Ambikā

Ambikā was the second of the three princesses of Kāśī. Bhīṣma carried her off at her svayaṃvara (the ceremony where a princess chooses her husband) for his half-brother Vicitravīrya. After Vicitravīrya died without a son, she became one of the two widows through whom Satyavatī arranged niyoga with the ṛṣi Vyāsa. Niyoga is an arrangement under which a ṛṣi fathers a son for a king who has died without issue. The aim was to continue the Kuru line.

When Vyāsa came to her, Ambikā was so afraid of his fierce look as an ascetic that she shut her eyes and kept them shut for the whole meeting. Her son Dhṛtarāṣṭra was born blind. Because of his blindness, the eldest of the sons born through niyoga was set aside from kingship.

Abduction and marriage

Ambikā was one of the three daughters of the king of Kāśī. The others were Ambā, the eldest, and Ambālikā, the youngest. Bhīṣma carried off all three at their svayaṃvara and brought them to Hastināpura for Vicitravīrya. Ambā was released because she had already given her heart to Śālva. Ambikā and Ambālikā became the wives of Vicitravīrya. After seven years of marriage Vicitravīrya died of kṣaya (a wasting illness) without having a child.

The niyoga with Vyāsa

Satyavatī arranged for Vyāsa to father sons on Vicitravīrya’s widows through niyoga. When Vyāsa came to Ambikā, she could not bear to look at him. His dark colour, his matted hair and the blazing energy of his tapas (austerity) frightened her. She shut her eyes and kept them closed for the whole meeting.

The son born of this union was Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He came into the world without sight. This was the direct result of his mother’s closed eyes.

The dāsī takes her place

Satyavatī asked Vyāsa to visit Ambikā a second time, hoping for a better-formed son. Ambikā could not face him again. She dressed a dāsī (a maidservant) in her own clothes and sent the dāsī in her place. The dāsī received Vyāsa calmly and with respect. From this union Vidura was born, the wisest of the three sons.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Sambhava Parva, Chapters 102–105