Misso missetum icchati Isisiṅgam Alambusā

Completed M

Summary: Ṛṡyaśṛṅga guesses that his visitor Alambusā is a woman, a human dimorphic to himself. However, Alambusā dislikes to have a womanly body, preferring to be a man.

Alambusa Ārśyaśṛṅgi is the name of a Rākṣasa warrior in Mahābhārata: Alambusa, son of Ṛśyaśṛṅga. My story of the conversation between his parents Alambusā and Ṛśyaśṛṅga builds upon details found in Mahābhārata and Alambusā-jātaka.

Unlike other versions of Ṛśyaśṛṅga's story (Mahābhārata and Naḷinikā-jātaka) in which he is the principal character and his misgendering of a sensual woman with masculine and ascetic attributes is humourous, Alambusā-jātaka focusses on Alambusā's spirituality, humility, and extraordinary beauty that Ṛśyaśṛṅga mostly recognizes as feminine. My story inverts Alambusā's motives along with gender identity.

The second chapter is a trigger warning written in Saṃskṛta śloka verses for the story of the duel between Bhīma's son Ghaṭotkaca and Duryodhana's son Lakṣmaṇa. The story itself can be found in the Saṃskṛta Text Discussion Forum. Author's Note: The title is Pāḷi and means "Mixed Alambusā Wants Ṛśyaśṛṅga To Mix." Similar words are repeated in the verses of Alambusā-jātaka, but I have changed their inflection from feminine to masculine.

This story is an entry in the Own Your Stories non-contest for International Transgender Day of Visibility 2023. Trigger Warning: Extent of Trigger Warnings : mild ; Trigger Warnings : prostitution, mental health issue.

Content Warnings : sexual situation, sexual language.