Amba

 

Daughter of a King of Kasi.

1) Amba and Vicitravirya.
Amba is an ill-starred character in the story of the Mahabharata. She had two younger sisters named Ambika and Ambalika. Bhisma;who had taken a vow to remain a bachelor for life, had once taken Amba, Ambika and Ambalika, the three daughters of the King of Kaki, to Hastinapura. The circumstances in which this happened, are descried in Devi Bhagavata, Prathama Skandha as follows

Santanu, a King of the Candra Vam-a, had two wives, Ganga and Satyavati. Bhisma was the son of Gariga and Citrairgada and Vicitravirya were the sons of Satyavati. Soon after Bhfsma’s birth, Ganga vanished. After a long period of reign, $antanu also died. Satyavati and. the three sons were left behind in the palace. According to a vow he had taken long ago, Bhisrna, instead of succeeding to his father’s throne, left it to his brother Citraxigada. Once Citrangada went for hunting in the forest. There he came across a Gandharva named Citrarigada. The Gandharva did not like another man with his own name to be living in this world. So he killed the king. After that Vicitravirya became king. Bh1sma had to take up the task of arranging a suitable marriage for Vicitravirya.

2) The Svayamvara.
It was at this time that Bhisma came to know that the King of Kasi was arranging the Svayamvara of his three daughters, Amba, Ambikd and Ambalika. Bhisma went there and in the presence of a1l the kings who had assembled there, took the three princesses with him to Hastinapura. There he made all preparations for the marriage. But as the time for the ceremony approached, the eldest and most beautiful of the princesses, Amba went to Bhisma and said : “I had already made up my mind long ago to marry Salva, 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, Bhisma allowed her to do as she liked. Amba then went to king Salva and made an appeal to him to accept her as his wife since they were mutually in love.

3) Sdlva’s rejection. To her words Salva 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 Bhisma taking you by hand and helping you into his chariot. Therefore go at once to Bhisma 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 Bhisma. In the Mahabharata, Udyoga
Parva, Chapter 17, we find that Amba had cherished a secret desire to wreak vengeance on Bhi:sma. She went to the Asrama of 8aikhavatya 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, Aruba’s maternal grandfather, Hotravahana (Sr came that way. Hotravahana came to know of all her misfortunes. He advised her to inform Parasurama of all her grievances. Just at that moment Akrtavrana, a follower of Parasu r4ma happened to come there. H(r)travahana introduced Amba to Akrtavrana. Both Akrtavrana and Srfijaya explained all her affairs to Parasurama. Parasurama undertook to persuade Bhisrna to accept Amba (as his wife). But Para;urama’s proposal was turned down by Bhisma. A terrible duel took place between them at Kuruksetra. When the fight reached a critical stage, Narada and the gods induced Parasurama 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 Parasurama’s mediation, Amba re nounced food, sleep etc. and went to the Yamuna 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 Yamuna. 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 Gafiga appeared to her and when she under stood her plight, she told Amba that it was not possible to kill Bhisma. In her agony and despair, without even drinking water, she wandered about here and there. The goddess Gariga 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 Amba.

5) Siva’s Boon. The remaining part of her engaged itself in penance. Siva 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 Bhisma. Pleased with this prophecy, she took a vow that ‘she would kill Bhisma 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 Siva by worshipping him for an issue. Siva 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 Sikhandi. When Sikhandi 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 gikhandi who was already a youthful virgin ! But his wife assured Drupada that Sikhandi would become a man, according to Siva’s blessing- So, Drupada made a proposal for $ikhandi’s marriage with the daughter of the King of Daarna.

7) Sikhandi’s Marriage. Hiranyavarna, the King of Da-larna, gave his daughter in marriage to Sikhandi. The couple arrived at Kambalyapura. 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, Hiranyavarna 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 Paficala. Drupada and his queen were in a fix. At this stage the distressed Sikhandi proceeded to the forest, determined to commit suicide. People were afraid of entering that forest because a Yaksa named Sthunakarna lived there. Sikhandi went to the premises of the Yaksa and performed certain rites for a number of days. The Yaksa appeared to her. 8ikhandi explained the whole matter to him. They entered into a contract. According to it, they exchanged their, sexes–Sikhandi receiving the male sex of the Yaksa and the Yaksa receiving the female sex of Sikhandi. Sikhandi returned home as a man. Drupada repeated with greater force his old plea that his child was a man. Hiranyavarna made a thorough examinwtion of Sikhandi and convinced himself of the truth. Many years after, Hiranyavarna died.

8) Kubera’s Arrival.
At that time, in the course of his world tour Xubera arrived at the residence of Sthunakarna. The, Yaksa who was in female form, did not come out to receive Kubera. In his anger, Kubera pronounced a curse that the female sex of Sthunakarna and the male sex of 8ikhandi would continue for ever. The Yaksa prayed for the lifting of the curse. Kubera released him from the curse by saying that after the death of 8ikhandi, the Yaksa would be restored to his own male sex.

According to the previous agreement, Sikhandi went to Sthunakarna’s place after the death of Hiranyavarna. But coming to know of all that had happened, he returned home. Thus 8ikhandi became a man permanently. Sikhand! had received his training in arms under Dronacdrya. In the great Kaurava-Pandava battle, he became a charioteer.

9) Sikhandi’s Revenge.
The Mahabharata, Bhisma Parva, Chapter 108, describes Bhisma’s encounter with 8ikhandi during the Kaurava-Pandava battle. The Pandavas started the day’s battle by keeping Sikhandi in the ,vanguard. Bhima, Arjuna, Abhimanyu and other warriors were giving him support. It was Bhisma who led the Kaurava forces. Arrows began to fly from both sides. It was the tenth day of the battle and Sikhandi shot three arrows aimed at Bhisma’s breast. Bhisma with a smile of contempt said to ~ikhandi, “Sikhandi ! Brahma created you as a woman. You may do as you like”. Hearing this taunt, Sikhandi became more infuriated. Arjuna ins,pired him with greater courage. After that, keeping Sikhandi in front, Arjuna began to fight with Bhisma. Sikhandi also showered his arrows on him. Ten of these arrows of 8ikhandi hit .Bhisma’s breast. Bhisma disregarded even those arrows. At last he said: “I cannot kill the Panda’vas because they are invulnerable (avadhyah). I cannot kill Sikhandi because 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 Sikhandi and Arjuna were discharging a continuous and heavy shower of arrows at Bhisma. At last Bhis-na fell down. (M.B., Udyoga Parva, Chapter 173) .

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