AMBĀ . Daughter of a King of Kāśī.
1)
Ambā and Vicitravīrya. Ambā is an ill-starred
character in the story of the Mahābhārata. She had
two younger sisters named Ambikā and Ambālikā.
Bhīṣma, who had taken a vow to remain a bachelor for
life, had once taken Ambā, Ambikā and Ambālikā, the
three daughters of the King of Kāśī, to Hastināpura.
The circumstances in which this happened, are descri-
ed in Devī Bhāgavata, Prathama Skandha as follows:
Śantanu, a King of the Candra Vaṃśa, had two wives,
Gaṅgā and Satyavatī. Bhīṣma was the son of Gaṅgā
and Citrāṅgada and Vicitravīrya were the sons of
Satyavatī. Soon after Bhīṣma's birth, Gaṅgā vanished.
After a long period of reign, Śantanu also died. Satya-
vatī and the three sons were left behind in the palace.
According to a vow he had taken long ago, Bhīṣma,
instead of succeeding to his father's throne, left it to his
brother Citrāṅgada. Once Citrāṅgada went for hunting
in the forest. There he came across a Gandharva named
Citrāṅgada. The Gandharva did not like another man
with his own name to be living in this world. So he
killed the king. After that Vicitravīrya became king.
Bhīṣma had to take up the task of arranging a suitable
marriage for Vicitravīrya.
2)
The Svayaṃvara. It was at this time that Bhīṣma
came to know that the King of Kāśī was arranging the
Svayaṃvara of his three daughters, Ambā, Ambikā and
Ambālikā. Bhīṣma went there and in the presence of all
the kings who had assembled there, took the three
princesses with him to Hastināpura. There he made all
preparations for the marriage. But as the time for the
ceremony approached, the eldest and most beautiful of
the princesses, Ambā went to Bhīṣma and said: “I had
already made up my mind long ago to marry Sālva, the
King. Besides, we are deeply in love with each other.
Therefore, please consider whether it is proper on the
part of a great man like you to force me into another
marriage.”
On hearing this, Bhīṣma allowed her to do as she liked.
Ambā then went to King Sālva and made an appeal to
him to accept her as his wife since they were mutually
in love.
3)
Sālva's rejection. To her words Sālva replied:
“What you have said about our mutual love is true. But
it is not right for a man to accept a woman who has been
accepted by another. I saw Bhīṣma taking you by hand
and helping you into his chariot. Therefore go at once
to Bhīṣma himself and ask him to accept you.” Stunned
by his words, she turned away, to go to the forest to do
penance.
4)
Revenge on Bhīṣma. In the Mahābhārata, Udyoga
Parva, Chapter 17, we find that Ambā had cherished a
secret desire to wreak vengeance on Bhīṣma. She went to
the Āśrama of Śaikhāvatya Muni in the forest and stayed
there for the night. Her wish to do penance was approv-
ed by the Muni. On the next day, Ambā's maternal
grandfather, Hotravāhana (Sṛñjaya) came that way.
Hotravāhana came to know of all her misfortunes. He
advised her to inform Paraśurāma of all her grievances.
Just at that moment Akṛtavraṇa, a follower of Paraśu-
rāma happened to come there. Hotravāhana introduced
Ambā to Akṛtavraṇa. Both Akṛtavraṇa and Sṛñjaya
explained all her affairs to Paraśurāma. Paraśurāma
undertook to persuade Bhīṣma to accept Ambā (as his
wife). But Paraśurāma's proposal was turned down by
Bhīṣma. A terrible duel took place between them at
Kurukṣetra. When the fight reached a critical stage,
Nārada and the gods induced Paraśurāma to withdraw
from the duel. Thus the fight ended with equal victory
to both. Finding that it was not possible to achieve her
object through Paraśurāma's mediation, Ambā re-
nounced food, sleep etc. and went to the Yamunā valley
to do penance for six years. (M.B., Udyoga Parva,
Chapter 188). After that for one year she went on a
fast, lying under the water in the river Yamunā. Again
for another year she did penance, standing on the tip of
the toes and eating only dry leaves. Next, she reduced
the sky and earth to flames by doing penance. The
goddess Gaṅgā appeared to her and when she under-
stood her plight, she told Ambā that it was not possible
to kill Bhīṣma. In her agony and despair, without even
drinking water, she wandered about here and there.
The goddess Gangā cursed her to become a river in the
Vatsa country. As a result of the curse, a part of her was
turned into the river known as Ambā.
5)
Śiva's Boon. The remaining part of her engaged
itself in penance. Śiva appeared to her and told her that
in the next birth she would attain masculinity. He added
that she would be born in the Drupada dynasty as a
great archer under the name of Citrayodhi and kill
Bhīṣma. Pleased with this prophecy, she took a vow that
she would kill Bhīṣma and making a pyre, burnt herself
to death.
