Shikhandi

E452920

Shikhandi is a pivotal and complex warrior in the Mahabharata, known for being instrumental in the downfall of Bhishma during the Kurukshetra War due to their unique gender history and past-life connection.

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Statements (44)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Mahabharata character
mythological character
warrior
appearsIn Mahabharata NERFINISHED
associatedWith Panchala royal family NERFINISHED
associatedWithTheme dharma
gender fluidity
revenge
basedOn Amba NERFINISHED
belongsToKingdom Panchala NERFINISHED
birthAssignedGender female
causeOfBhishmaFall presence on Arjuna’s chariot
culturalSignificance icon of third-gender narratives in South Asia
cursedOrVowedBy Amba (in previous birth) NERFINISHED
deathContext dies sometime after Bhishma in the Kurukshetra War (details vary by version)
fightsAlongside Arjuna NERFINISHED
genderIdentity transgender figure
hasFather Drupada NERFINISHED
hasOtherName Shikhandini (in earlier life stage) NERFINISHED
hasPastLifeConflictWith Bhishma NERFINISHED
hasSibling Dhrishtadyumna NERFINISHED
Draupadi NERFINISHED
instrumentalIn downfall of Bhishma
keyBattleEvent used as shield by Arjuna against Bhishma
languageOfPrimarySources Sanskrit NERFINISHED
laterRecognizedGender male
literarySource critical edition of the Mahabharata (with variations in regional recensions)
narrativeFunction fulfills destiny of Amba against Bhishma
notableEpisode exchange of gender/sex with a yaksha (in some versions)
parentalExpectation raised as son by Drupada
playsRoleIn Kurukshetra War NERFINISHED
reasonBhishmaDoesNotFight Bhishma sees Shikhandi as woman
reincarnationOf Amba NERFINISHED
religion Hinduism
representedIn classical Indian art
contemporary retellings of the Mahabharata
modern Indian theatre
roleInPandavaStrategy key to overcoming Bhishma’s battle invincibility
sideInKurukshetraWar Pandavas NERFINISHED
spouse daughter of Hiranyavarman (according to some versions)
swornEnemyOf Bhishma NERFINISHED
textualTradition Hindu epic literature
vowsTo kill Bhishma
weaponUsed bow and arrows

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Drona Parva featuresCharacter Shikhandi
Kurukshetra War hasKeyFigure Shikhandi
Draupadi sibling Shikhandi