Ambika (Mahabharata)

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Ambika ( Sanskrit अम्बिका ambikā ) is a figure in Indian mythology , in the Mahabharata she appears as the daughter of Kashya , the king of Kashi .

She is kidnapped by Bhishma with her sisters Amba and Ambalika in order to marry them off to his stepbrother King Vichitravirya . Ambika and Ambalika are happy to be married, but Amba has already been promised, which is why Bhishma lets her go again. The marriage remains childless and when Vichitravirya dies of an illness after seven years, Vichitravirya's mother Satyavati lets her sleep with her eldest son Vyasa so that the sex does not die out. Since Vyasa is very ugly, Ambika closes her eyes when she has to share the bed with him. Their son Dhritarashtra is therefore born blind.

literature

  • Ambika 2 . In: John Dowson : A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and literature. Trübner & co., London 1879, p. 12 ( Text Archive - Internet Archive ).
  • James Lochtefeld: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism , Volume 1. Rosen, New York 2002, ISBN 9780823931798 , p. 33.