Amba- Hindu FigureMortal"Princess of Kashi"
Also known as: अम्बा and Ambā
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Description
Abducted by Bhishma, rejected by the husband she had chosen, and refused by Bhishma himself on grounds of his celibacy vow. Amba burned herself alive to be reborn as the warrior Shikhandi. On the field of Kurukshetra, Bhishma recognized her spirit and lowered his bow, and Arjuna's arrows brought him down.
Mythology & Lore
The Abduction
Amba was the eldest of the three princesses of Kashi. When their father held a svayamvara for their marriage, Bhishma arrived uninvited and carried off all three princesses by force of arms, intending them as brides for his half-brother Vichitravirya. While her sisters Ambika and Ambalika accepted the match, Amba revealed that she had already chosen Shalva, king of Saubha, as her husband. Bhishma, respecting her declaration, released her to go to Shalva.
Rejection and Despair
When Amba reached Shalva's kingdom, he refused to accept her. Having been abducted and claimed by Bhishma in public view, she was tainted in Shalva's eyes regardless of the circumstances. Amba returned to Hastinapura and demanded that Bhishma marry her himself, since he had ruined her prospects. But Bhishma was bound by his lifelong vow of celibacy and could not. Trapped between two refusals with nowhere to turn, Amba's grief transformed into a consuming rage directed at the man she held responsible for her misery.
The Quest for Vengeance
Amba sought warriors willing to challenge Bhishma on her behalf. She appealed to Parashurama, Bhishma's own martial guru, who fought a legendary battle against his former student lasting many days. Neither could defeat the other, and Parashurama ultimately told Amba he could not help her. Undeterred, Amba withdrew into the forest and undertook extreme austerities, directing all her ascetic power toward a single purpose: Bhishma's destruction.
Shiva's Boon and Rebirth
Through years of fierce penance, Amba pleased Shiva, who granted her the boon that she would be the cause of Bhishma's fall in her next life. Amba immolated herself on a funeral pyre to hasten her rebirth. She was reborn as the daughter of King Drupada of Panchala and later transformed into a man named Shikhandi. In the great battle of Kurukshetra, Shikhandi stood at the front of the Pandava formation, and Bhishma, recognizing Amba's spirit, refused to fight. Shielded by Shikhandi, Arjuna struck Bhishma with a volley of arrows, bringing the invincible warrior down at last.