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{{short description|Character of Mahabharata}}
{{short description|Mother of Dhritarashtra in epic Mahabharata}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Ambika (''Mahabharata'')}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox character
{{Infobox royalty
| title = Kuru Queen
| series = [[Mahabharata]]
| image = Bhisma fight in Swayamvara.jpg
| alt = Ambika
| caption = [[Bhishma]] abducting princesses [[Amba (Mahabharata)|Amba]], Ambika and [[Ambalika]] from the assemblage of suitors at their swayamvara
| spouse = [[Vichitravirya]]
| spouse = [[Vichitravirya]]
| children = [[Dhritarashtra]]
| issue = [[Dhritarashtra]]
| father = Kashya
| family = [[Amba (Mahabharata)|Amba]] and [[Ambalika]] (sisters)
| mother = Kausalya
| siblings = {{bulleted list|[[Amba (Mahabharata)|Amba]]|[[Ambika (Mahabharata)|Ambalika]]|Senabindu}}
| relatives = [[Kauravas]] (grand children)
| relatives = [[Kauravas]] (grand children)
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
| color = #FFC569
| dynasty = [[Kashi]] (by birth)<br/>[[Kuru dynasty|Kuruvamsha]]-[[Lunar dynasty|Chandravamsha]] (by marriage)
| house = [[Hastinapur]]a
}}
}}
In the epic [[Mahabharata]], '''Ambika''' ([[Sanskrit]]: अंबिका, ''ambikā'') is the daughter of Kashya, the King of [[Kingdom of Kashi|Kashi]], and wife of [[Vichitravirya]], the King of [[Hastinapur]].


'''Ambika''' ({{Lang-sa|अम्बिका|translit=Ambikā}}) is the queen of [[Kuru Kingdom]] in the Hindu epic [[Mahabharata]]. The second daughter of Kashya, the King of [[Kingdom of Kashi|Kashi]] and Kausalya, she is abducted by [[Bhishma]] during her [[svayamvara]], and becomes the wife of [[Vichitravirya]], the King of [[Hastinapur]]a. Ambika is the mother of [[Dhritarashtra]] and the grandmother of [[Kauravas]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2012-02-28 |title=Ambika, Aṃbikā, Ambikā: 29 definitions |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ambika |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>
==History==
⚫
[[File:Mahabharata_Partial_Family_Tree.png|thumb|Mahabharata Partial Family Tree]]
⚫
Along with her sisters, [[Amba (Mahabharata)|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01103.htm |title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CII |publisher=[[Sacred-texts.com]] |access-date=2012-08-15}}</ref><ref name=B>{{cite book|title=Myths and Legends from India - Great Women|last=Bhanu|first=Sharada|publisher=Macmillan India Limited|year=1997|location=Chennai|isbn=0-333-93076-2|pages=35–6}}</ref>


==Legend==
After Vichitravirya's death, his mother Satyavati sent for her first born, [[Rishi]] [[Vyasa|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01106.htm |title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CV |publisher=Sacred-texts.com |access-date=2012-08-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01107.htm |title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CVI |publisher=Sacred-texts.com |access-date=2012-08-15}}</ref>
⚫
[[File:Mahabharata_Partial_Family_Tree.png|thumb|''Mahabharata'' Partial Family Tree]]
⚫
Along with her sisters, [[Amba (Mahabharata)|Amba]] and [[Ambalika]], Ambika was taken by force by [[Bhishma]] from their [[swayamvara|svayamvara]], the latter having challenged and defeated the assembled royalty. He presented them to his step-mother, [[Satyavati]], for marriage to Vichitravirya. While Amba expressed her desire not to marry him as she was in love with a king named Salva, Ambika and Ambalika married Vichitravirya, and spent seven years in their husband's company. Vichitravirya was afflicted with [[tuberculosis]], and subsequently died from the disease.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01103.htm |title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CII |publisher=[[Sacred-texts.com]] |access-date=2012-08-15}}</ref><ref name=B>{{cite book|title=Myths and Legends from India - Great Women|last=Bhanu|first=Sharada|publisher=Macmillan India Limited|year=1997|location=Chennai|isbn=0-333-93076-2|pages=35–6}}</ref>


