Srikandi

Srikandhi utawa Dèwi Srikandhi, utawa Wara Srikandhi (Sangskreta Śikhaṇḍī) iku sawijining paraga ing wiracarita Mahabaratha. Srikandhi iku putriné Prabu Drupada (jeneng enomé Sucitra), raja saka negara Cempalaraja.

 

Srikandhi kondhang minangka prajurit èstri. Kedadéyan iku nalika Srikandhi mlaku metu saka kraton, banjur nemokaké kalung kembang teraté sing ana ing gapura kraton. Kembang iku arupa kembang sing ditinggal déning Dèwi Amba ana ing negara Pancala minangka pratandha dendam, sapa waé kan migunakaké kalung iku, wong iku sing bakal merjaya Begawan Bisma.

 

Shikhandi had been born in an earlier lifetime as a woman named Amba. Amba was the eldest daughter of King of Kashi. Along with her sisters Ambika and Ambalika, she was taken by force by Bhishma from their Swayamvara. He presented them to Satyavati for marriage to Vichitravirya, the king of Hastinapura. Vichitravirya married only her sisters, because Amba told Bhishma that she was in love with king of Salva and was not ready to marry anyone else. Hearing this from her, Bhishma permitted Amba to go to Salva's place. But Salva rejected her as well, in shame of losing the combat against Bhishma at the Swayamvara. Amba then returned to Bhishma and demanded that he marry her. He declined since he had already taken a vow of celibacy. Enraged that she was going to be an unmarried woman, she swore to kill him, and tried to persuade other kings to wage a war with Bhishma. None agreed for they were afraid of incurring the wrath of the great warrior. According to the summary by C. Rajagopalachari, she resorted to penance and received a garland of blue lotuses from Lord Subramanya and it was foretold that anyone wearing the garland would become the cause of Bhishma's death. She again with no avail tried to persuade the warriors to accept the garland and champion her cause. But again none wanted to antagonize Bhishma. Amba, in anger, hung the garland on the gates of King Drupada and left in agony. Amba was reborn as Shikhandini, the daughter of King Drupada.