Snippets of Information - Epics
Mahabaratham - Characters - Amba, Ambika and Ambalika
The Ambopakhyanaparvan (or Ambopakhyana Parva) is a sub-parva (sub-chapter) within the Bhishma Parva
of the Mahabharata. It narrates the story of Amba, her desire for
revenge against Bhishma, and her subsequent reincarnation as Shikhandi
(Shikandini).
Amba, Ambika and Ambalika were the daughters of Kashya, the King of Kashi and Kausalya. Kashya arranged their swayamvara. Bhishma
had taken a vow of celibacy and his half-brother Vichitravirya was a weak personality.
The king of Kasi felt Vichitravirya was not a suitable match for his daughters. He
therefore did not send an invitation to Hastinapura. Angered
Bhishma attended the swayamvar, defeated all the gathered kings including king Salva and
abducted the three sisters to be wed to his half-brother Vichitravirya.
Amba (Shikandi)
Amba told Bhishma that she loved Salva, the ruler of Salva (Saubala) and
had decided to select and garland him during the swayamvara, upon which
Bhishma sent her to meet her lover. But Salva refused to accept
Amba who had been won by another. Amba came back to Bhishma and
demanded that he marry her. Bhishma had to refuse because of his
vow of celibacy. Thus repeatedly humiliated, Amba went to sage
Parasurama for assistance, who tired to convince Bhishma that it was his
duty to marry Amba. Bhishma was firm in his refusal and there
ensued a 23 days war between Bhishma and his guru Parasurama. The
Gods had to finally intervene on the 24th day and stop the dreadful war.
The angered Amba declared that she would achieve her vengeance by
observing severe penance. She got a boon from Lord Siva and was reborn
as Shikandini, daughter of Drupada, the Panchala king. She was elder to
Dhrishtadyumna and Draupadi. Shikhandini was raised by her father
Drupada as a son and trained in warfare with the sole aim of killing
Bhishma. Drupada got Shikandini married to the daughter of King
Hiranyavarna of Dasharna. When the princess complained to her father,
Shikandini escaped to a forest near Panchala.
Shikhandini wanted to become a male and was assisted in this by a Yaksha
named Sthunakarna, who lived in the forest. A Yaksha is an attendant of
Kubera, the god of wealth. The angered Gubera cursed Sthunakarna that
he would be unable to resume his male gender until the death of
Shikandi.
The princess of Dasharna accepted Shikandi after the gender change and they had a son called Kshatradeva who fought on the side of the Pandavas.
In the Ambopakhyanaparvan sub parva of Udyoga Parva of the Mahabharata,
Bhishma explained to Duryodhana, why he could not fight with Shikandi
who was actually a woman turned into a man.
Ambika and Ambalika
Vichitravirya married Ambika and Ambalika. He however died early without leaving a heir.
A widowed Satyavati initially asked her stepson, Bhishma, to marry both
the queens, but he refused, citing his vow of celibacy. Satyavati
revealed her secret past and requested Bhishma to bring her firstborn Vyasa to impregnate the widows under a tradition called Niyoga. By this time, Vyasa had compiled the Vedas.
Sage Vyasa was unkempt because of months of meditation in the forest.
Hence upon seeing him, Ambika who was rather scared shut her eyes,
resulting in their child, Dhritarashtra, being born blind. The other
queen, Ambalika, turned pale in fear upon meeting Vyasa, which resulted
in their child Pandu being born pale. Alarmed, Satyavati requested that
Vyasa meet Ambika again and grant her another son. Ambika instead sent
her maid to meet Vyasa. The duty-bound maid was calm and composed; she
had a healthy child named Vidura.
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