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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01129.htm |title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CXXVIII |publisher=Sacred-texts.com |access-date=2012-08-15}}</ref>
After Vichitravirya's death, he left behind no heirs. His mother Satyavati sent for her first born, the [[rishi]] [[Vyasa]]. She asked him to sire children with the widowed queens of Vichitravirya according to the prevalent custom of [[Niyoga]]. Vyasa had come from years of intense meditation, and as a result, looked tremendously unkempt. When he approached Ambika, she closed her eyes in fear. As a result, the blind [[Dhritrashtra]] was born from their union. When he approached Ambalika, she turned pale in fear. Her son [[Pandu]], the result of their union, was born with a pale appearance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01106.htm |title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CV |publisher=Sacred-texts.com |access-date=2012-08-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01107.htm |title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CVI |publisher=Sacred-texts.com |access-date=2012-08-15}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01129.htm |title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CXXVIII |publisher=Sacred-texts.com |access-date=2012-08-15}}</ref>

== In popular culture ==
*In [[B. R. Chopra]]'s 1988 series ''[[Mahabharat (1988 TV series)|Mahabharat]]'', Ambika was portrayed by Meena Chakrabarty.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-10-02|title=31 years of Mahabharat on Doordarshan: Interesting facts about one of most popular TV shows ever|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/entertainment/31-years-of-mahabharat-on-doordarshan-know-interesting-facts-about-one-of-most-popular-tv-shows-ever/1724556/|access-date=2020-07-24|website=The Financial Express|language=en-US}}</ref>
* In the 2013 [[StarPlus|Star Plus]]'s series ''[[Mahabharat (2013 TV series)|Mahabharat]]'' (2013), Ambika was portrayed by [[Aparna Dixit]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=An epic for an epic, on small screen - All-new Mahabharata|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/an-epic-for-an-epic-on-small-screen-all-new-mahabharata/cid/614823|website=The Telegraph|access-date=9 May 2020|archive-date=31 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531011506/https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/an-epic-for-an-epic-on-small-screen-all-new-mahabharata/cid/614823|url-status=live}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/maha/index.htm KMG Mahabharata]
*[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/maha/index.htm KMG ''Mahabharata'']


{{Mahabharata}}
{{Mahabharata}}
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[[Category:Characters in the Mahabharata]]
[[Category:Characters in the Mahabharata]]


{{Hindu-myth-stub}}

Latest revision as of 11:12, 19 June 2024

Ambika
Kuru Queen
SpouseVichitravirya
IssueDhritarashtra
HouseHastinapura
DynastyKashi (by birth)
Kuruvamsha-Chandravamsha (by marriage)
FatherKashya
MotherKausalya
ReligionHinduism

Ambika (Sanskrit: अम्बिका, romanized: Ambikā) is the queen of Kuru Kingdom in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The second daughter of Kashya, the King of Kashi and Kausalya, she is abducted by Bhishma during her svayamvara, and becomes the wife of Vichitravirya, the King of Hastinapura. Ambika is the mother of Dhritarashtra and the grandmother of Kauravas.[1]

Legend

[edit]
Mahabharata Partial Family Tree

Along with her sisters, Amba and Ambalika, Ambika was taken by force by Bhishma from their svayamvara, the latter having challenged and defeated the assembled royalty. He presented them to his step-mother, Satyavati, for marriage to Vichitravirya. While Amba expressed her desire not to marry him as she was in love with a king named Salva, Ambika and Ambalika married Vichitravirya, and spent seven years in their husband's company. Vichitravirya was afflicted with tuberculosis, and subsequently died from the disease.[2][3]

After Vichitravirya's death, he left behind no heirs. His mother Satyavati sent for her first born, the rishi Vyasa. She asked him to sire children with the widowed queens of Vichitravirya according to the prevalent custom of Niyoga. Vyasa had come from years of intense meditation, and as a result, looked tremendously unkempt. When he approached Ambika, she closed her eyes in fear. As a result, the blind Dhritrashtra was born from their union. When he approached Ambalika, she turned pale in fear. Her son Pandu, the result of their union, was born with a pale appearance.[4][5]

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.[6]

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (28 February 2012). "Ambika, Aṃbikā, Ambikā: 29 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  2. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CII". Sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  3. ^ Bhanu, Sharada (1997). Myths and Legends from India - Great Women. Chennai: Macmillan India Limited. pp. 35–6. ISBN 0-333-93076-2.
  4. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CV". Sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  5. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CVI". Sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  6. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section CXXVIII". Sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  7. ^ "31 years of Mahabharat on Doordarshan: Interesting facts about one of most popular TV shows ever". The Financial Express. 2 October 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  8. ^ "An epic for an epic, on small screen - All-new Mahabharata". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
[edit]
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