Amba (Mahabharata)
Amba | |
---|---|
Mahabharata character | |
Information | |
Gender | Female |
Family | Parents
|
Significant other | Salva |
Home | Kashi |
Amba (
Amba, along with her sisters, were abducted by
Etymology
Amba is a commonly used word in
Legend
Svayamvara
The
Salva's rejection
In the Ambopakhyanaparvan chapter of the book
Bhishma ensured that Amba was escorted safely to Salva's kingdom. Amba informed Salva that she had come for him. Salva retorted that he no longer desired her, as she was to be wed to another man. He declared that she had been rightfully won by Bhishma, who had defeated and insulted him and the other kings. He accused her of leaving with him of her own free will. Amba pleaded with Salva, whom she considered her true love, to accept her. But Salva reiterated his Kshatriya dharma and refused to accept her. Rejected, the heart-broken Amba left the Salva Kingdom and retired to the forest.[7]
In another version, Amba stung by this rejection went to Bhishma and accosted him, stating that he was responsible for all her problems. Bhishma tried to convince Vichitravirya to marry Amba, but he rejected her stating that she was in love with someone else. She then approached Bhishma to marry her. He also refused due to his vow of celibacy. This further infuriated Amba, as she had now been spurned by three bachelors. She appealed to various kings to defeat Bhishma and bring her justice, but all of them refused, knowing Bhishma's capabilities. Finally, the furious Amba went to the forest to please the devas so that she may have her revenge on Bhishma.[8]
Parshurama's mediation
Amba reflected on her plight and considered all the people responsible for it, including herself (as she did not escape Bhishma's chariot when Bhishma was fighting Salva), Bhishma (who abducted her), Salva (who rejected her) and her father (who arranged her svayamvara). She finally arrived at the conclusion that Bhishma was the main culprit and swore to destroy him by austerities or battle. She sought shelter with a group of ascetics that night and narrated her tale to them. There the learned sage Shaikhavatya consoled Amba and promised to guide her in her austerities.[9][10]
Other sages discussed amongst themselves Amba's situation and contemplated her alternatives and advised her to return to her father as there are only two true protectors of a woman: a father and a husband. However, Amba declined, deciding to practice austerities. The next day, the sage
When Parashurama arrived with his retinue at
Austerities
Amba gave up food and sleep, and practised asceticism standing still for six months in the
The
Shiva's boon and Amba's death
The ascetics of Vatsa dissuaded her from the austerities, but Amba maintained her resolve and told them her desire was to be born a man and slay Bhishma to avenge her misery. The god
Garland of ever-fresh lotuses
Another variant narrates that Amba performed austerities and pleased Kartikeya, the god of war and Shiva's son. He granted her a garland of ever-fresh lotuses and declared that whoever wore it will destroy Bhishma. With this garland, Amba made one more attempt to seek help of many kings and princes to support her in her just cause. However, there was no response from anyone of them to help her as they did not want to be on the wrong side of Bhishma. In a final effort she approached Drupada but even he declined; in frustration she cast the garland off on a pillar outside Drupada's palace and went for austerities in the forest again. While Amba kills herself, no one dares to touch the garland.[8][19][20]
Rebirth as Shikhandi
Drupada had no children, and so he engaged himself in austerities in the forest, seeking the blessings of Shiva for begetting a son. Shiva granted him the boon that a girl would be born to him, but would transform into a boy later. As prophesied, Amba was reborn as Shikhandi, whose true sex was not disclosed, and she was brought up as a boy. When Drupada got his daughter in the garb of a son married to the daughter of Hiranyavarna, the King of Dasharna, her true identity was revealed, not only to the chagrin of the girl, her father, but also to Shikhandi herself. The agitated Hiranyavarna declared war on Panchala. Distressed by the turn of events, Shikhandi went into the forest to meet a yaksha (a nature spirit), Sthunakarna, who helped her by offering to exchange their sexes for a period of time. Thus, Shikhandi became biologically male. After Hiranyavarna's death, Shikhandi returned to swap sexes with the yaksha, but learnt that the yaksha had been cursed by Kubera to remain female until Shikhandi's death.[9]
In the variant where the garland of ever-fresh lotuses is mentioned, Shikhandi wears the garland once, and Drupada realises that she would slay Bhishma.[8]
Meanwhile, over the course of time, Ambika and Ambalika had grandchildren: the
Shikhandi is killed in a sword fight with
References
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (15 June 2012). "Amba, Ambā, Aṃbā, Āmba: 27 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (28 January 2019). "Story of Ambā". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-134-11995-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-208-0557-6.
- Sacred-texts.com.
- ^ John Garrett (1989). A Classical Dictionary of India Illustrative of the Mythology, Philosophy, Literature, Antiquities, Arts, Manners Customs &c. of the Hindus. Atlantic Publishers & Distri. p. 27. GGKEY:YTLNG1DG7JN.
- ^ Kisari Mohan Ganguli. "Section CLXXVI". The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva. Sacred-texts.com.
- ^ a b c "4. Amba and Bhishma". Mahabharataonline.com. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8426-0822-0.
- ^ Kisari Mohan Ganguli. "Section CLXXVII". The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva. Sacred-texts.com.
- ^ Kisari Mohan Ganguli. "Section CLXXVIII". The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva. Sacred-texts.com.
- ^ Kisari Mohan Ganguli. "Section CLXXIX". The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva. Sacred-texts.com.
- ^ Kisari Mohan Ganguli. "Section CLXXX". The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva. Sacred-texts.com.
- ^ Kisari Mohan Ganguli. "Section CLXXXI". The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva. Sacred-texts.com.
- ^ Kisari Mohan Ganguli. "Section CLXXXVIII". The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva. Sacred-texts.com.
- ^ a b c Kisari Mohan Ganguli. "Section CLXXXIX". The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva. Sacred-texts.com.
- ^ Kisari Mohan Ganguli. "Section CXC". The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva. Sacred-texts.com.
- ISBN 978-81-7022-375-7.
- ISBN 978-1-56023-180-6.
- ^ Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 62.
- ISBN 978-0-226-15641-5.
- ISBN 978-1-57607-359-9.
- ^ K M Ganguly (1883-1896). The Mahabharatha Book 10: Sauptika Parva section 8 Ashwatthama killing Shikindin, October 2003, Retrieved 2015-10-2