Ambika, the second princess of Kashi, was among the three sisters abducted by Bhishma for his half-brother, Vichitraveerya. Amba, the eldest sister, refused to marry Vichitraveerya, as her heart was set on King Shalwa, leaving only Ambika and Ambalika to wed Vichitraveerya. Tragically, Vichitraveerya died childless, leaving the Kuru lineage without an heir. To continue the Kuru race, Satyavati requested her son Vyasa to father children with Ambika and Ambalika. When Vyasa arrived, Ambika was so terrified by his ascetic appearance that she closed her eyes tightly throughout the encounter, which led to the birth of her son Dhritarashtra, who was born blind.
This situation illustrates the deep reverence and fear that sages like Vyasa could inspire, as well as the sense of duty and sacrifice upheld by the royal women. Ambika’s act—rooted in both duty and trepidation—had far-reaching consequences in the epic, as her son Dhritarashtra would later become a central figure in the Mahabharata, overseeing the kingdom of Hastinapura as a blind king. This story of Ambika and her lineage intertwines with other figures in Hindu mythology, highlighting the complexities of fate, family duty, and the divine interventions that guide the epic’s unfolding events.