The Wife who turned into a man for her husband

King Shikidvaja of Malva left the kingdom to live his life like a hermit in search of wisdom. He was married to Chudala, a yogini, a wise mind-reader and psychic. Chudala had the power of transforming herself as she wished.

Shikidvaja never paid attention to Chudala as he considered that she is a woman and that she was a better wife. When Shikidvaja left the kingdom, but, what he did not know was that Chudala was very much capable and would be able to take care of the kingdom as she was very wise. Chudala did not stop Shikidvaja believing that he will soon understand how wise Chudala is and there is no need to live the life in the forest to get true wisdom.

Chudala in a disguised form as a man and introduced herself to Shikidvaja in the forest as a fellow hermit Kumbhaka. Kumbhaka shared his knowledge and wisdom with him and even said that it was possible to live along with the society as a sage. Shikidvaja was taken aback as Kumbhaka being a man and saying all those words. The two became really good friends and Shikidvaja learned about all Kumbhaka’s accomplishments. Chudala was very happy that her husband now knows about her wisdom through Kumbhaka’s accomplishments.

One day then Kumbhaka said that he saw the hot- tempered sage Durvasa hurrying through the sky and remarked that he looked like a woman running to meet her lover. The sage did not take this comment kindly and cursed Kumbhaka that he would turn into a woman every night. In front of the king, Kumbhaka turned into a woman called Madanika.

Shikidvaja let Madanika sleep in his tent but he made no attempts to have sex with her, for he was determined to stay celibate and become a true hermit. All day Shikidvaja would listen to the wise words of Kumbhaka and at night he would dispassionately sleep with Madanika.

One day, Madanika said that she wants to feel the pleasure known to a woman and asked Shikidvaja to dispassionately satisfy her. Shikidvaja would listen to Kumbhaka all day and made love to Madnika at night.

Chudala decided to test Shikidvaja and used her magic powers to create an illusion of a bed on which she laid as Madanika making passionate love to a handsome stranger. The king saw them and turned away unmoved and said ‘Sorry to disturb you. Please carry on.’

Delighted at the king’s immunity to lust and anger, Madanika transformed into Chudala and revealed her identity and purpose.

Shikidvaja saw sense in the words of his wife and said that wisdom had nothing to do with being a hermit or householder or being in a palace or a city. He realized that he refused to see wisdom in his wife because she was a woman. Shikidvaja pleaded forgiveness as he accepted the same wisdom from his wife when she disguised as a man.

He returned to his kingdom with his wife – who was both his teacher Kumbhaka and his lover Madanika – and ruled the land with the wise Chudala by his side.