6)
Rebirth. King Drupada's queen had been in great
distress for a long time because she had no children.
Drupada propitiated Śiva by worshipping him for an
issue. Śiva blessed him and said that a girl would be
born to him, but she would be transformed into a boy.
In due course, the queen gave birth to a girl, but it was
announced that it was a boy. Therefore the child had to
be brought up, dressed like a boy. The child became
famous under the name of Śikhaṇḍī. When Śikhaṇḍī
attained youth, Drupada decided to look for a wife for
him (her?). Still he was greatly perplexed as to how to
find a wife for Śikhaṇḍī who was already a youthful
virgin! But his wife assured Drupada that Sikhaṇḍī
would become a man, according to Śiva's blessing. So,
Drupada made a proposal for Śikhaṇḍī's marriage with
the daughter of the King of Daśārṇa.
7)
Śikhaṇḍī's Marriage. Hiraṇyavarṇa, the King of
Daśārṇa, gave his daughter in marriage to Śikhaṇḍī.
The couple arrived at Kāmbalyapura. By this time the
wife came to know that the “husband” was a woman.
She disclosed the secret to her Ladies-in-waiting. They
in turn communicated it to the king. Enraged at this,
Hiraṇyavarṇa sent a messenger to King Drupada to
ascertain the truth of the matter. He even began to
make preparations for waging a war against Drupada,
King of Pañcāla. Drupada and his queen were in a fix.
At this stage the distressed Śikhaṇḍī proceeded to the
forest, determined to commit suicide. People were
afraid of entering that forest because a Yakṣa named
Sthūṇakarṇa lived there. Śikhaṇḍī went to the premises
of the Yakṣa and performed certain rites for a number of
days. The Yakṣa appeared to her. Śikhaṇḍī explained
the whole matter to him. They entered into a contract.
According to it, they exchanged their sexes—Śikhaṇḍī
receiving the male sex of the Yakṣa and the Yakṣa receiv-
ing the female sex of Śikhaṇḍī. Śikhaṇḍī returned home
as a man. Drupada repeated with greater force his old
plea that his child was a man. Hiraṇyavarṇa made a
thorough examination of Śikhaṇḍī and convinced him-
self of the truth. Many years after, Hiraṇyavarṇa died.
8)
Kubera's Arrival. At that time, in the course of his
world tour Kubera arrived at the residence of Sthūṇa-
karṇa. The Yakṣa who was in female form, did not
come out to receive Kubera. In his anger, Kubera
pronounced a curse that the female sex of Sthūṇakarṇa
and the male sex of Śikhaṇḍī would continue for ever.
The Yakṣa prayed for the lifting of the curse. Kubera
released him from the curse by saying that after the
death of Śikhaṇḍī, the Yakṣa would be restored to his
own male sex.
According to the previous agreement, Śikhaṇḍī went to
Sthūṇakarṇa's place after the death of Hiraṇyavarṇa.
But coming to know of all that had happened, he return-
ed home. Thus Śikhaṇḍī became a man permanently.
Śikhaṇḍī had received his training in arms under Droṇā-
cārya. In the great Kaurava-Pāṇḍava battle, he became
a charioteer.
9)
Śikhaṇḍī's Revenge. The Mahābhārata, Bhīṣma
Parva, Chapter 108, describes Bhīṣma's encounter with
Śikhaṇḍī during the Kaurava-Pāṇḍava battle. The
Pāṇḍavas started the day's battle by keeping Śikhaṇḍī
in the vanguard. Bhīma, Arjuna, Abhimanyu and other
warriors were giving him support. It was Bhīṣma who
led the Kaurava forces. Arrows began to fly from both
sides. It was the tenth day of the battle and Śikhaṇḍī
shot three arrows aimed at Bhīṣma's breast. Bhīṣma
with a smile of contempt said to Śikhaṇḍī, “Śikhaṇḍī!
Brahmā created you as a woman. You may do as you
like”. Hearing this taunt, Śikhaṇḍī became more in-
furiated. Arjuna inspired him with greater courage.
After that, keeping Śikhaṇḍī in front, Arjuna began to
fight with Bhīṣma. Śikhaṇḍī also showered his arrows
on him. Ten of these arrows of Śikhaṇḍī hit Bhīṣma's
breast. Bhīṣma disregarded even those arrows. At last
he said: “I cannot kill the Pāṇḍavas because they are
invulnerable (avadhyāḥ). I cannot kill Śikhaṇḍī be-
cause he is really a woman and not man. Though I am
also invulnerable and cannot be killed in battle, yet
today I have to die; the time has come for me to die.”
Meanwhile Śikhaṇḍī and Arjuna were discharging a
continuous and heavy shower of arrows at Bhīṣma. At
last Bhīṣma fell down. (M.B., Udyoga Parva, Chapter
173).