"'Yudhishthira said, "It behoveth, O king to tell me truly which of the
two viz., man or woman derives the greater pleasure from an act of union
with each other. Kindly resolve my doubt in this respect."
"'Bhishma said, "In this connection is cited this old narrative of the
discourse between Bhangaswana and Sakra as a precedent illustrating the
question. In days of yore there lived a king of the name of Bhangaswana.
He was exceedingly righteous and was known as a royal sage. He was,
however, childless, O chief of men, and therefore performed a sacrifice
from desire of obtaining an issue. The sacrifice which that mighty
monarch performed was the Agnishtuta. In consequence of the fact that the
deity of fire is alone adored in that sacrifice, this is always disliked
by Indra. Yet it is the sacrifice that is desired by men when for the
purpose of obtaining an issue they seek to cleanse themselves of their
sins.[30] The highly blessed chief of the celestials, viz. Indra,
learning that the monarch was desirous of performing the Agnishtuta,
began from that moment to look for the laches of that royal sage of
well-restrained soul (for if he could succeed in finding some laches, he
could then punish his disregarder). Notwithstanding all his vigilance,
however, O king, Indra failed to detect any laches, on the part of the
high-souled monarch. Some time after, one day, the king went on a hunting
expedition. Saying unto himself--This, indeed, is an opportunity,--Indra
stupefied the monarch. The king proceeded alone on his horse, confounded
because of the chief of the celestials having stupefied his senses.
Afflicted with hunger and thirst, the king's confusion was so great that
he could not ascertain the points of the compass. Indeed, afflicted with
thirst, he began to wander hither and thither. He then beheld a lake that
was exceedingly beautiful and was full of transparent water. Alighting
from his steed, and plunging into the lake, he caused his animal to
drink. Tying his horse then, whose thirst had been slaked, to a tree, the
king plunged into the lake again for performing his ablutions. To his
amazement he found that he was changed, by virtue of the waters, into a
woman. Beholding himself thus transformed in respect of sex itself, the
king became overpowered with shame. With his senses and mind completely
agitated, he began to reflect with his whole heart in this strain:--'Alas,
how shall I ride my steed? How shall I return to my capital? In
consequence of the Agnishtuta sacrifice I have got a hundred sons all
endued with great might, and all children of my own loins. Alas, thus
transformed, what shall I say unto them? What shall I say unto my
spouses, my relatives and well-wishers, and my subjects of the city and
the provinces? Rishis conversant with the truths of duty and religion and
other matters say that mildness and softness and liability to extreme
agitation are the attributes of women, and that activity, hardness, and
energy are the attributes of men. Alas, my manliness has disappeared. For
what reason has femininity come over me? In consequence of this
transformation of sex, how shall I succeed in mounting my horse
again?'--Having indulged in these sad thoughts, the monarch, with great
exertion, mounted his steed and came back to his capital, transformed
though he had been into a woman. His sons and spouses and servants, and
his subjects of the city and the provinces, beholding that extraordinary
transformation, became exceedingly amazed. Then that royal sage, that
foremost of eloquent men, addressing them all, said,--'I had gone out on a
hunting expedition, accompanied by a large force. Losing all knowledge of
the points of the compass, I entered a thick and terrible forest,
impelled by the fates. In that terrible forest, I became afflicted with
thirst and lost my senses. I then beheld a beautiful lake abounding with
fowl of every description. Plunging into that stream for performing my
ablutions, I was transformed into a woman!'--Summoning then his spouses
and counsellors, and all his sons by their names, that best of monarchs
transformed into a woman said unto them these words:--'Do ye enjoy this
kingdom in happiness. As regards myself, I shall repair to the woods, ye
sons.'--Having said so unto his children, the monarch proceeded to the
forest. Arrived there, she came upon an asylum inhabited by an ascetic.
By that ascetic the transformed monarch gave birth to a century of sons.
Taking all those children of hers, she repaired to where her former
children were, and addressing the latter, said,--'Ye are the children of
my loins while I was a man. These are my children brought forth by me in
this state of transformation. Ye sons, do ye all enjoy my kingdom
together, like brothers born of the same parents.'--At this command of
their parent, all the brothers, uniting together, began to enjoy the
kingdom as their joint property. Beholding those children of the king all
jointly enjoying the kingdom as brothers born of the same parents, the
chief of the celestials, filled with wrath, began to reflect--'By
transforming this royal sage into a woman I have, it seems, done him good
instead of an injury.' Saying this, the chief of the celestials viz.,
Indra of a hundred sacrifices, assuming the form of a Brahmana, repaired
to the capital of the king and meeting all the children succeeded in
disuniting the princes. He said unto them--'Brothers never remain at peace
even when they happen to be the children of the same father. The sons of
the sage Kasyapa, viz., the deities and the Asuras, quarrelled with each
other on account of the sovereignty of the three worlds. As regards ye
princes, ye are the children of the royal sage Bhangaswana. These others
are the children of an ascetic. The deities and the Asuras are children
of even one common sire, and yet the latter quarrelled with each other.
