Ambika (Mahabharata)

Ambika
Ambika Bhishma abducting princesses Amba, Ambika and Ambalika from the assemblage of suitors at their swayamvara
Information
Family	Parents Kashya (Father) Sisters Amba Ambalika
Spouse	Vichitravirya
Children	Dhritarashtra
Relatives	Kauravas Dushala (grand children)

In the epic Mahabharata, Ambika (Sanskrit: अंबिका, ambikā) is the sister of Amba, the King of Kashi, and grandmother to Kauravas and Dushala.

History

Mahabharata Partial Family Tree

Along with her sisters, Amba and Ambalika, Ambika was taken by force by Bhishma from their Swayamvara, the latter having challenged and defeated the assembled royalty. He presented them to Satyavati for marriage to Vichitravirya. While Amba expressed her desire not to marry him as she was in love with a king named Salwa, Ambika and Ambalika married Vichitravirya and spent seven years in their husband's company. Vichitravirya was affected with phthisis, (tuberculosis) and died from the disease.

After Vichitravirya's death, his mother Satyavati sent for her first born, Rishi Veda Vyasa. She asked him to father children on the widowed queens of Vichitravirya according to the prevalent custom of Niyoga. Veda Vyasa had come from years of intense meditation and as a result, he looked tremendously unkempt. When he approached Ambika, she closed her eyes in fear. As a result, the blind Dhritrashtra was born. When he approached Ambalika, she turned pale in fear. Her son Pandu, the result of the niyoga, was born with a pale appearance.

After the death of Pandu, Ambika accompanied her mother-in-law Satyavati and sister Ambalika to the forest and spent the rest of her days in spiritual retreat.

External links

• KMG Mahabharata