Amba
Encyclopedia
Amba was the eldest daughter of King of Kashi in the Hindu
epic of the Mahābhārata
. 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 to Bheesma that she is in love with king of Salva and not ready to marry Vichitravirya. Hearing thus from her, Bheesma had a discussion with many learned man and Brahmins and permitted Amba to go to Salva's place. But he 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 bachelorhood. Enraged that she was going to be an unmarriageable woman, she swore to kill him, at least in her next life,and 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 and they had a great fight and at the end Bhishma won the battle but amba revenge was not done.she did great prayers and penance and gained wish from lord shiva that she would be the reason for bhishma death in the next birth.
She was re-born as Shikhandi
the son of Drupada
. In the battle of Kurukshetra
, Shikhandi was instrumental in Bhishma's death.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
epic of the Mahābhārata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
. Along with her sisters Ambika and Ambalika
Ambalika
Ambalika was the daughter of Kashya, the King of Kashi and queen of Vichitravirya, King of Hastinapura.Along with her sisters Amba and Ambika, she was taken by force by Bhishma from their Swayamvara, the latter having challenged and defeated the assembled royalty...
, she was taken by force by Bhishma
Bhishma
Bhishma or Bheeshma or Devavrata or 'Bhishma Pitamah' was the eighth son of Kuru King Shantanu who was blessed with wish-long life and had sworn to serve the ruling Kuru king. He was one of the most prominent characters of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata. He was the grand uncle of both the...
from their Swayamvara
Swayamvara
Swayamvara , in ancient India, was a practice of choosing a husband, from among a list of suitors, by a girl of marriageable age. Swayam in Sanskrit means self and vara means choice or desire ....
. (Bhishma challenged the assembled Kings and Princes and defeated them.) He presented them to Satyavati
Satyavati
Satyavati was the queen of the Kuru king Shantanu of Hastinapur and the great-grandmother of the Pandava and Kaurava princes . She is also the mother of the seer Vyasa, author of the epic...
for marriage to Vichitravirya
Vichitravirya
Vichitravirya in the Hindu epic Mahabharata is the younger son of queen Satyavatī and king Śaṅtanu. His elder brother, Chitrāngada, had initially succeeded their father to the throne of Hastinapura, but when he died childless, Vichitravirya succeeded him.Vichitravirya was still a child when he was...
, the king of Hastinapura
Hastinapura
Hastinapur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-History:Hastinapur was the capital of the kingdom of the Kauravas, belonging to the Kuru dynasty of kings. The throne of this city was the prize over which the Kurukshetra War of the epic...
.
Vichitravirya married only her sisters, because Amba told to Bheesma that she is in love with king of Salva and not ready to marry Vichitravirya. Hearing thus from her, Bheesma had a discussion with many learned man and Brahmins and permitted Amba to go to Salva's place. But he 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 bachelorhood. Enraged that she was going to be an unmarriageable woman, she swore to kill him, at least in her next life,and 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 and they had a great fight and at the end Bhishma won the battle but amba revenge was not done.she did great prayers and penance and gained wish from lord shiva that she would be the reason for bhishma death in the next birth.
She was re-born as Shikhandi
Shikhandi
Shikhandi is a character in the Hindu epic, the Mahābhārata. He was originally born as a girl child named 'Shikhandini' to Drupada, the king of Panchala...
the son of Drupada
Drupada
Drupada , also known as Yajnasena, is a character in the Mahābhārata. He is king of the land of Panchala.In his youth he studies with, and becomes a friend of Drona. Drupada makes him promise to share all his fortunes with him. Later, when Drupada becomes king of Panchaladesa, Drona reminds him...
. In the battle of Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra is a land of historical and religious importance. Historically the land belonged to Punjab now a district in Haryana state of India. It is a holy place and is also known as Dharmakshetra . According to the Puranas, Kurukshetra is named after King Kuru, the ancestor of Kauravas and...
, Shikhandi was instrumental in Bhishma's death.