How much more, therefore, should you quarrel with each other? This
kingdom that is your paternal property is being enjoyed by these children
of an ascetic.' With these words, Indra succeeded in causing a breach
between them, so that they were very soon engaged in battle and slew each
other. Hearing this, king Bhangaswana, who was living as an ascetic
woman, burnt with grief and poured forth her lamentations. The lord of
the celestials viz. Indra, assuming the guise of a Brahmana, came to that
spot where the ascetic lady was living and meeting her, said,--'O thou
that art possessed of a beautiful face, with what grief dost thou burn so
that thou art pouring forth thy lamentations?'--Beholding the Brahmana the
lady told him in a piteous voice,--'Two hundred sons of mine O regenerate
one, have been slain by Time. I was formerly a king, O learned Brahmana
and in that state had a hundred sons. These were begotten by me after my
own form, O best of regenerate persons. On one occasion I went on a
hunting expedition. Stupefied, I wandered amidst a thick forest.
Beholding at last a lake, I plunged into it. Rising, O foremost of
Brahmanas, I found that I had become a woman. Returning to my capital I
installed my sons in the sovereignty of my dominions and then departed
for the forest. Transformed into a woman, I bore a hundred sons to my
husband who is a high souled ascetic. All of them were born in the
ascetic's retreat. I took them to the capital. My children, through the
influence of Time, quarrelled with each other, O twice-born one. Thus
afflicted by Destiny, I am indulging in grief.' Indra addressed him in
these harsh words.--'In former days, O lady, thou gayest me great pain,
for thou didst perform a sacrifice that is disliked by Indra. Indeed,
though I was present, thou didst not invoke me with honours. I am that
Indra, O thou of wicked understanding. It is I with whom thou hast
purposely sought hostilities.' Beholding Indra, the royal sage fell at his
feet, touching them with his head, and said,--'Be gratified with me, O
foremost of deities. The sacrifice of which thou speakest was performed
from desire of offspring (and not from any wish to hurt thee). It
behoveth thee therefore, to grant me thy pardon.'--Indra, seeing the
transformed monarch prostrate himself thus unto him, became gratified
with him and desired to give him a boon. 'Which of your sons, O king, dost
thou wish, should revive, those that were brought forth by thee
transformed into a woman, or those that were begotten by thee in thy
condition as a person of the male sex?' The ascetic lady, joining her
hands, answered Indra, saying, 'O Vasava, let those sons of mine come to
life that were borne by me as a woman.' Filled with wonder at this reply,
Indra once more asked the lady, 'Why dost thou entertain less affection
for those children of thine that were begotten by thee in thy form of a
person of the male sex? Why is it that thou bearest greater affection for
those children that were borne by thee in thy transformed state? I wish
to hear the reason of this difference in respect of thy affection. It
behoveth thee to tell me everything.'
"'"The lady said, 'The affection that is entertained by a woman is much
greater than that which is entertained by a man. Hence, it is, O Sakra,
that I wish those children to come back to life that were borne by me as
a woman.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "Thus addressed, Indra became highly pleased and said
unto her, 'O lady that art so truthful, let all thy children come back
into life. Do thou take another boon, O foremost of kings, in fact,
whatever boon thou likest. O thou of excellent vows, do thou take from me
whatever status thou choosest, that of woman or of man.'
"'"The lady said, 'I desire to remain a woman, O Sakra. In fact, I do not
wish to be restored to the status of manhood, O Vasava.'--Hearing this
answer, Indra once more asked her, saying,--'Why is it, O puissant one,
that abandoning the status of manhood thou wishest that of womanhood?'
Questioned thus, that foremost of monarchs transformed into a woman
answered, 'In acts of congress, the pleasure that women enjoy is always
much greater than what is enjoyed by men. It is for this reason, O Sakra,
that I desire to continue a woman; O foremost of the deities, truly do I
say unto thee that I derive greater pleasure in my present status of
womanhood. I am quite content with this status of womanhood that I now
have. Do thou leave me now, O lord of heaven.'--Hearing these words of
hers, the lord of the celestials answered,--'So be it,'--and bidding her
farewell, proceeded to heaven. Thus, O monarch, it is known that woman
derives much greater pleasure than man under the circumstances thou hast
asked."'"