Amba, reborn as Shikhandini, the daughter of Drupada, was born to fulfil her revenge against Bhishma.
Her birth prophesied that she would live her life as a woman for a period of time and would later turn into a man. Drupada thus raised Shikhandini as Shikhandi, a boy, and she was wedded to the daughter of Hiranyavarman.
Soon, Shikhandi’s wife realised that Shikhandi was not a man. King Hiranyavarman, angered by how Drupada had deceived them, waged a war against Drupada.
Saddened by her parents’ problems, Shikhandini built a funeral pyre to commit suicide in the forest. A Yaksha named Stunakarna came across her and enquired about her.
After hearing Shikhandini’s plight, Stunakarna offered to exchange genders for a period of time, and they exchanged their gender.
Shikhandini became a man, and Stunakarna became a Sthuni, a woman.
On the same day, Kubera paid a visit, and noticing that Stunakarna had changed his gender, cursed him that he would remain a woman.
After Stunakarna begged for mercy, Kubera, reducing the potency of the curse, said that Stunakarna would be able to return to manhood after the death of Shikhandini.