“Bhishma continued, ’Having said this (unto each other), they both.  O king, made a covenant, and imparted unto each other’s body their sexes.  And the Yaksha Sthuna, O Bharata, became a female, while Sikhandini obtained the blazing form of the Yaksha.  Then, O king, Sikhandini of Panchala’s race, having obtained manhood, entered his city in great joy and approached his father.  And he represented unto Drupada everything that had happened.  And Drupada, bearing it all became highly glad.  And along with his wife the king recollected the words of Maheswara.  And he forthwith sent, O king, messenger unto the ruler of the Dasarnakas, saying, ‘This my child is a male.  Let it be believed by thee!’ The king of the Dasarnakas meanwhile, filled with sorrow and grief, suddenly approached Drupada, the ruler of the Panchalas.  And arrived at Kampilya, the Dasarnaka king despatched, after paying him proper honours, an envoy who was one of the foremost of those conversant with the Vedas.  And he addressed the envoy, saying, ’Instructed by me, O messenger, say unto that worst of kings the ruler of the Panchalas, these words,—­viz., O thou of wicked understanding, having selected my daughter as a wife for one who is thy daughter, thou shalt today, without doubt, behold the fruit of that act of deception.’  Thus addressed and despatched by him, O best of kings, the Brahmana set out for Drupada’s city as Dasarnaka’s envoy.  And having arrived at the city, the priest went unto Drupada’s presence.  The king of the Panchalas then, with Sikhandin, offered the envoy, O king, a cow and honey.  The Brahmana, however, without accepting that worship, said unto him these words that had been communicated through him by the brave ruler of the Dasarnakas who was cased in a golden mail.  And he said, ’O thou of vile behaviours, I have been deceived by thee through thy daughter (as the means)!  I will exterminate thee with thy counsellors and sons and kinsmen!’ Having, in the midst of his counsellors, been made by that priest to hear those words fraught with censure and uttered by the ruler of the Dasarnakas, king Drupada then, O chief of Bharata’s race, assuming a mild behaviour from motives of friendship, ’said, The reply to these words of my brother that thou hast said unto me, O Brahmana, will be carried to that monarch by my envoy!’ And king Drupada then, sent unto the high-souled Hiranyavarman a Brahmana learned in the Vedas as his envoy.  And that envoy, going unto king Hiranyavarman, the ruler of the Dasarnakas, said unto him, ’O monarch, the word that Drupada had entrusted him with.’  And he said, ’This my child is really a male.  Let it be made clear by means of witness!  Somebody has spoken falsely to thee.  That should not be believed!’ Then the king of the Dasarnakas, having heard the words of Drupada, was filled with sorrow and despatched a number of young ladies of great beauty for ascertaining whether Sikhandin was a male or female.  Despatched by him, those ladies, having ascertained (the truth)