Arjun as Brihannala, a eunuch - Page 3

I think before arjun get respectable life as eunch it is shikhandi already get respectable life as eunch . Shikhandi was not reject by parents due to transgender and gave him right to live with respect like other

Originally posted by: surabhi01

I think before arjun get respectable life as eunch it is shikhandi already get respectable life as eunch. Shikhandi was not reject by parents due to transgender and gave him right to live with respect like other

Is it that Shikhandi was born as a female, Shikhandini and later changed her sex but became a eunuch (as per Wikipedia)? Or was she born a female but chose to live as a man which makes her a transgender? Is it that she, being a woman, lived as a man but still was attracted to men which makes her queer even amongst homosexuals? I am asking as I am not sure.

Personally, I think Shikhandi's sexuality is debatable and not very clear even in the text.

And yes, you're right. Even Shikhandi's example shows how accepting the society in MB is with regards to various sexualities.

Originally posted by: sonnet11

Is it that Shikhandi was born as a female, Shikhandini and later changed her sex but became a eunuch (as per Wikipedia)? Or was she born a female but chose to live as a man which makes her a transgender? Is it that she, being a woman, lived as a man but still was attracted to men which makes her queer even amongst homosexuals? I am asking as I am not sure.

Personally, I think Shikhandi's sexuality is debatable and not very clear even in the text.

And yes, you're right. Even Shikhandi's example shows how accepting the society in MB is with regards to various sexualities.

Shikhandi reproduced with his wife, so speaking within non-religious limits, he had to have the chromosomes and the equipment and the ability.

So biologically and physically, he was a man.

He could've been trans or gay.

Originally posted by: HearMeRoar

Shikhandi reproduced with his wife, so speaking within non-religious limits, he had to have the chromosomes and the equipment and the ability.

So biologically and physically, he was a man.

He could've been trans or gay.

I don't think he was either. Nothing in the text discards his ability as a man, Jain scriptures don't even give him any female quality, just mention him as reincarnation of Amba but a complete man in this birth

I think he would simply have been someone exhibiting effeminacy

Originally posted by: FlauntPessimism

I don't think he was either. Nothing in the text discards his ability as a man, Jain scriptures don't even give him any female quality, just mention him as reincarnation of Amba but a complete man in this birth

I think he would simply have been someone exhibiting effeminacy

Could be. But why not trans or gay? 🤓He could still function as male.

Originally posted by: HearMeRoar

Could be. But why not trans or gay? 🤓He could still function as male.

Trans is possible but I don't think gay would go with a girl to produce offsprings.

He could be either a trans or a effeminate but I found the second more probable because the first is easy to hide, and no king will want to expose this orientation of his son at least back then. It should have been something which was very apparent to the external world

Topic maker here is information about shikhandi apart from wiki

https://www.bhaskar.com/news/JM-JKR-DGRA-UTLT-mahabharat-know-the-full-story-of-shikhandi-5777227-PHO.html

https://www.ancient-origins.net/history/legend-shikhandi-transgendered-warrior-who-paid-price-opposing-powerful-men-009369

https://hindi.webdunia.com/sanatan-dharma-history/shikhandi-118061100071_1.html

https://www.facebook.com/MahabharatKiGalatiyan/posts/the-story-of-shikhandinishikhandiwe-all-know-that-story-of-amba-and-bhishma-how-/476162715829949/

It is said that amba in next birth first born as girl named shikhandini then after she went to forest and did severe tapasya and turn into man called shikhandi

Here in another link

http://greatlittlewarrior.blogspot.com/2012/07/mahabharatajaya-story-of-shikhandi-and.html

It is also said that when shikhandini went to forest in order to become man. A yaksh donate her male organ and in exchange he take female organ of shikhandini

Here I am not applying my own theory how shikhandini become man here I am not assuming any thing

Just share what ever available on net about shikhandi

Thank you @surabhi, @HeaMeroar and @FlauntPessimism - You're all right as Shikhadi's story is told differently in different versions.

1. In some, Amba was reborn as a male Shikhandi and he had a son from his marriage (this is KMG's version)

2. In others, Amba was reborn a female but raised as a male by king Dhrupad and then transformed into a male through tapasya before her marriage to a princess,

3. In earlier versions of MB, Amba was reborn as a female and raised as a male but transformed into a male only after her marriage to a princess by swapping her biological-sexuality with a yaksha in a forest.

The 2nd and 3rd points make her a transsexual. The 1st point makes Shikhandi as someone born a male (female in the previous birth) filled with revenge and hatred against Bhishma - whether he was effeminate or gay in this birth is debatable - if he remembered his past life then maybe he was very much in touch with her femininity and somewhat inclined towards male attraction but we can't be sure.

I reach to one conclusion after all these versions, that MB is presenting sexuality as fluid, and soul, the essence that you are, as genderless.

Originally posted by: FlauntPessimism

I don't think he was either. Nothing in the text discards his ability as a man, Jain scriptures don't even give him any female quality, just mention him as reincarnation of Amba but a complete man in this birth

I think he would simply have been someone exhibiting effeminacy

Alright but why then did Bhishma stopped fighting on seeing her? 😆