in a previous life as Amba, eldest daughter of the king of Kashi. Bhishma abducted Amba and her sisters from their swayamvara to serve as brides for his half-brother Vichitravirya. When Amba revealed she had already chosen King Shalva, Bhishma released her, but Shalva rejected her as she had been carried off by another man. Amba returned to Bhishma and demanded he marry her himself. He refused on account of his vow of celibacy.

Amba sought allies. Parashurama fought Bhishma on her behalf but could not defeat him. At last Amba performed severe austerities and received a boon from Shiva: she would cause Bhishma's death in her next life. She threw herself into a sacrificial fire.

Rebirth and Transformation

Amba was reborn as Shikhandini, daughter of King Drupada of Panchala. Drupada had been told by Shiva that his child would change gender, so he raised Shikhandini as a boy. When Shikhandini reached adulthood and was betrothed to a princess of Dasharna, the deception threatened to unravel. Shikhandini fled into the forest, where a yaksha named Sthunakarna agreed to exchange his male form for her female one. Kubera cursed the yaksha to remain female until Shikhandi's death, making the transformation permanent. Shikhandi became a warrior in body as well as upbringing.

The Fall of Bhishma

Bhishma was invincible for ten days at Kurukshetra. Krishna reminded Arjuna that Bhishma would not raise weapons against anyone he recognized as having been a woman. On the tenth day, Arjuna placed Shikhandi at the front of his chariot. Bhishma saw who stood there. He lowered his bow. Arjuna pierced him with a torrent of arrows until the grandsire fell from his chariot onto a bed of shafts. Amba's vow, made in fire, was fulfilled.

Death

Shikhandi survived the war but not its aftermath. Ashwatthama killed him in the night raid on the sleeping Pandava camp.