Amba (Mahabharata)

Amba (Mahabharata)

Amba (अम्‍बा) was the eldest daughter of King of Kashi in the Hindu epic of the Mahabharata. Along with her sisters Ambika and Ambalika, she was taken by force by Bhishma from their Swayamvara. (Bhishma challenged the assembled Kings and Princes and defeated them.) He presented them to Satyavati for marriage to Vichitravirya, the king of Hastinapura.

Vichitravirya married only her sisters, because Amba told Bhishma that she was in love with king of Salva and not ready to marry anyone else. Hearing this from her, Bhishma had discussions with many learned people and permitted Amba to go to Salva's place. But Salva rejected her as well, in shame of losing the combat against Bhishma at the Swayamvara. Amba then returned to Bhishma and demanded that he marry her. He declined since he had already taken a vow of celibacy. Enraged that she was going to be an unmarried woman, she swore to kill him, at least in her next life, and tried to persuade other kings to wage a war with Bhishma. None agreed for they were afraid of incurring the wrath of the great warrior. According to summary by C. Rajagopalachari, she resorted to penance and received a garland of blue lotuses from Lord Subramanya and it was foretold that anyone wearing the garland would become Bhishma's enemy. She again with no avail tried to persuade the warriors to accept the garland and champion her cause. But again none wanted to antagonize Bhishma. According to Vyasa Mahabharata she went to Guru Parshuram who was the teacher of Bhishma. Parshuram called Bhishma and asked him to marry Amba or have a fight with him. Bhishma decided to fight with Parshuram; they had a great fight and at the end Bhishma won the battle. But Amba's revenge was not done. She did great prayers and penances; as a result, she gained a boon from Lord Shiva that she would be the reason for Bhishma's death in the next birth.